The Everson Museum of Art is one of the institutions feeling a funding pinch as President Trump eliminates and even rescinds federal arts grants. Director and CEO Elizabeth Dunbar told a crowd during a recent celebration of Syracuse’s museums the Everson holds many distinctions.
“We are the first museum in the United States to collect American art, the first museum to ever be designed by the famous architect I.M Pei," Dunbar said. "The first museum to have a docent program, or an organized tour program for school children; and also the first museum in the United States to collect ceramics as a fine art medium."
But the Everson is not unique when it comes to federal funding slashed by executive order. Dunbar says two promised grants totaling $150,000 were cancelled.
“We've already spent the funds for those. So unfortunately, we don't know if we will ever get those funds reimbursed. I hope so," Dunbar said. "This is something that we will be calling on the community to help us make up the difference.”
Dunbar says the $150,000 doesn’t break the Everson’s $2.7 million budget. But she’s more concerned about the impact on future funding as Trump makes sweeping cuts to the National Endowment for the Arts. She says it’s challenging to replace the funding through private philanthropy with so many other organizations facing the same losses in federal support.
“We definitely are in some ways in competition for those funds," Dunbar said. "But I'm hopeful that people will understand what's most important to them and maybe dig a little bit deeper than they normally would to make sure that these very important amenities remain vibrant here in this community.”
Arts, culture, and historical institutions say they remain hopeful legal action or Congress will ultimately reinstate the lost funding.
