"Can right-leaning countries continue to fund predominantly left-wing art and literature?"
A cultural wrecking ball is swinging across the Western world. To put it bluntly: as societies shift to the right, is it fair for public money to be monopolized by left-wing artists and works? Should these artists show loyalty to their funders? Just a decade ago, these questions seemed ludicrous. Today, they're common discourse.
Once more, it's Donald Trump leading the charge, unequivocally advocating that public dollars shouldn't fund exhibitions that "disdain American values," particularly those criticizing a bigoted and misogynistic nation. He's had it with self-recrimination. When he declares, on May 4, 100% tariffs on foreign-produced films, it's to boost domestic production, but also to thwart the entry of alleged "propaganda," he alleges, against his country.
According to Trump, art is already pricey; we won't fund art that disparages us. This sentiment is spreading, like wildfire. In France, for instance. To grasp the change, we need to rewind to the 1980s and 1990s, when leftist Jack Lang, in conjunction with numerous measures backed by a doubled budget, inked dozens of accords with cities, departments, and regions, many conservative, each local authority putting money in with the state to keep theaters or museums alive.
This arrangement was a stroke of genius, involving elected officials from all sides in a left-wing cultural project. Consensus gave the illusion that creation wasn't motivated by ideology, benefiting everyone. Only the National Front howled against a left-leaning and elitist culture, earning contempt in return.
"Exclusivity" and "indoctrination"
This consensus is collapsing. Many right-wing, and even some left-wing, elected officials are now viewing things through a different lens. They're less about innovative thinking than the spirit of the times. Budgetary cuts are already functioning as cultural policy, but destructively rather than constructively. Above all, elected officials are replacing the doctrine of "non-interference" with subsidy "prerequisites" to impose choices: a culture rooted locally, open to "ideology-free" entertainment, diverse while excluding radicalism. This shift was highlighted at the Congress of Mayors, in November 2024.
While researching the cultural landscape, it's interesting to note conflicting viewpoints across Western nations. For instance, in the United States, President Trump's administration sought to abolish funding for various cultural agencies such as the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Institute of Museum and Library Services.
However, despite these proposals, Congress has historically blocked such measures by maintaining or boosting funding through bipartisan agreements. Trump's second term, however, introduces greater uncertainty about future congressional support.
Under Trump's reign, strict regulations on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives within cultural institutions have been implemented by the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk. The agency has imposed sweeping changes and stringent oversight across federal arts agencies, often sparking resistance and advocacy from artists and cultural institutions.
Across Europe and other Western countries, with specific details hard to come by, right-wing governments have a tendency to reduce public spending and promote cultural identities perceived as national or traditional. These shifts can impact cultural funding, favoring projects that align with nationalist narratives over diverse or progressive programs.
Moreover, a push towards privatizing arts funding can result in unequal distribution of resources based on donor preferences rather than broader public benefit, while policies often influence artistic content, promoting conservative or traditional themes over controversial or political works.
- Under the policy-and-legislation proposed by Donald Trump's administration, the future funding of cultural agencies such as the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Institute of Museum and Library Services is uncertain.
- The Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk under Trump's second term, has imposed strict regulations on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives within cultural institutions, often leading to resistance from artists and cultural institutions.
- Across Europe and other Western countries, right-wing governments tend to reduce public spending on culture and promote cultural identities perceived as national or traditional, potentially impacting the funding of diverse or progressive programs.
- The shift in politics towards exclusive cultural policies, limiting funding for works perceived as radical or politically controversial, could lead to indoctrination and a lack of representation for various art forms, making general-news discussions about the role and limits of public budgets in supporting artists and works increasingly important.
