Many arts organizations are in a vulnerable position right now. That’s in part because the Trump administration has started canceling National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants and has called for the elimination of the agency. That means something to tons of organizations here in Michigan. 

In 2024, the NEA granted more than $3 million to arts organizations in the state. As of last week, the majority of the funds earmarked for 2025 have been snatched back, leaving hundreds of nonprofits in the red financially, according to reporting from the Detroit Free Press. 

The Carr Center is a nonprofit hub for the visual and performing arts in Detroit focused on promoting and sharing the work of Black artists. The organization’s CEO, Oliver Ragsdale, joined The Metro on Thursday to discuss how they’re navigating the recent cuts to the arts.

“We got an NEA grant, we finished our grant, submitted our report and got our dollars within a couple of days, so we didn’t get terminated and we’ve been fortunate like that,” Ragsdale said.

Still, he said the NEA cuts will likely impact state funding and cause various other challenges, creating “a new normal” for arts organizations like the Carr Center.

“We are staying focused on Black artistic excellence and everything about it. And you know, we’ve been through cycles before, we’ll go through cycles again — I’ve been doing this for a few minutes — and eventually we’re going to be alright.”

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

More stories from The Metro

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on Thursday in a case challenging President Donald Trump’s order limiting who is entitled to birthright citizenship.

Use the media player below to hear the arguments live, beginning at 10 a.m.

The state treasurer on Wednesday announced $2.5 million in grants for Michigan cities, villages or townships with severe economic problems.

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Those municipalities are defined as ones that are experiencing one or more conditions that qualify as “probable economic distress.”

The funds will be split among 13 cities across the state to support projects, services or strategies aimed at improving their financial stability.

Among the local communities selected to receive funding are Ecorse, receiving $183,000 for water main replacements; Harper Woods, receiving more than $134,000 to fix sanitary sewer outlets; Highland Park, getting $150,000 for two plow trucks; Inkster, receiving $300,000 to replace water system infrastructure; and River Rouge, which will get just over $86,000 to replace infrastructure at the municipal library. 

Visit michigan.gov to view the full list of municipalities receiving funding.

Other headlines for Wednesday, April 30, 2025: 

• A project to end extreme poverty is coming to Detroit this summer.  The organizers of “Global Citizen NOW” announced Wednesday that their international summit will be held in the Hudson’s Detroit building downtown, July 8-11.
• The trial of a Grand Rapids police officer in connection with the death of a Black motorists continues. Officer Christopher Schurr shot and killed motorist Patrick Lyoya during a traffic stop in April 2022. Lyoya was shot after a brief struggle and the incident was captured on video.  Schurr was later charged with second degree murder. His attorney says the shooting was in self-defense.
• The only Black, all-female unit to serve in Europe during World War II was honored on Tuesday with the Congressional Gold Medal. Known as the “Six Triple Eight,” the unit received the award following a long-running campaign to recognize its efforts.
• The Detroit Pistons are looking forward to Game 6 of their first-round NBA playoff series against the New York Knicks. The Pistons won Game 5, 106-103, at Madison Square Garden in New York Tuesday night.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.