Beloved NJ theater reeling after Trump administration suddenly cuts grant

PRINCETON — A landmark theater in New Jersey has found itself facing a sudden massive funding loss after a federal grant for this year was withdrawn.

McCarter Theatre in Princeton said that it received notice of the cancelled funding on Friday.

The theater is an independent non-profit, with ticket sales only covering a third of the company’s budget.

With the lost federal grant, “public funding will now total 200,000 less than it did last year,” a Facebook post by the theatre said on Tuesday.

Shortly before the grant was withdrawn, President Donald Trump unveiled his proposed budget that calls for shutting down the National Endowment for the Arts.

“The NEA is updating its grantmaking policy priorities to focus funding on projects that reflect the nation’s rich artistic heritage and creativity as prioritized by the President,” each notice of grant cancellation began with, as American Theatre.org reported.

The endowment has distributed more than $18 million in grants in New Jersey over the past five years alone, according to a federal website.

It was not clear if that figure included this year’s grants that have since been cancelled.
McCarter Theatre urged patrons to consider making a donation, if at all possible, as it works to keep programming on pace for the year.

The social media post has received quick support.

“Make a gift, and/or make a statement. Call your representatives. Show up to meetings and protests. Get rowdy on social media. Write postcards. Many of us don't have the financial means to make up for the colossal arts & cultural losses across the country, but we DO have a voice,” one person commented.

Another called the withdrawn federal funding “heartbreaking” while a third person said “We knew it was only a matter of time.”

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“McCarter is more than a theater, it’s a space that nurtures creativity, builds community, and brings powerful stories to life,” another person said while sharing the theater's post.

Arts and cultural production in New Jersey added $29.2 billion to the state's economy in just one year, according to the endowment’s website.

In that same span, New Jersey’s arts and cultural industries have employed 148,377 workers.

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