AEA Joins 12 Unions in Congressional Appeal to Save the NEA

A joint coalition of 12 national unions, Actors Equity Association among them, has penned an appeal to members of Congress in defense of the National Endowment for the Arts.

The letter, signed by Equity President Kate Shindle, was written in response to the presidential administration's plans to cut the NEA, among other public programs, from the national budget.

In the letter, the coalition, named The Department for Professional Employees, outlines the detrimental effect the cuts will have on the social, cultural, and economic well-being of communities around the country, namely those in regional and rural communities.

An excerpt from the letter reads: "We urge Congress, at a minimum, to maintain current funding levels," reads the letter, which also rallies against budget cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and privatization of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). "Ending federal support for the NEA, NEH, or CPB would be a radical, unprecedented action that would harm everyday people, particularly individuals who live far from metropolitan cultural centers."

The DPE represents over 4 million professional and technical workers, among other professionals in the arts, entertainment, and media industries. Learn more about the DPE here: http://dpeaflcio.org/