Tommy West. Art, Culture, and Budget Cuts Threats

Art has always had a particularly large impact on developing the culture and education of Mississippi. Many would consider art a vital part of this community to this day, and this part of our grassroots culture is currently facing a newfound challenge to its existence: federal budget cuts.

Budget cuts have been affecting several different facets of life with the current presidential administration. Heading these budget cuts is the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), who as of March 31 has continued decreasing funding, staffing, and endowments to the many organizations that rely on federal support. One such organization is the National Humanities Alliance, which claims that these cuts are a direct harm to communities in every state and contributes to the destruction of our shared cultural heritage. But one organization less spoken about that is equally affected by these budget cuts is the National Endowment for the Arts.

In an interview with the head of the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, Wayne Andrews had a lot to say about the current state of the arts in Mississippi. One of the main issues he identified was how these budget cuts could affect smaller artists in the Mississippi Area. When asked about how these cuts may affect the Mississippi community, Andrews stated, “You’re going to see artists not being able to produce new works” and that we could “lose talent in the state.” But for those who may see the arts as just a hobby and not a worthwhile use of federal funds, what makes programs such as these important for communities around the state?

Mississippi Whole Schools Initiative is a prime example of how the arts can help communities to thrive. This initiative is a federally and state funded initiative for schools to better integrate the arts into public school’s learning curricula. According to statistics from the Mississippi Whole Schools 2024 Data Report, students scored more proficient in every category of state testing when put in a model school implementing their initiatives. And most notably, these initiatives even showed that it could lessen the gap between well-funded and under-privileged schools’ state test scores. But when looking into their website, budget cuts may even affect initiatives like this from getting implemented into schools across Mississippi. This is because one of their main endowments comes from the Mississippi Arts Commission. And when looking further into where the Mississippi Arts Commission gets most of their funding from, it leads back to two main sources: The Mississippi Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts. And if the National Endowment for the Arts is shut down completely, we could be left without major programs like these that help our new generation of Mississippi residents receive a proper education to bring in a more prosperous future for our state.

So what does this mean for Mississippi schools? With cuts to these organizations, schools may see a further discrepancy between state proficiency exams when comparing schools with more funding compared to schools that are less well off. This is made apparent when looking into how the Mississippi Whole Schools Initiative influences test scores in these schools. Without organizations to help schools properly integrate their initiatives, under-funded schools could be left to pick up the pieces with their already low resources. But what other cuts could also lead to further discrepancies?

Another such cut that has been made by DOGE is their plans to cut federal funding towards the Institute of Museum and Library Services. This organization oversees funding, staffing, and awards grants for the many museums and libraries across the U.S. This cut has hit the Starkville community closely, as it has caused the ripple effect of Starkville Public Library needing to shut down the Hoopla Program. Hoopla is a program that sought to give libraries the ability to borrow several different types of media for free with the use of a library card. It is a digital service that allows unlimited access to materials some might need for research papers or educational means. Many may prefer this over physical media for their research to avoid wait times for the materials, allowing for quicker access to further their educational or personal goals. But since these cuts have gone through towards the Institute of Museum and Library Services, many are left without materials that could prove vital for educational research.

Columbus-Lowndes Public library system director Erin Busbea spoke with The Dispatch regarding the budget cuts and how it is impacting their routines. Busbea in the interview, stated, “People have been calling asking why their Hoopla isn’t working. I’ve had to tell people the funding was pulled. It just isn’t there.” This shows that people not only used this program to perform their research, but they also may have relied on this for their education. Some people may not be able to reliably commute to the library for their research, so having access to these resources remotely could be the difference in their academic or personal success.

So with these programs facing shortages of funds, where does this leave us? Programs such as these are vital to the success of our students’ futures. In an age where seemingly everything is stuck behind a paywall or unlimited advertisements, federally funded organizations could play a vital role in how we shape the future of Mississippi academics. Without having free access to these programs for the public, many may not be able to access vital resources for their research or education. And if the arts are lost to our community, we may also lose our identity as a state. Without education or the arts, Mississippi will be left a husk of its former self. Mississippi needs programs such as these to further itself into a more successful future.

Email me at tew221@msstate.edu with any questions