Last week, The National Endowment for the Arts announced changes to its grant guidelines. Any applications for projects focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will be denied.
The changes to the language of the grant guidelines, which moves away from DEI, could create uncertainty for Orange City Arts Council.
Emie Andrulewich, Executive Director of Orange City Arts Council, told Siouxland Public Media News that, “Given that OCArts receives about 10% of its program funding through state and local grants, any shifts in funding criteria could significantly impact its ability to host certain programs.”
Anderulewich also said that the Arts Council is committed to its mission and that it won’t change. Orange City Arts Council may need to change their approach to receive grants and funding if the changes to the NEA lead to stricter requirements.
* In other news, on Saturday, Patriot Front, a Texas based white supremacist group, marched around Des Moines.
Iowa Democratic Representative J.D. Scholten said, “Part of the reason I got into politics is to take on groups and language that promote hate.”
Iowa Republican Representative Travis Sitzmann said, “I 100% do not support any group or organization that has an agenda of racial superiority”. Sitzman went on to say, “ I do not believe that any member of my party or the conservative base in Iowa contributed to the out of state protests by this organization. This group is not welcome in Iowa”.
