BellaOnline Forums TV and Movies Drama Movies Why Trump Should Not Cut Funding For The Arts

In reaction to Trump's proposed budget, which would eliminate funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities, the guilds representing artists working in film released a statement.

"The DGA, SAG-AFTRA, WGA West and East, and IATSE—as the Guilds representing creators, performers, technicians and artists in American film, television, radio, sound recordings and digital media—urge our nation’s leaders to preserve funding for the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. As a source of inspiration, action and economic growth, our country’s creative arts are integral to our culture, our American identity and our democracy. Access to the arts has fueled generations of great Americans, uplifted communities and helped heal our nation’s greatest divides. Cutting federal support of these programs will not only hurt artists and those who benefit from their work, it will also send a damaging message to future generations about the power of art and its place in our culture.” As a writer and musician, I couldn't agree more.

On Sunday, March 19th, Robert Redford posted an open letter on his Sundance Institute website in support of the National Endowment for the Arts. Redford states that the NEA helped create the Sundance Film Festival, which brings millions of dollars to Utah during the ten-day-fest. He also wrote, "The historic investment in the NEA has been fractional compared to other government spending but the dividends of this investment in our culture are unquantifiable. More than dollars, the NEA represents a civilization that values critical and creative thought."