04/27/2026
The current attitude towards the “bias” of museums and performing arts institutions, etc. at the federal level has trickled down to the city level.
And San Diego took the bait.
(https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/04/15/san-diego-arts-leaders-blast-proposed-massive-funding-cuts-as-catastrophic-and-devastating/)*
The City of San Diego CFO said, “we can no longer afford to fund arts and culture grants.”
Meaning that funding a $10.8 billion creative economy is “unaffordable.”
I don’t think those federal (and now local) funding decision makers have a sense of the long term. Like what our world would be like WITHOUT art.
What if their stance towards arts and culture stuck, and played out for a few generations?
No design, no color, no music, no literature. No stories, so no stories to perform or inspire us.
No art would mean no opera. No opera would mean no one to compose the opera, write the libretto, no singers, costumes, lighting or set design.
Without art, how many of us would be unemployed?
Explaining the “need” for arts organizations is not always easy to make clear, when trying to explain it to prospective funders — private or public.
If there’s no art, a lot — A LOT — goes away.
When a public (or corporate, or …) partner decides that supporting the arts is no longer a priority, I have to ask:
• Are you funding mental health?
• Are you funding economic growth?
• Are you funding community enrichment?
• Are you funding academic success programs?
Because if you are, you’re funding the arts.
If there is to be a world without Verdi’s La Traviata, take me now.
*-Credit: Bob Lehman | LinkedIn, ED of San Diego ART Matters
https://www.linkedin.com/in/boblehman25/