Despite 73% of Americans giving to charity, only 16% support the arts—revealing a critical gap in cultural philanthropy. A 2025 AP-NORC study highlights how donor demographics, political ideologies, and structural inequities shape which creative voices are heard. As arts funding increasingly relies on private donors, questions arise about freedom, equity, and sustainability in cultural expression.
When 97 books were pulled from school libraries in Beaufort County, SC, three high school students—Isabella Troy Brazoban, Elizabeth Foster, and Millie Bennett—refused to stay silent. Their bold response to censorship launched a youth-led movement that reversed bans, inspired a national documentary, and redefined what student activism looks like in the fight for intellectual freedom.
Amid rising global uncertainty and a rapidly shifting philanthropic landscape, the 2025 Skoll World Forum brought together changemakers from around the world in Oxford and online under the theme, “Together We Can Mend What is Broken.” From April 1–4, the forum served as a catalyst for ideas, urgent action, and transformative collaboration. By spotlighting pioneering social innovations and reimagining how philanthropy and development can adapt to today’s complex realities, the event offered a hopeful yet pragmatic roadmap for tackling systemic challenges and shaping more equitable futures.
In response to the authoritarian shifts under President Trump’s administration, several international artists have taken a stand by boycotting performances in the United States. Notable figures such as András Schiff, Christian Tetzlaff, and Jean-Guihen Queyras have canceled U.S. engagements, highlighting the global resistance against Trump’s controversial policies, including his overhaul of cultural institutions like the Kennedy Center.
On March 27, 2025, Trump signed an executive order titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," which seeks to reshape how federally funded cultural institutions like the Smithsonian present U.S. history.
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution held a hearing on March 25, 2025, addressing concerns over censorship and threats to free speech.
The White House's ban on AP raises serious First Amendment concerns, setting a dangerous precedent for press freedom and government control over media access.
The Mahmoud Khalil case has become a focal point in the ongoing controversy surrounding Columbia University, free speech, and federal funding
Brookings Institution warns of rising threats to U.S. arts, linking censorship, defunding, and authoritarian tactics
A cohort of national free speech and arts organizations expressed outrage at the Trump Administration’s recent efforts to establish ideological control over federally-funded cultural initiatives in the United States
Recent actions by the Trump administration that have sparked concerns about censorship in the US arts scene
