Marking his return to the White House, President Donald Trump and his administration signed 150 executive orders on Jan. 27 to significantly cut down on its support for the arts, targeting both funding and oversight on cultural institutions. The Department of Government Efficiency enforced a grant funding freeze on certain agencies, like the Institute for Museum and Library Services. In addition, new rules now require Smithsonian museums to undergo review of their various displays to remove content deemed “divisive” and an inaccurate representation of American history. 

Another institution directly impacted by these new measures is the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, otherwise known as BAMPFA. This organization currently holds the world’s largest collection of quilts created by African American artists, with around 3000 quilts that date back to the 1860s. The museum displays these quilts in its exhibits and also carries out maintenance to preserve them. According to BAMPFA Public Relations Manager A.J. Fox, the museum was given a grant of $40,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts for its showcase Routed West: Twentieth-Century African American Quilts in California. In addition, IMLS gave a $480,000 grant for the conservation of the quilts. However, the Trump administration has rescinded both funds, citing that the IMLS grant “no longer serves the interest of the United States,” terminating around $260,000 of unused money from the fund. Fox emphasizes that the IMLS serves a vital role in enabling the conservation team to maintain the fragile quilts for future generations. 

“It’s been both upsetting and disappointing to receive those letters from the federal government,” Fox said. “We’re being told that this work, which we feel is very important for lifting and celebrating the 150-year artistic practice of black women, is no longer important to our own government. It’s a real loss not just for the museum, but for our audiences who celebrate these works or are interested in this type of material, and for the future generations who are going to be in a position to experience these quilts later on.”

The NEA has faced funding cuts, forcing it to cut grants and lay off staff, with Trump citing his ultimate goal to abolish the NEA by the next fiscal year. The NEA also previously updated its policy to conform to Trump’s executive orders, such that grant applicants must promise not to promote “gender ideology.” This policy was ruled by the Rhode Island federal court on Friday, Sept. 19, as violating the First Amendment following a lawsuit by several art organizations supported by the American Civil Liberties Union. Freshman Audrey Papasin emphasizes that the attempt to remove “gender ideology” from NEA grants was an attempt to silence diverse perspectives. 

“It’s a cut of identity,” Papasin said. “The more diverse a community is, the more we can connect, learn and improve life together as a people. Being shunned and being shamed provides a source of fear — a source of isolation to those people. Cutting the voices of artists is to cut the voices and ideas of millions of people.” 

History teacher and Smithsonian Teacher Advisory Council member Bonnie Belshe has also felt the impact of the administration’s budget cuts. Specifically, the National Endowment for the Humanities canceled a large majority of its previous grants, instead pivoting almost $35 million in funding towards projects that celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary. For instance, while Belshe originally planned to aid in a project for the University of North Carolina on the Wilmington massacre, she can no longer do so due to the project losing significant funding. Belshe says the funding cuts feel especially personal because they directly limit the opportunities that fuel her passion as a history teacher. 

“A part of loving museums is natural with being a history teacher,” Belshe said. “I love going to different history and art museums and just being able to be immersed in material culture. I would love — particularly the different Smithsonians — to continue with their mission of telling a broad story of the American people and American history, and continuing to ask, ‘Who can we further include in this history within this story?’ What we’re seeing now is these threats from President Trump to change that mission, that story, that purpose. That is not telling history; that is telling mythology.”

However, despite the loss of federal support, BAMPFA is still striving to maintain its quilt collection and has received support both locally and nationally, specifically following a broadcast by the National Public Radio, which spurred donations from around the country. 

“It’s hard to plug a hole that big, but it’s very meaningful to us to see how many people feel the work we’re doing here matters and that it is a community interest to safeguard these works —  contrary to what the federal government says,” Fox said. “Even though it’s sad news that we lost this federal support, it’s also been very heartening to see how our community has rallied around raising the need to conserve history.”

Belshe believes that the government should reissue the grants supporting the Smithsonian museums and bring back uncensored displays of the arts without the interference of politics. Comparably, Fox views the role of the IMLS in preserving historical artifacts as key in shining a light on the artistic practices of underrepresented communities. Papasin adds that, especially as artificial intelligence and increasing industrialization make art a less feasible career, artists’ creative freedom and ability to express people’s opinions and perspectives should be supported by the government.

“A lot of times, art is used to point out the flaws of our governments and our leaders,” said Papasin. “These cuts are directly cutting the source of free will and thoughts. The government should allow artists to express themselves and their philosophy as they want. Instead of shaming them and quieting their voices, the government should reflect upon that and improve itself rather than cutting their voices out.”

Despite the funding cuts, Fox emphasizes that BAMPFA’s caretakers will continue to look toward alternative options for funding, viewing the challenge as less of a setback but an opportunity to demonstrate how the community can unite in protecting historical heritage. By doing so, their hope is to not only safeguard African American culture and tradition but to honor the creativity and sacred practices of the artists who made them.

“This work is a part of the American story,” Fox said. “It’s part of American art history, and it’s part of American history, period. Part of what we’re doing in this show is celebrating and lifting up the voices of Black artists. It’s not about dividing people. It’s not about rewriting American history in a negative light. It’s about opening space for voices in American history to have their work seen and their stories told. And we’re really proud to do that work. The American government should care about supporting those stories because they’re part of our shared heritage as Americans; that strikes me as something that is well worth federal support.”