On May 28, the administration released its fiscal year (FY) 2022 budget request, which calls for the largest requested increase in the history of the National Endowment for the Art (NEA)—a $201 million budget. This is a $33.5 million increase over FY 2021 levels for the NEA! This strong show of support from the administration is much-needed and very encouraging for arts agencies, creative workers, and the many programs the federal cultural agencies support. It is also a significant departure from the previous administration which repeatedly sought to eliminate the cultural agencies in each of its four years. The Biden administration budget announcement included increased support for other cultural programs as well, such as a $10 million increase for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and an $8 million increase for the Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS).

It’s important to remember that the administration’s budget request is just that—a request. Congress has the responsibility to set funding levels for the government for the coming fiscal year, and this work happens first in the appropriations subcommittees. Take two minutes now to contact your members of Congress to encourage them to match the President’s requested budget of $201 million for the NEA for the coming year.

Looking forward, we expect House appropriations subcommittees to begin writing their bills the last week of June, passing them along to the full committee for a vote in mid-July. Then, the full House will vote on the final appropriations bill in late-July before their August recess. The Senate will take up appropriations work in the fall.