Primary Stages: 'WE WILL NOT COMPLY' With New NEA Funding Mandates

Primary Stages issued a statement in which the organization declared, "WE WILL NOT COMPLY," in response to new mandates from the National Endowment for the Arts. According to the statement, the new requirements, derived from executive orders issued by The White House, prohibit any arts organization that accepts or applies for NEA funding from operating programs that "promote diversity, equity, and inclusion" and from using federal funds to "promote gender ideology."

In the fall, Primary Stages was awarded a competitive NEA grant of $20,000 for its production of Amerikin by Chisa Hutchinson. The organization stated that it is still waiting to receive these funds from the government. Primary Stages noted that over the next four years it stood to receive an additional $40,000 to $80,000 in federal grants, funding that is now in jeopardy under the new restrictions.

The statement referenced contributions from NEA grant recipients, including Jiehae Park and Clarence Coo, and mentioned previous projects supported by the NEA such as The Tribute Artist by Charles Busch (2014) and Feeding the Dragon by Sharon Washington (2018). The organization also noted its ongoing programs supporting playwriting and artists through initiatives like the Creative Access Program and the Echoes Writers Group.

Two Primary Stages board members have pledged a $20,000 matching grant to help raise $40,000 by the opening night of Amerikin on March 18. The statement concluded with an invitation to the community to contribute through donations to support the organization’s mission and upcoming projects.