Trump Administration Defunds Indigenous Art at MASS MoCA
The National Endowment for the Arts says Jeffrey Gibson's exhibition, “no longer serves the interest of the United States.”
Under the direction of the Trump administration the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has rescinded a $50,000 grant previously awarded to the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) for the support of Jeffrey Gibson’s immersive exhibition, “POWER FULL BECAUSE WE’RE DIFFERENT.” The NEA's notification to MASS MoCA leadership stated that the exhibition "no longer serves the interest of the United States.”
“Please take a moment and read that last sentence again,” asks MASS MoCA director Kristy Edmunds in a statement released May 6. “…No longer serves the interest of the United States”
While defiant, Edmunds expressed deep concern over the abrupt termination, noting that the grant was awarded on November 9, 2023, under the prior federal administration, with funds expected in the spring. The NEA's email informing MASS MoCA of the cut emphasized reallocating funds to projects that reflect the nation's "rich artistic heritage and creativity as prioritized by the President," and asserted the agency's right to terminate awards "by the greatest extent authorized by law."
Edmunds highlighted the broader implications of such actions, stating, "These are being sent en masse — not only from the NEA, but from multiple federal agencies that award and redistribute taxpayer dollars for education, science, health, research, humanities, libraries, historic preservation, parks, etc. — all of which stem from the current president’s many executive orders. The loss of these crucial funding awards for projects at MASS MoCA (pending appeals) is real and will throw us into greater financial strain."
The exhibition, POWER FULL BECAUSE WE’RE DIFFERENT, remains on view at MASS MoCA's Building 5 through August 2026. It features a dynamic installation that celebrates queer and Indigenous identities, incorporating suspended garments, vibrant visuals, and soundscapes. Gibson, a Mississippi Choctaw-Cherokee artist, is known for creating works that elevate and provide visibility to communities whose cultural narratives have been historically marginalized.
Despite the funding setback, MASS MoCA reaffirms its commitment to its mission. "We generate dynamic spaces for artistic expression to be created and shared with a global public, and we are a place of creative encounter with the extraordinary world in which we live,” Edmunds says.
For more information on the exhibition and ways to support MASS MoCA, visit their official website: MASS MoCA – Jeffrey Gibson Exhibition.
