‘Catastrophic’ Proposed Cuts to City Arts Funding + Three Calls to Action
A newly proposed budget from Mayor Todd Gloria would dramatically reduce the City of San Diego’s investment in arts and culture, cutting funding from $13.8 million to roughly $2 million— and eliminating all grants to local nonprofits arts and culture organizations —in an effort to address a projected $146 million deficit. The proposal eliminates the city’s primary grant programs, the Organizational Support Program (OSP) and Creative Communities San Diego, which provide direct funding to nonprofit arts organizations that produce programs, services, educational outreach, and cultural events across the city. What remains would largely sustain the city’s Cultural Affairs Department’s operations, but remove core financial support that helps local organizations both deliver programming and secure additional philanthropic funding.
Arts leaders across the region describe the proposal as “catastrophic” and “devastating,” warning that the loss of approximately $11.8 million in funding will destabilize an already fragile sector still recovering from the pandemic. Organizations of all sizes— from major institutions like The Old Globe and San Diego Opera to community-driven festivals and neighborhood events —stand to lose critical support. Emergency meetings organized by advocacy groups such as San Diego ART Matters and Arts+Culture:San Diego have drawn widespread concern, with arts workers emphasizing that these grants not only fund programs but also act as essential leverage for private donations and long-term sustainability.
Local leaders, including Space 4 Art Executive Director Jennifer de Poyen, stress that city funding serves as vital seed money for cultural activity that neither government nor private entities can offer. Beyond individual organizations, the proposed cuts threaten a broader creative economy estimated at $10.8 billion and nearly 170,000 jobs. Because arts funding is tied to tourism through the city’s Transient Occupancy Tax, advocates warn that dismantling these programs could ultimately reduce cultural tourism, weaken economic activity, and create longer-term financial consequences for the region.
Read the full article, written by Michael James Rocha of the San Diego Union-Tribune, below.
Three Calls to Action: Show Up for San Diego Arts + Culture
The following actions, led by San Diego ART Matters and Arts+Culture:San Diego in collaboration with regional partners, offer ways to take part in a coordinated, sector-wide response:
Attend the Public Press Conference with a handmade sign.
Monday, April 20
Arrive at 12 p.m. for a 12:30 p.m. start
Civic Center Plaza (1200 Third Ave.)
Artists, cultural workers, nonprofits, educators, and community advocates are all encouraged to attend. Attendees may stay for the 2 p.m. City Council meeting to speak directly to decision-makers, too.
Letters to the Editor
The San Diego Union-Tribune is inviting Letters to the Editor for its April 26 Arts section.
Submit a short letter (150–200 words) describing how these cuts would impact your work, your organization, or the communities you serve. Community voices play an important role in shaping public understanding of what’s at stake.
Send to arts@sduniontribune.com. If possible, share your submission with SD ART Matters this weekend, so they can coordinate this collective response.
Share Your Impact Story
Arts leaders are also gathering real-world examples of how these proposed cuts would affect organizations and individuals across the region.
Specific details—such as program cancellations, job impacts, reduced hours, or loss of services—help illustrate the broader consequences for San Diego’s creative community.
Brief summaries or story ideas can be shared directly with Bob Lehman at SD ART Matters.