Z Space

We, the undersigned, welcome, celebrate, and support a diverse range of artists, designers, workers, educators, and audiences to share stories that reflect the full range of lived experience in our local, national, and global communities. We proudly acknowledge the complexity and breadth of those experiences and affirm the dignity and inalienable rights of individuals of all gender identities and expression.

As such, we stand in strong support of the ACLU’s lawsuit against the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) on behalf of Rhode Island Latino Arts, National Queer Theater, The Theater Offensive, and Theatre Communications Group. The lawsuit challenges the NEA's new guidelines that consider applications for projects that appear to “promote” what the federal government deems “gender ideology” ineligible for funding. The prohibitions demanded under these guidelines not only threaten the freedom of artistic expression of countless U.S. citizens but are unconstitutional and in direct violation of the NEA’s purpose as legislated by Congress, which explicitly states that “artistic excellence and artistic merit are the criteria by which applications are judged."

The endowment was structured with specific assurances that the standard for grants would be “artistic and humanistic excellence,” that decision-making power would rest in the hands of experts in the arts and away from the influence of government, and that the agency’s policies and practices would reflect “the high place the nation accords to the fostering of mutual respect for the disparate beliefs and values among us.” 

We thank the plaintiffs in this lawsuit and stand with our fellow theaters and artists in challenging these unconstitutional guidelines. We remain steadfast in our commitment to sharing stories that reflect the full diversity of our communities and our nation.

Collectively,

Aurora Theatre Company, Crowded Fire Theater, Golden Thread Productions, Killing My Lobster, New Conservatory Theatre Center, Playwright’s Foundation, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company (SFBATCO), Shawl-Anderson Dance Center, Shotgun Players, Z Space