13 Places To Donate To Support The Arts

PBS, the public broadcasting channel that describes itself as "America's largest classroom," is likely to be affected by CPB's elimination. In fact, following the budget proposal, its officials responded by reminding everyone how many people use the service. "The cost of public broadcasting is small, only $1.35 per citizen per year, and the benefits are tangible," said PBS president Paula Kerger, according to Deadline. You can check out ways to support the organization here.

NPR, the beloved home of radio programs like This American Life, is another organization that will probably be hurt if CPB is cut. In addition to the radio, the nonprofit produces news and cultural programming online. To donate, first find your local station here.

If you've ever watched a documentary on PBS, you can thank the ITVS for helping it get made. The nonprofit service funds and supports independent filmmakers, then distributes their work; in turn, it's funded by the CPB. To support the ITVS, head over here.

As described on NASAA's website, state arts agencies "increase public access to the arts and work to ensure that every community in America enjoys the cultural, civic, economic and educational benefits of a thriving arts sector." Every state and six U.S. jurisdictions have one; programs include grant funding and art activities for young people. To support NASAA, which is partly funded by the NEA, click your way over here.

Supported by the NEA, Arts Midwest provides literary, visual, and performing arts programs in nine Midwestern states, but two of their programs are actually nationwide: Shakespeare in American Communities and The Big Read. You can check out the nonprofit and donate on its webpage.

Americans for the Arts researchers and advocates for art in the United States. Its network of programs include Animating Democracy, which combines arts and civic engagement, the National Arts Marketing Project, and the Arts Action Fund. Consider donating to Americans for the Arts here.

If you're based in Chicago, definitely take a look at 3Arts. The nonprofit has a multitude of programs supporting artists with residencies, grants, and more. The organization also recognizes 10 women artists, artists of color, and artists with disabilities every year with awards; so far, they've distributed more than $2.4 million. You can support 3Arts here.

Founded in 1999, Creative Capital supports artists' projects and provides them with career counseling and development opportunities. "Our pioneering approach—inspired by venture-capital principles—helps artists working in all creative disciplines realize their visions and build sustainable practices," reads the organization's website. To donate, head over here.

The nonprofit Artspace supports artists in an unexpected way: by providing them with affordable spaces to live and work. "While embracing the value the arts bring to individual lives, Artspace has championed the once-radical idea that artists living on the edge of poverty and chronically underfunded arts organizations can leverage fundamental social change," the organization explains on its website. You can donate to Artspace here.

Dedicated to the promotion of Latinx culture, NALAC was named one of Philanthropedia's top nonprofits in 2014. It awards 49 grants to artists each year and provides leadership programs as well as training workshops. You can check it out and donate to NALAC on its website; look for the "donate" button on the right.

Since 1995, the First Peoples Fund supports and honors indigenous artists and leaders through grants, fellowships, and awards. Over the years, it's awarded millions to individual artists and community organizations supporting them. "Art is not only a sustainable way for Native peoples to make a living, but it is deeply embedded in communities and the cultural foundation and history of tribes, which makes it important and valuable," the FPF writes on its website. You can donate here.

An affiliate of the Smithsonian, the AANM is the United States' first (and only) museum about Arab American history. Following Trump's budget proposal, the museum's director, Devon M. Akmon, released a statement. "The NEA and NEH have played a critical role in helping our institution provide accurate and reliable information on Arab Americans while working to build greater connectivity among all Americans. ... We are a more vibrant and democratic society with their support," he wrote.

To donate to the museum, head over here.

Created in 1993, the Queer Cultural Center (QCC) "fosters the artistic, economic and cultural development of San Francisco’s LGBT community." Programs include Creating Queer Community, which commissions local LGBTQ artists, and the famous month-long National Queer Arts Festival celebrating, well, queer arts. Like all nonprofits, QCC depends on donations. If you're interested in supporting it, check out its website.