Arts collective loses federal funding

Damascus-- On Saturday morning, May 3, Farm Arts Collective received an e-mail from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) that read: “Pursuant to the Offer letter, the tentative funding recommendation for the following application is withdrawn by the agency and the National Endowment for the Arts will no longer offer award funding for the project.”

The company had been awarded $10,000 from the NEA Challenge America grant to produce Dream on the Farm 2025, but on Saturday learned that the funding was being withdrawn well into the fifth month of development.

The NEA grant represents one third of the project budget for DREAM ON THE FARM, a climate change-themed cycle of site-specific plays now in its sixth year. Presented on Willow Wisp Organic Farm the loss of NEA funding is a big blow to a small company, artistic director Tannis Kowalchuk said.

Farm Arts Collective received this federal grant for three years, helping the not-for-profit theatre and farm-education space to grow and strengthen. In 2024, Farm Arts Collective invested its resources into a permanent home—a beautiful modern barn and Agri-Cultural Center built on the 25-acre solar powered Willow Wisp Organic Farm. The center now offers year-round agriculture and arts workshops, professional innovative performances, and special events. The mission of Farm Arts Collective is to empower and connect rural communities through agri-culture that intersects farming, art, food, and ecology.

Artistic directorKowalchuk said “The loss of our NEA grant is very disruptive, not only because of its substantial size (for us), but it breaks the “food chain” in our local economic and cultural eco-system. For example, if we are forced to reduce our activities due to lack of funding, then we will instantly see a decrease in the economic activity that Farm Arts Collective generates in the greater neighborhood. Losses will be felt at our local coffee shops, restaurants, gas stations, we will be unable to hire carpenters, electricians, plumbers to help us improve our building or build our sets. It is a well-documented fact that arts and culture bring money and economic gain to neighborhoods. If we can no longer pay people what they should be paid, we stop attracting the best. If we and other cultural centers stop providing education and art and creative community-building, we will find ourselves in a cultural wasteland. It can happen very quickly.”

Kowalchuk continues about how the cuts affect her artwork and business structure. “These cuts are profound. We began developing the Dream on the Farm production in January, and the money has started to be spent. This retroactive cut means I need to tap into other earmarked funds and hope that we make it to the year end. This did not have to happen. The USA already has one of lowest arts budgets for any developed country in the world. Taking away an already modest allowance is an obvious attempt to crush culture.”

Farm Arts Collective will now need to seek alternative and additional funding from individuals and foundations to complete the 2025 Dream on the Farm project, “Paradise Lost: Scavenger Hunt.”

Donations can be made online at the company website www.farmartscollective.org