Why federal arts funding keeps the city’s creative economy alive.
On any given weekend in Richmond, you can find a stage lit up with stories, some bold and provocative, others warm and familiar. Whether it’s a world premiere at Firehouse Theatre, a boundary-pushing musical at Richmond Triangle Players, or a Shakespeare classic brought to life outdoors, this city’s theatre scene punches far above its weight. But behind the curtain is something less visible, yet just as vital: public funding that makes all of it possible.
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has long been one of the quiet engines behind Richmond’s creative economy. With just a small federal investment (currently 62 cents per American per year), the NEA helps theatres pay artists, subsidize ticket costs, offer educational programs, and keep performance spaces open to the public.
Some argue that federal arts funding isn’t essential. But those of us who work in the arts, and those who benefit from them, know the truth: when you invest in the arts, you invest in people. The impact isn’t theoretical. It’s felt in neighborhoods across Richmond.
I know this not just as a theatregoer, but as a working actor here in Richmond. I’ve had the privilege of performing on some of the city’s most beloved stages, intimate black box spaces, historic venues, and even site-specific productions staged in community centers and outdoor parks. I’ve worked with companies that stretch every dollar to bring professional-level storytelling to audiences that might not otherwise have access to it. In many of those cases, NEA support made the difference between whether a show happened or didn’t.
I’ve seen students from Title I schools light up watching their first play. I’ve watched veterans in the audience moved to tears by a monologue that mirrors their own experiences. I’ve helped build shows that bring hundreds of people downtown. That’s people who eat, park, and shop locally. When the NEA funds a production or program in Richmond, that dollar stretches far beyond the theater walls.
The arts generate $1.2 trillion nationally and support more than 5 million jobs. Locally, they’re an essential part of Richmond’s economic engine. But when public funding gets cut, the consequences ripple outward: restaurants lose foot traffic, educators lose partners, and working artists lose livelihoods.
Richmond’s theatres don’t just entertain, they build community. They give young people role models and creative outlets. They elevate local playwrights. They bring together people who might not otherwise cross paths. And they do it on shoestring budgets, often with the help of modest federal grants that allow them to serve more people, more equitably.
That’s why Congress must increase funding for the NEA to at least $207 million, which is a move that would cost just $1 per person but yield measurable returns for cities like Richmond. This isn’t charity. It’s a smart, strategic investment in the soul and future of our communities. Theatres are part of Richmond’s infrastructure, just like parks and libraries. They help us process hard truths, celebrate resilience, and imagine new futures. And right now, they need our support.
If we want Richmond to remain a city where creativity is not a luxury but a shared right, then we need to make sure the stages stay lit for everyone.
Photo provided by Getty Images thru Unsplash.com
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