Ticket sales at the Franke Center for the Arts in Marshall only cover about a quarter of the theatre’s operating budget. According to its director, Jacob Gates, the rest comes from fundraising and grants. He says the Franke was about to receive payment for a $10,000 federal grant, but was recently informed that those funds are now under review.
President Donald Trump's administration has frozen or cancelled hundreds of grants awarded through the National Endowment for the Arts, or NEA. And that’s impacting arts organizations in Southwest Michigan.
Gates said that even if the Franke does receive its NEA grant, the federal cuts put a strain on other local sources of funding.
“What we’re concerned about is not only this NEA grant, but a domino effect of other organizations having their federal funding cut,” he said. “And having that impact other foundations and arts organizations as those dominoes fall.”
NEA spending accounted for less than one percent of the overall federal budget in 2024.
The Eastend Studio and Gallery in Marshall learned recently that its own $10,000 NEA grant was eliminated. The grant was going to help fund its visual arts program at the Student Resilience and Empowerment Center in Battle Creek.
Director Jennifer Conley Darling said the non-profit found an alternative funding source to keep the program going this year. But these cuts will have an impact.
“When our legislators and our federal government are deciding to pull the one percent that they give of the budget, it’s a huge hit on our community,” she said. “And our kids. All our kids.”
According to a recent article in Bridge Michigan, arts organizations in the state were awarded more than $3 million in NEA grants in 2024. The 2025 recipients were announced in January, before President Trump took office.
