Supporting Spokane Artists

FROM OUR PARTNERS AT AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS (re: NEA Funding Cuts)

Dear Arts and Culture Leaders,

The cancellation of National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants, while not unexpected, marks the next step in a deeply troubling pattern of government disinvestment in the arts. This ongoing pattern of disregard not only threatens vital funding for organizations and communities nationwide—it challenges the very infrastructure that supports cultural expression, economic opportunity, and community well-being. We must respond strategically and in solidarity to protect what we’ve built and ensure the arts remain a national priority.

​​​​​​Let me be clear: the NEA is essential. The NEA reaches every Congressional district, supporting programs that reflect the full spectrum of American communities—from rural arts initiatives and veterans’ healing programs to youth education, local festivals, and the preservation of our cultural heritage. These cancellations take away what brings people together, weaken the local programs that help communities thrive, and go against the values that hold us together as a country.

Our Immediate Response

• We’ve issued a formal statement condemning these actions and calling for the full restoration of NEA funding.
• We are in direct contact with Congressional leaders, emphasizing the real impact these cuts will have on their constituents.
• We are gathering community-level data and stories to personalize and strengthen advocacy efforts across the country.
• We are convening a national coalition of arts and culture organizations to ensure a unified and powerful voice.
• We are deploying advocacy tools to equip you with messaging, data templates, and media support.

If You’ve Lost NEA Grant Funding: Submit Your Appeal Immediately!

If your organization has been affected by the recent NEA grant cancellations, we strongly urge you to submit an appeal by the official deadline, which was in the email grantees received from the NEA. Note that depending on your grant category, deadlines vary with some as early as Friday, May 9.

• Filing an appeal preserves your standing and ensures your organization is counted in any future coordinated action.
• It sends a clear signal to federal agencies and lawmakers about the scale and seriousness of this disruption.
• It helps us build a unified field response, allowing our collective voice to reflect the full scope of the damage.

Even if you’re unsure about the outcome, we encourage you to submit the appeal. This is new ground for all of us, and every submission adds to the larger picture—helping to inform advocacy efforts, guide legal understanding, and shape potential policy solutions. Please don’t navigate this process alone—reach out if you need help.

Additional Resource Links:

• Holland & Knight: What Recipients Need to Know if a Federal Grant Is Terminated by the Government
• National Council of Nonprofits: A Nonprofit Checklist: What to do When Your Federal Grant or Contract is Terminated
• To support your appeal, our friends at the Film Festival Alliance and Modern Language Association have developed step-by-step guidance and templates to get you started.

Take Action Now

We urge all organizations and grantees to take these immediate steps:

1. Connect with Your Elected Officials
   Share your story. Personalized outreach is critical at this moment. Remind them of the irreplaceable value of the arts in your community. 
   • Use our Arts Advocacy Alert to send an email to your elected officials.
   • Refer to our Arts Advocacy Alert phone script when calling your Members of Congress.
   • Or use this template to send a letter via the U.S. Postal Service with a personalized note to your elected officials.
2. Join us for a live webinar on Wednesday, May 7 at 4:00 PM ET to provide art leaders with clear next steps, including how to file an appeal, evaluate your options, and connect with advocacy experts and peers. Register Now.
3. Complete the National Pulse Survey to help us quantify the harm and amplify your voice with lawmakers:
   • If you are an arts and culture organization, please complete the survey by EOD Friday, May 16. The survey will only take six minutes to complete. 
   • If you are able to share this survey with your local network of arts and culture organizations, please forward the survey using our email template for distribution.
4. Share your story! Americans for the Arts is collecting powerful, personal stories from across the country to show how the arts transform lives and communities. Submit your story.
5. Connect with your local and state arts organizations
   • See a list of state arts agencies from our friends at NASAA. 
   • See a list of AFTA state captains to connect with at the state level. 
   • Use the LAA Wayfinder to find local arts agencies in your community.
6. Visit our campaign landing page and scroll down to download our social media toolkit and access ready-to-use graphics, captions, and resources to help protect the NEA and advocate for the arts. Download Here.

Additional Resources

We are also coordinating with legal experts, advocacy partners, and Congressional allies. More materials, including talking points, press templates, and a policy impact tracker, will be shared in the coming days and weeks. If you need specific guidance, please reach out directly to our Government Affairs team at advocacy@artsusa.org. 

Resource Links:

• Act Now and Support America’s Museums with advocacy resources from the American Alliance of Museums.
• Stand up for libraries in America with more advocacy resources from the American Library Association.
• Advocate with the National Humanities Alliance with their resources.
• Join the Americans for the Arts Action Fund for free to stay informed and to become an arts champion.

Why This Matters

The NEA is not an optional investment—it’s an essential one. Its grants support creative expression, mental health services for veterans, student achievement, and job creation in all 50 states and every Congressional district. Arts and culture contribute $1.2 trillion to the U.S. economy and support 5.4 million American jobs.

We cannot afford to let this decision go unanswered.

We know this is a moment of stress and uncertainty—but also one of immense opportunity. We can turn this challenge into a turning point—building a stronger, more connected, and more impactful arts sector that serves everyone, everywhere.We will continue to stand beside you—amplifying your stories, defending your work, and fighting for a future where the arts are truly valued.
​​​​​​

Erin Harkey
CEO, Americans for the Arts

REGISTER FOR WORKSHOP MAY 7

FROM OUR PARTNERS AT INSPIRE WASHINGTON (re: NEA Funding Cuts)

I’m reaching out today, with deep concern, to all 2024 & 2025 recipients of NEA funding.  Recission and Termination notices were issued to grantees at the end of last week and we’re working to understand the impact on Washington’s cultural programming. Did you receive a recission or termination notice?  If this is news to you, you may want to search through your spam box as many of the emails ended up there. We fervently hope your federal funding remains in place to support your uplifting and community-centered programming.  

All public investments in cultural programs are critical. As the state’s cultural advocacy organization, Inspire Washington is your partner in maintaining your federal funding through advocacy. We are doing our best to keep up with all of the new federal threats and to develop political strategy in partnership with all of you AND our national network. 

Here’s what Inspire Washington is doing this week on your behalf:

1. Contacting WA’s congressional delegation to call out the baseless grant cancellations and to request their support. As your congressional representatives, they need to do everything in their power to push back on the Administration.
2. Collecting information on lost funding. Please click here to complete our survey.
3. Developing a briefing sheet about all cultural funding Washington state has lost due to Executive orders and priorities. This would include budget cuts from IMLS, NEH, NEA, and CPB (NPR & PBS). Anything else we should be tracking?
4. Continuing conversation with our national partners specifically about opportunities for collective action. 
5. Creating an action alert to encourage our Congressional delegation to save the NEA. Keep an eye out for this later in the week!

 Here is what we recommend YOU do:

1.      Fill out this survey to share the impact of your grant.

2.      File an appeal before May 9th by emailing grants@arts.gov. Click here for information and sample letters.

3.      Tell your Congressional Representative and Senators about the loss of funding and how it will impact your community.

Below are more resources and information from our partners at Creative West that you may find useful. Please reach out if you have any questions or more to share.  Tomorrow, we are commencing our statewide tour, Cultural Futures. Please review the schedule and I hope you’ll join us so that we may continue this conversation. 

In solidarity, 

Manny 

FILL OUT THE SURVEY

NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR THE 2025 ARTS AWARDS!

NOMINATE SOMEONE TODAY!

FIRST FRIDAY AT THE CHASE: PORTRAITS FROM WITHIN

 

PORTRAITS FROM WITHIN; FOUR EMERGING SPOKANE ARTISTS

EMILY FLYNN-DELAY, CARLY ELLIS, LILY HENDERSON, ELSA OXFORD
MAY FIRST FRIDAY OPENING RECEPTION: May 2nd – 5:30 – 7 PM

(Enter City Hall through the sliding doors on N. Post St.. Chase Gallery is on the lower level) This exhibition runs for 2 months.

City Hall, lower level
808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.
Dates: May 2, – June 27, 2025.
Open to the Public. Hours 9am – 5pm, M-F

Explore the various experiences of young women artists in Spokane through the work of Emily Flynn-Delay, Carly Ellis, Lily Henderson and Elsa Oxford. 

While employing different mediums and a wide range of viewpoints, all four artists use portraiture to explore questions of self-perception and identity as young women, focusing their lens on themselves and those in their inner circle. Another common thread among all four is that they have, at some point in their lives, called Spokane “home” and are relatively recent university art program graduates.To spice up what is already sure to be an entertaining opening, SPKNARTS and the curator, Kelly Baker, have booked DJ Spicy Ketchup to provide music for the event. *First Friday Opening – Enter City Hall through the sliding doors on N. Post St. entrance. Chase Gallery is on the lower level.

CALLING ALL YOUTH POETS!

photo by Ivan Samkov on Pexels

Calling all POETS in grades 8 through 12!

YOUTH POETRY at Kendall Yards Night Market!

Curated by Spokane’s Poet Laureate, Mery Smith!

Come down to Night Market and make your voice heard. We need to hear from you irl. Every Wednesday 4-6 pm. Read your first drafts or your next villanelle. Let’s fill the gaps with language and color. Let’s make sure we know what it is you are hoping for, what you are afraid of, what is your joy, your five year plan, your friend’s name? This is a chance to celebrate the season and share your poetry with the Night Market and neighborhood community!

Fill out this simple application and you could be a participant at Night Market this summer! applications close May 9, so get them in now, and tell all your friends!

APPLY NOW:

https://smr.to/p102983

APPLY HERE!

STUDENT ART CONTEST HITS THE STREETS! Open Call to young artist in Spokane!

Ever thought about having your design cast in iron to be enjoyed for decades? Spokane Arts and the City of Spokane’s Wastewater Management Department have the contest for you!

Students who are age 18 and under and live in the City of Spokane are invited to submit a design for a wastewater access cover, also known as a manhole cover. The selected design will be cast and used in locations throughout the City.

This fun contest happens every five years and has been adding creativity to our streets for decades. The City installs or replaces approximately 100 access covers every year. There is no extra cost to the City to have the iron covers reflect these creative designs and can last 50 years or more.  The winning artist will help beautify our community for generations.

The chosen design will receive $100, have their designed access cover placed near their home, and be publicly recognized. The designs will be evaluated by members of the staff of Wastewater Management Department, Spokane Arts Commission, and community representatives.

DESIGN & ELIGIBILITY
THEME
Designs should be reflective of the ecology, water, nature, creatures or landscape of the Inland Northwest. What do you love about the river? How would you protect the river?

REQUIREMENTS
Open to all students 18 and younger in the City of Spokane. Designs must be appropriate and appeal to a public audience. High contrast, black and white images with larger, simple shapes will be most suitable for casting. No fine detail.

ENTRY INFORMATION
Drawn submissions must be received by 11:59 p.m., Friday, May 30, 2025. Entries can be submitted via the ONLINE FORM or using the template, and mailed to: Student Wastewater Access Cover Contest, 909 E. Sprague Ave. Spokane, WA 99202.

APPLY USING THE BUTTON BELOW!

ENTER HERE!