As Hawaiʻi's arts agency is gearing up for the legislative session, there's looming uncertainty over the future of its federal funds with incoming President-elect Donald Trump.
The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts is one of thousands of arts organizations across the country that receives grants from various federal agencies. Executive Director Karen Ewald said the foundation received more than $900,000 from the National Endowment of the Arts.
When Trump became president in 2016, he proposed eliminating federal arts agencies. Now coming into his second term, Ewald said she's waiting to see what will happen as she prepares for the 2025 legislative session, which starts Jan. 15.
“If that (federal funding) were threatened then that would significantly impact us,” she said. “It's preliminary but if there are any other measures that would impact our funding negatively on the state side, that will also not be very good.”
The state foundation is responsible for managing an over $10 million operating budget. But some of those funds go to Bishop Museum and ʻIolani Palace, leaving the agency with $800,000.
Ewald is tasked with asking the state Legislature for money that would go toward supporting local artists.
She pleaded her case to state lawmakers on Tuesday. She asked for a ceiling increase for the SFCA's works of art special fund.
“We currently have a cash balance of $12 million and we'd like to have greater access to the fund balance so that we could better serve the community through new construction projects, art education and more neighbor island activation,” she said.
Ewald said she's in conversation with the federal agencies about the upcoming administration.
“We are hopeful, but it would definitely affect us very, very negatively,” she said.
