The Show Must Go On: Lander Unveils Plan to Protect and Champion NYC Arts & Culture— After Trump Attempts to Gut NEA
Watch the recorded press conference; read the plan; view the photos
NEW YORK, NY — In response to President Trump attempting to end the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Brad Lander unveiled his plan to protect and support the arts and cultural institutions in New York City and the artists and cultural workers that bring them alive. Outside FABnyc, a local arts organization, Lander stood with Ryan Gilliam, Executive Director, Downtown Art + Fourth Arts Block; Nikki James, Tony-Award winning actress, singer, and director; and Esther Robinson, Co-Founder/Executive Director ArtBuilt, Film Director/Producer.
As the creative capital of the world, New York City’s arts and culture scene is not only the City’s lifeblood, but fuels our economy. Lander’s recent Comptroller report found that tourism alone generated $53.8 billion in economic impact in 2022 — more than two-thirds of the statewide total — and supports up to 65 percent of all local jobs in the City’s Arts & Entertainment sector. Today, Lander stood with Ryan Gilliam, Executive Director, Downtown Art + Fourth Arts Block; Nikki James, Tony-Award winning actress, singer, and director; and Esther Robinson, Co-Founder/Executive Director ArtBuilt, Film Director/Producer.
“Nothing makes me happier than the violinists who play in the Endale Arch or First Fridays at our museums. New York City’s culture is what brings us together, shapes our neighborhoods, drives our economy, and makes the city feel like home,” said Brad Lander. “Culture is the not-so-secret ingredient to our city’s success, a defining economic sector for New York City, on par with finance, real estate or law. With Trump decimating federal funding for the arts and threatening our very freedom of expression, New York City needs to step up. As Mayor, I’ll expand funding, not only for the larger institutions, but for the amazing neighborhood arts groups, small independent theaters, and after-school arts groups.”
Cultural investment strengthens communities—reducing child abuse and neglect by 14% and serious crime by 18% in lower-income neighborhoods, while also improving health and education outcomes. Yet too many New Yorkers, particularly in immigrant, minority and working-class neighborhoods, lack access to high-quality arts education, cultural programming, and creative opportunities. Lander will make the arts more accessible:
Expand arts education in public schools so that every kid in New York City, regardless of what neighborhood they come from or their immigration status, has access to creative opportunities. He will lead our public schools to achieve—for the first time—full compliance with arts education regulations and he will tap into the unmet potential of culture and arts education to support well-being by further integrating culture and arts into Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
Partner with cultural institutions to host more free and low-cost programming. Brad will expand free and low-cost programming across New York City’s museums, libraries, and cultural institutions inspired by successful events like Date Night at The Met, First Saturdays at the Brooklyn Museum, and Night in the Library
Launch “Cultural Presenter of the Month” initiative: Brad will spotlight one under-resourced cultural organization each month for focused attention, quick wins, and cross-agency collaboration.
Despite their outsized contributions to our city’s economy, many creative workers lack financial security in the face of our city’s growing affordability crisis. Data show that 62% of artists reported that they have no financial safety net, and creative workers are more likely to face economic insecurity as gig and freelance workers. Lander will support artists:
Incentivize the creation and long-term preservation of affordable permanent artist spaces. Brad will build on his success with the Gowanus Neighborhood Rezoning—the only major recent rezoning that won the overwhelming support of its local community board—which established a zoning bonus for developments in which a floor of each building was used for artist or other civic space.
Appoint a Deputy Mayor for Arts + Cultural Life to integrate culture and arts policy across agencies like the Department of Cultural Affairs, Parks, the Landmarks Preservation Commissions, the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment and the Department of Youth and Community Development.
Support creative workers to build sustainable careers in culture and arts by enforcing the Freelance Isn’t Free Act and expanding portable benefits for creative workers in partnership with unions and advocacy groups, including NYC Care and other healthcare and retirement savings options.
New York City spends about 25x more on culture each year through the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) than the NEA grants to NYC arts organizations. With Lander at the helm, New York will have the very best cultural agency imaginable.
“I met Brad at a protest over a decade ago and have known him to be fiercest advocate for our City and defender of our arts and culture, which is still reeling post-pandemic and is now at further risk with the fascist in the White House seeking to end our federal funding,” said Shaina Taub, Tony-Award winning actress and composer, who endorsed Brad #1 for mayor. “Brad’s thoughtful plan will not only work to keep the lights of our shows on, but support affordability for the artists that make our city great and infuse our cultural institutions with the support they’ve long needed. An endorsement of this plan, an endorsement of Brad for Mayor, is an endorsement for our great city’s lifeblood.”
“Brad understands that cultural expression isn’t a luxury—it’s the voice of our neighborhoods, the soul of our democracy, and the foundation of a thriving city. As someone who’s fought to carve out space for working artists in places like the Brooklyn Army Terminal and the Gowanus, I know how hard it is to protect creative freedom in the face of rising costs and political threats. Brad gets that,” said Film Director and Producer Esther Robinson, Co-Founder and Executive Director of ArtBuilt. He’s not just showing up with slogans—he’s showing up with real tools, real policies, and a deep respect for the artists, immigrants, and activists who built this city. When Trump comes for the arts again, I want a mayor who will fight back—and Brad is that fighter.”
“New York City is the second largest public funder for culture and arts in the United States of America. With the Trump administration's cuts we’ll be the largest. As outlined in his plan, Brad Lander will be a mayor who champions broad-based cultural participation throughout the city from school kids to seniors,” said former New York City Commissioner of Culture Tom Finkelpearl. He also has the administrative chops to make the Department of Cultural Affairs an agency that gets the grants out quickly and efficiently. Government can be a great partner for the cultural sector and Brad Lander is the right leader to make that a reality.”
Read The Show Must Go On: Championing NYC Arts, Culture, and Creativity.
###