New England arts and culture institutions have suffered major funding losses totaling $13.5 million from federal, state, and philanthropic sources in 2025, according to a new regional survey. Those cuts resulted in the loss of 720 jobs.
“This is not a Boston issue. This is not a Massachusetts issue. This is a New England issue,” said Emily Ruddock, executive director of MASSCreative, which recently published the survey findings, on GBH’s The Culture Show.
The MASSCreative report was based on a survey of 125 arts organizations impacted by federal funding cuts. The February survey included five regional partners and it showed what they’ve lost and what they have had to give up.
“Artists and arts makers and folks across New England who really appreciate having access to arts and culture are being threatened at this moment,” said Ruddock.
MassCreative worked on the survey in partnership with Arts4NH, CT Arts Alliance, the Cultural Alliance of Maine, the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), and the Vermont Creative Network. Rhode Island was not involved in the survey.
Ruddock said this is the second survey MASSCreative has done. The first was done quickly in 2025, to get a sense of the impact of the first round of cuts made by executive orders from the Trump Administration.
“At that time, we, again, we worked across New England, and about 89 organizations responded and reported about $4.2 million of losses,” she said.
The most recent survey, she said, shows the impact on state budgets, local budgets and philanthropy, as well as how private philanthropy is affected by federal cuts.
Ruddock said that one startling revelation from the survey was how deep the cuts run through nonprofit cultural organizations and grass-roots community groups.
“We’re talking about programs that support rural communities, urban communities, low-income communities, BIPOC communities,” she said. “These are folks that wouldn’t normally have access if it weren’t for federal dollars that act as a catalyst to make sure that these things can happen across New England.”
The Culture Show host Jared Bowen asked Ruddick whether philanthropic foundations that support organizations such as GBH are stepping up to assist during the economic crisis.
Ruddock said they are doing as much as they can. “One of the things that is really inspiring is to see how philanthropy is really trying to meet this moment,” she said. “They are trying to meet many moments simultaneously.”
The recent losses coincide with 2025 grant cancellations and terminations from the National Endowment for the Arts; National Endowment for the Humanities; Institution of Museum and Library Services; and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
The survey showed more than $11.4 million from 42 federal grants were cut from 36 organizations after they were previously awarded. The states also shared losses amounting to $869,730 in state funding; $669,000 in decreased foundation giving; and $553,329 in donor support.
Ruddock said she doesn’t anticipate that funding to come back, which means the destabilization of many of the cultural arts institutions.
She said this is the time for artists to communicate their beliefs and push back when a government or any entity is trying to control its constituents and citizens and fight for creative expression and free speech.
“We believe in the power of the artist’s voice. We believe in the power of the advocate’s voice. And so I think this is the time where we continue to get loud,” she said. “We talk about why arts and culture are so important to Boston, to Greater Boston, to Massachusetts and New England. And this is also a time to engage with our lawmakers,” she said.
