advocate for the arts
The FY26 federal budget request release by the White House on May 2 (pg. 40) called for the elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and other cultural agencies with some NEA grantees in Kentucky receiving notifications that their awards had been terminated or withdrawn from consideration.
Additionally, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (H.R.1), which has passed the House in a 215-214 vote and will be considered by the Senate with a final passage expected for July 4, increases taxes on foundations & nonprofits and disincentivizes charitable giving. By diverting scarce resources away from nonprofits and their missions, the bill will harm those who rely on the services provided by nonprofits in our communities.
we’re coming together.
Movement Continuum along with Bluegrass Youth Ballet (BYB), The Lexington Philharmonic, Lexington Children’s Theatre, The Living Arts and Science Center, & many other organizations are coming together as a united coalition to advocate for the continued & increased support of the arts at the local & state level.
We all receive support from any combination of Kentucky Arts Council & LexArts, whether directly or through the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government. These funds are vital to continuing our work.
H o w F u n d i n g F l o w s
in our country
The National Endowment for the Arts is funded by federal tax dollars allocated by the United States Congress every fiscal year. The NEA in turn allocates funds through grants for which state arts agencies and arts organizations must apply and be approved through a rigorous adjudication process.
in our state
The Kentucky Arts Council is one of these state agencies receiving $968,000 from the NEA in FY26, making up 36% of the KAC budget. The other 64% is matched by state tax dollars allocated by the Kentucky General Assembly which has been on the decline since 2001.
in our county
Finally, Movement Continuum receives its funding from a combination of sources including LexArts & LFUCG. Movement Continuum, in turn, uses these funds to support cost-free dance training for girls living in underserved Lexington neighborhoods, producing community arts events & making spaces for performers to to safely create & exhibit their work for live audiences.
we need your help!
at the local level
Contact your Council-Member: Tell your representative the arts are important to Lexington & you want to see them supported. Call, email, or write a fully addressed letter – let your voice be heard!
Show Up: Patronize our community’s performances, museums, & art exhibits. Participate in the programming that Lexington organizations offer.
Donate: If you’ve considered giving to the arts, now is your time to shine! Find support pages on websites & make a giving plan that works for you.
at the state level
Contact your Representative: Kentuckians for the Arts calls for the General Assembly to restore Kentucky Arts Council funding, at minimum, to the $4.5 million 2001 annual level. Contact your State Senators and Representatives to let your voice be heard!
Movement Continuum, alongside our coalition organizations, invite you to join a letter writing campaign clearly outlining our need for arts in our community on July 12, 2025.
Spread the Word: Don’t underestimate the power of conversation! Spread the word about what’s happening & how folks can help.
at the national level
Make the Call: Contact Senators McConnell, Paul, and your Congressional Representative & ask them to sustain support for the NEA in the FY26 federal budget. Use the resources provided by KFTA. Be specific about how funds impact your community.
Sign the Letter: KFTA has prepared a statewide sign-on letter that will be sent to Kentucky’s Congressional delegation. Sign this letter & help distribute it! It can be signed by anyone who feels the NEA is important to our communities.
Sign (Another) Letter: The Kentucky Nonprofit Network has prepared a template to call & email Senators McConnell & Paul to remove harmful provisions from the H.R. 1 tax bill & instead bolster support for nonprofits by expanding incentives for charitable giving.
here’s the facts, folks…
The arts are woven into the fabric of our Commonwealth, and we all experience their benefits & impact each day. However, Kentucky ranks 45th in the nation in per capita investment. If sports is your thing, think of it like this- we’re basically at the bottom of the conference. Mississippi, South Carolina, Florida, Missouri, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, and Arkansas (by 8¢) all out rank us.
The Kentucky Arts Council hasn’t recovered from steep cuts over the past 20 years, even though the economy rebounded. Today, state funding is less than half of the 2001 level, even lower than 1987. Such steep cuts have significantly reduced the scope of KAC’s programs and services, thereby impacting the arts organizations in your town.
The elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the systematic changing of tax legislation that would have a detrimental effect on nonprofits across all sectors.
The NEA, established in Congress in 1965, is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide. Over the past five years, the NEA distributed $14.3 million in federal funding to Kentucky. If the NEA were to be eliminated, it would have immediate & long-term negative impacts on the Arts in the United States of America.
Congruently, the “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act” H.R. 1 has passed the House of Representatives, & now heads to the Senate. The bill increases taxes on foundations & nonprofits & disincentivizes charitable giving. Thanks to collective action, a key provision of concern was removed from the bill that would allow any administration to unilaterally strip a charitable nonprofit of its tax-exempt status without due process. However, now is the time to do much more.