Federal arts funding withdrawn from Dallas publishing company Deep Vellum, forfeiting a $20,000 grant.
In a Hard Knock Life for Arts
Looks like our beloved Dallas literary gem, Deep Vellum, has taken a hit in the wallet. The iconic indie publishing company and bookstore got pounded by a whopping $20,000 in funding cuts from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
Deep Vellum's founder, Will Evans, spilled the beans about it on Facebook, sharing an email he received last Friday night. It stated that the open grant supporting his publishing ventures for the year has been axed.
So, what's the dealio? According to the email, 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." In other words, deep chaos and confusion for Deep Vellum now.
The email also revealed that Deep Vellum's funding termination is scheduled for May 31, 2025. It went on to name various pet projects that the NEA is jumping on board to support instead, including celebrating the 250th anniversary of American independence, fostering AI competency, and supporting Asian American community development, just to name a few.
Evans pointed out that he won't be appealing the decision because, let's get real, who's gonna win against political priorities? In February 2024, Deep Vellum applied for the $20,000 grant to back four international authors. These authors came from diverse backgrounds and included a Zapotec poet, a New Zealander making her American debut, a German novelist, and a contemporary Chinese poet.
Evans got the green light for the grant on Jan. 22 and requested payment on Jan. 29. But the NEA said the project didn't jive with their new priorities, because it involved "support[ing] artist fees and printing costs of the publication of books of poetry and prose, including work in translation." Ain't that a kick in the teeth?
The NEA didn't respond to a request for comment, but Evans sure as hell made multiple attempts to reach them. After contacting the Community of Literacy Magazines and Presses, Evans learned that the NEA's literary arts staff would be given the pink slip by the end of the month.
Evans, Deep Vellum, and their community of supporters are processing some complex emotions right about now. But they ain't gonna let this knock 'em down for long. They're still gonna keep publishing and empowering voices from all corners of the globe.
A quick note here: Politics and funding for the arts can get super messy. In the past, legal cases like National Endowment for Arts v. Finley have shown that funding decisions by the NEA can be based on content-based criteria. And with the current administration's focus on certain policies, arts organizations like Deep Vellum can find themselves at the losing end of budget cuts.
Deep Vellum submitted an application for 2026 funding to continue their mission of giving voice to international authors. But now, thanks to new guidelines from the NEA, they're forced to say adios to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs to comply with President Donald Trump's executive orders.
Evans explained the situation when he said, "With the administration's attacks on certain wording, including anything related to diversity, equity and inclusion, they're taking this attack to the arts and making sure that nothing that is using any of that language is supported."
Now, Evans is left scratchin' his head, wondering if any lit org will score some grant dough or if there'll even be an opportunity to revise applications. But hey, we've got our community, and we ain't gonna let this stop us!
Wanna support Deep Vellum and their mission to bring diverse voices to the literary scene? Check out their site and drop a few bucks in the donation jar. Let's fight this by helping them keep the pages turning!
(The Dallas Morning News and KERA are the masterminds behind Arts Access, a journalism collaboration that supports the North Texas arts economy. This community-funded journalism initiative receives backing from the Better Together Fund, Carol & Don Glendenning, City of Dallas OAC, The University of Texas at Dallas, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Eugene McDermott Foundation, James & Gayle Halperin Foundation, Jennifer & Peter Altabef, and The Meadows Foundation. The News and KERA maintain full editorial control over Arts Access' journalism.)
- Deep Vellum's founder, Will Evans, shared in a Facebook post that they have faced funding cuts of $20,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in 2025, affecting their publication ventures.
- The NEA's funding termination for Deep Vellum is scheduled for May 31, 2025, and they are focusing support on projects that prioritize the nation's artistic heritage and creativity as per the President's directives.
- The community of supporters for Deep Vellum, the beloved bookstore and indie publishing company, are processing complex emotions but remain unwavering in their mission to publish and empower diverse voices from around the globe.
- Evans pointed out that he won't appeal the NEA's decision due to political priorities and increased scrutiny of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs from the current administration.
- Facing new guidelines from the NEA, Deep Vellum is forced to reconsider and modify their diversity, equity, and inclusion programs to comply with President Donald Trump's executive orders in order to continue their mission of supporting international authors in the future.
