National Queer Theater Condemns Trump Administration's NEA Revocation of $20,000 Grant

National Queer Theater (NQT) condemns the Trump administration's National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for its sudden and politically motivated revocation of a $20,000 grant previously offered to support the 2025 Criminal Queerness Festival (CQF). The grant was rescinded late on Friday, May 2, with the explanation that the festival “doesn't align with the President's priorities.”

Founded in 2019 during the first Trump presidency, the Criminal Queerness Festival has become a vital platform for international LGBTQ+ playwrights whose work is often censored, criminalized, or silenced in their home countries. Now in its seventh year, CQF has brought to the stage powerful stories of queer resistance and freedom, partnering with leading cultural institutions such as IRT Theater, Dixon Place, Lincoln Center, PAC NYC, and this year, HERE Arts Center.

"This festival was born out of urgency during a time of political hostility, and here we are again," said Adam Odsess-Rubin, Founding Artistic Director of NQT. "The revocation of this funding—after it was already offered—is not only an attack on our organization, but a direct attempt to silence queer artists and stories that challenge oppression. We will not be silenced."

The move by the NEA comes on the heels of a lawsuit NQT has joined, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), against recent federal guidelines barring funding for arts programs that “promote gender ideology”—language widely understood to target queer, transgender, and nonbinary communities. ACLU claims that NEA's new policy violates the First Amendment by censoring artistic speech based on viewpoint. ACLU also holds that the guidelines violate the Administrative Procedure Act by implementing vague, arbitrary rules without proper oversight, and infringe on Fifth Amendment protections by chilling lawful expression with unclear and discriminatory language.

Despite the recent financial blow, NQT affirms that the 2025 Criminal Queerness Festival will proceed as planned, thanks to the support of the organization's dedicated board, staff, donors and community. NQT has launched an urgent fundraising campaign to close the $20,000 gap left by the NEA's decision at www.gofundme.com/f/national-queer-theater.

"This moment is a test of our resilience, and the queer community has never backed down from a fight for truth and visibility," added Odsess-Rubin. "We are committed to amplifying these essential global stories and fostering a space where artists can thrive, even in the face of political repression."

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