Utah’s PYGmalion Productions Loses State Funding Under Anti-DEI Law

For the first time in more than 20 years, Pygmalion Productions in Salt Lake City will not receive state funding. The organization announced that its grant application to the Utah Division of Arts and Museums was denied because "it appears to be in conflict with Utah House Bill 261 Equal Opportunity Initiatives."

In a statement shared on social media, PYGmalion said the denial was tied directly to its mission of producing plays that give voice to women. "In other words, our mission…has been deemed discriminatory," the company wrote.

HB261, signed into law in 2024, restricts diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at state institutions. Utah Division of Arts and Museums Director Victoria Panella Bourns wrote that applications must follow "all applicable state laws" and ensure programs do not result in "differential treatment based on personal identity characteristics," according to the Salt Lake Tribune.

Frances Pruyn, PYGmalion’s artistic director, told the Tribune that the company had requested $9,000 in support for its 2026–2027 season. "I am enormously frustrated by the language of House Bill 261 and that’s the issue," Pruyn said. "Whether this was an unintended consequence or not … it’s hard not to feel targeted."

Founded in 1995, PYGmalion produces plays that often highlight women’s experiences. Its upcoming 30th season includes Tiny Beautiful Things, Becky Nurse of Salem, and The Day My Vagina Met ‘Richard Gere.’

In the wake of the funding cut, the company is asking its community to help close the gap. Donations can be made at www.pygmalionproductions.org.