Recent adjustments to recent shifts in agency priorities set by the current administration, the John Michael Kohler Arts Center has made it known that those shifts are being felt in a fundamental way right here in Sheboygan.
JMKAC Executive Director Amy Horst said in a statement released on Wednesday that “In 2025, funding that had already been pledged by the NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) to host acclaimed artist and musician Lonnie Holley for a residency at JMKAC is now being withdrawn. We were informed that due to a shift in agency priorities set by the current administration, our work is no longer considered a match for the NEA, despite years of continuous support.”
The National Endowment for the Arts has, according to the release, been a firm supporter of community arts projects and public art in Sheboygan for more than 20 years, over which time over $1,000,000 in funding has been steered toward JMKAC.
Horst said in her release that those wishing to show support for the JMKAC should contact the offices of US Representative Glenn Grothman and US Senators Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson to express opposition to the NEA funding cuts, share stories and examples of how the NEA supports local arts initiatives and benefits Sheboygan with your family, friends, and neighbors, and to engage with JMKAC about volunteering and other ways to support its work.
In the meantime, Horst said that the JMKAC has filed an appeal for the termination of their NEA Grants, and will continue to honor the commitment to Holley, the artist affected by the grant withdrawal this year.
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