Actors’ Equity Association has voiced opposition to President Donald Trump’s new budget proposal, which intends to cut funding to various federal agencies, including the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The current funding for NEA stands at $207 million, equivalent to less than $1 per citizen.
Al Vincent, Jr., executive director of Actors’ Equity Association, stated, “Federal arts funding survived the last Trump Administration with bipartisan support because Congress understands that the live arts are a huge economic job creator across the country.” He added that the NEA supports arts programs nationwide, including in underserved rural areas, and emphasized the economic benefits generated by arts-related spending.
Actors’ Equity prioritizes arts funding and collaborates with unions and arts advocates to secure at least $1 per capita funding for the NEA. Previous efforts during Trump’s presidency had also aimed to cut the NEA’s budget annually.
According to Americans for the Arts, the arts sector in 2022 generated $151.7 billion, with $73.3 billion from organizational spending and $78.4 billion from event-related expenditures by audiences. The sector supported 2.6 million jobs and indicated that an average attendee spends $38.46 per event on additional activities.
Actors’ Equity Association represents over 51,000 professional actors and stage managers, advocating for their wages, working conditions, and benefits. The union is part of the AFL-CIO and FIA.
