House Proposes $0 For Department of Education’s Lone Arts Grant Program
1June 17, 2026
The Republican-chaired House Appropriations Committee on June 9 requested that Congress allocate $0 to theDepartment of Education’s Assistance for Arts Education program for fiscal year 2027, effectively seeking to cut it altogether,Hyperallergicreports. Established in 2015 with the goal of providing arts education to schoolchildren, particularly those with disabilities or of limited means, the program is the only one of its kind within the Department of Education and has previously funded the nation’s public school districts and arts organizations, as well as educational initiatives at th John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts.
The program last year received $36.5 million, but those applying for thegrantswere told to boost “patriotic education” to increase their chances of receiving money. The suggested cut comes as part of the House’s broader Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education bill, which aims to slash the department’s funding by $8 million, to $70.7 billion, compared with fiscal year 2026.
“The Assistance for Arts Education program is the federal government’s only dedicated arts education grant program,” Erin Harkey, CEO of the advocacy nonprofit Americans for the Arts, told Hyperallergic. “Eliminating it would reduce support for critical work that students, educators, and communities depend on, including teacher professional development, accessible arts education programming, community partnerships, and arts education outreach.”
The House Appropriations Committee in a report pointed to “the continued decline of public school performance and student achievement across the country” and a need to focus on “core education such as reading, writing, and math” as behind the proposed elimination of the arts grant.