Arts organizations navigate a new landscape as public funding is cut

Earlier this year, the National Endowment for the Arts withdrew several grants it had awarded Indianapolis arts organizations.

That came as the Indiana General Assembly cut the amount of money it allocates to the Indiana Arts Commission, which distributes grants to arts groups.

The moves have left arts leaders unsure of whether public dollars will come through, so they're increasingly turning to private funders, individual donors and corporate sponsors.

During the summer of 2024, several top Indianapolis musicians performed in The Cabaret's popular outdoor Alley Sessions series . To pay the artists and keep admission free, the downtown venue had applied for and received a $20,000 National Endowment for the Arts grant that arrived as a reimbursement after The Cabaret submitted its ex