Together, We Can Protect the Future of East West Players
May 12, 2025 | Los Angeles, CA - Last week, along with hundreds of other arts and cultural organizations across the country, East West Players received notice of termination from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for a current contracted grant. The $20,000 NEA grant was intended to support the creative team behind the world premiere of Prince Gomolvilas’ Paranormal Inside, coming this fall. The loss of this funding represents more than a financial setback; it is a symbolic blow to our mission and to the creatives who rely on institutional support to tell vital, underrepresented stories.
Paranormal Inside is a deeply American narrative that illuminates the layered reality of American identity by exploring the interwoven struggles of an immigrant Thai family and a displaced Black family. In terminating our funding, the administration concludes without explanation that this production does not align with any of their new priorities. To the contrary, this production falls squarely within the administration's declared priority "to support the economic development of Asian American communities," as it directly confronts the issue of Asian American economic and cultural development. Furthermore, East West Players plays a vital role in the economic and cultural life of Little Tokyo, one of the few remaining Japantowns in the country. Every cut to our programs hurts the broader Little Tokyo community and the larger Los Angeles region.
Losing the NEA grant means our production budget for Paranormal Inside has unexpectedly taken a 10% loss. With the NEA’s action, we join other art and cultural institutions nationwide that have faced similar federal cutbacks in recent months from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Institute for Museum and Library Services, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. These cuts come despite the fact that we have been nationally recognized as one of “America’s Cultural Treasures” by the Ford Foundation and continue to serve as a leading force in advancing AAPINH stories on and off American stages.
The termination of our NEA grant compounds the broader challenges facing arts organizations nationwide. In April, we were forced to eliminate five full-time staff positions, reducing our team from 14 to 9 due to ongoing financial constraints. The work of these eliminated positions remains essential and signifies an immense loss to EWP’s capacity to deliver on our mission. This difficult decision reflects a troubling national trend: the convergence of rising production costs, wage inflation, and declining philanthropic giving. “Over the last five years, our production and labor costs have risen 300% to 400% compared to pre-pandemic levels,” says Acting Managing Director Kevin Johnson-Sather. “At the same time, we are entering a second consecutive year of a significant budget deficit. While we are committed to maintaining our programming, we are also forced to confront the reality of limited resources and reduced institutional support.”
As we navigate these critical moments, we urgently call on our community of patrons, allies, and arts advocates to stand with East West Players, the nation’s longest-running Asian American theater. Artistic Director Lily Tung Crystal affirms, “The work we do at East West Players is not only theater-making, it is art driven by a social justice mission. That’s why the stories we tell are so important, especially in this challenging national moment. The NEA grant termination is deeply disappointing, but we are committed to not only taking care of our communities, but also continuing to push forward underrepresented narratives and voices.”
We ask you to stand with us to safeguard the future of AAPINH storytelling and representation.
With resolve,
WE MUST TAKE ACTION!
DONATE NOW and contribute directly to East West Players’ 60 year legacy of resistance and representation.
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Here are also other ways you can help:
CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS. Share your concerns and ask for their support. Find your Congress members HERE. You can access a script and contact info for your federal elected officials HERE (to call) and HERE (to email). Links to scripts courtesy of Arts For LA.
Have you personally been impacted by policies and federal funding eliminated by the administration? Share your story HERE.
Understand the broad national scope of the NEA grant terminations by following the NEA Grant Termination Tracker HERE.
For fellow LA arts organizations: Arts for LA is collecting info from LA-based organizations impacted by terminated NEA funding. Fill out the form HERE.
Urge the LA County Board of Supervisors to reject an 11% cut to vital arts funding. Send your letter HERE.
Ask the CA Joint Committee on Legislative Audit to approve a Prop 28 audit and ensure arts education funding reaches LAUSD students. Take action HERE.
More information, resources, and ways everyone can support local LA arts organizations can be found in Arts for LA’s Arts Funding Response Toolkit, found HERE.