SAN FRANCISCO - Several prominent Bay Area arts organizations have abruptly lost federal funding following a shift in grantmaking priorities by the National Endowment for the Arts under the Trump administration. It's a change that leaders say is putting vital programs and community work at risk.
Among those affected is the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, which received an NEA grant annually for decades. This year, the chorus was awarded $38,000 to support Rhythm, its music education program for local students. But its leadership received a notice from the NEA rescinding the funds, effective May 31.
The email read in part: "The NEA is updating its grantmaking policy priorities to focus funding on projects that reflect the nation's rich artistic heritage and creativity as prioritized by