We're Holding the NEA Accountable
FAIR has filed a civil rights complaint to the National Endowment for the Arts. Plus photos from May 19th in NYC and reading from around the web.
We’re Holding the NEA Accountable
Last week, in a new and important step defending civil rights in the arts, FAIR submitted a formal federal civil rights complaint to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) against Maestra Music, Inc. and the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) after they funded and facilitated a discriminatory hiring opportunity that excluded applicants based on sex and race.
In 2023, Maestra and Musicians United for Social Equity (MUSE), in collaboration with the Broadway production Wicked, advertised a three-week paid apprenticeship for aspiring music directors. This opportunity was funded in part by federal grants awarded by the NEA to NYSCA and then passed on to Maestra.
The program was “exclusively open” to members of Maestra or MUSE, but there was a catch: Maestra’s membership was restricted to women and nonbinary individuals, and MUSE only accepted “people of color.”
Kevin Lynch, a talented music director and FAIR Artist who happens to be a white male—and thus a member of federally protected classes under Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act—tried to apply. His applications to both Maestra and MUSE were denied or indefinitely delayed, effectively blocking him from eligibility.
Federal funding should never be used to divide Americans by race or gender. Every artist, creator, and citizen deserves equal access to publicly funded opportunities—no matter their background. We cannot allow a two-tiered system to take root in our institutions, least of all in the arts.
Thank You: An Evening with Adam Gussow in NYC
Thank you to everybody who joined us in New York City on May 19th for our book talk with Adam Gussow, professor of English and Southern Studies at the University of Mississippi and a world-renowned blues harmonica player. We had a wonderful evening of stories, conversation, and live music. We’re proud to congratulate Adam on publishing his new memoir, My Family and I, and look forward to hosting more live events!
Around the Web
The Big Read: “Music After DEI” by Don Baton for The New Criterion (5/20/25)
This month, we’re also reading:
“The Ten Warning Signs” – Ted Gioia for The Honest Broker (6/7/25)
“The Media is Busted” – Hector Herrera for Friendly Fire (6/5/25)
“52 Texts Our Students Are Reading” – The University of Austin (6/4/25)
“How to save free speech in the UK” – Andrew Doyle (6/4/25)
“Kevin Spacey Is Uncancelled, But Has He Learned Anything?” – Ted Balaker for The Shiny Herd (6/3/25)
“Beauty Is Stone Cold in the Arts, but Hot as a Consumer Product” – Ted Gioia for The Honest Broker (6/1/25)
Questions? Tips? Anything you’d like to share? Reach out to us at arts@fairforall.org.