In recent years, and now more so than ever, the arts face additional adversity beyond the typical \u201carts are unimportant\u201d bully.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Severe defunding from the current presidential administration has threatened communities such as nonprofit arts organizations, museums and publishing houses, along with theater, music ensembles, after school arts programs, workshops and libraries.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For the 2026 Trump administration budget, this means a proposed elimination of the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA<\/a>) that directs significant funding<\/a> and grantmaking to these organizations, having already enforced mass grant cancellations and staff reductions. For you, this means fewer, more expensive and less diverse experiences.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mary Platt, director of the Hilbert Museum of California Art<\/a> since 2017, gave insight on this problem that\u2019s affecting nationwide arts institutions and organizations.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cYou need to have an appreciation for the arts. They tell us something about ourselves that no other thing can do,\u201d said Platt. \u201cI think it reaches down into the soul of humanity, which nothing else really does.\u201d<\/p>\n For the Hilbert Museum at Chapman, community is at the forefront. Opening in 2016, the museum houses the largest collection of California\u2019s native art \u2014 from Hollywood studio artists and Disney<\/a> animators, to late 19th century and contemporary sculpture and painting.\u00a0<\/p>\n In 2014, the museum received initial funding from the museum\u2019s founders, Janet and Mark Hilbert<\/a>. This was a generous gift valued at about $7 million. The couple additionally donated $3 million to create the Hilbert so that collections could be displayed to the public.<\/p>\n When Mark Hilbert first pitched the museum to the president of Chapman at the time, Jim Doti<\/a>, Platt said Hilbert emphasized that every great university needs an art museum.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe try to remain very much enmeshed with the university and its academic mission,\u201d said Platt.\u00a0<\/p>\n With workshops and course partnership at Chapman, Platt emphasized the importance of being surrounded by art. The museum has hosted a variety of events, including Chapman classes, poetry workshops and even live music ensembles.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe’ve got the beautiful Escalette Collection<\/a>, which includes all the outdoor sculptures,\u201d said Platt. \u201cAs you’re going to class, you might not notice them every day, but you’re soaking it in. I think, in a way, it’s almost subconscious that you’re soaking in the fact that you’ve got beautiful pieces of art around you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The Hilbert receives support from the founding $3 million donation, from Chapman and from other patrons such as the Sodaro family<\/a> with a $1 million gift<\/a>, along with NEA grants. The Escalette, a \u201cmuseum without walls,\u201d thrives from receiving NEA funding as well, amounting to $35,000<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n With the rise of defunding and the proposal of shutting down a crucial driving force behind the arts, it is only possible for the next few years to bring significant change to these beloved facilities at Chapman.\u00a0<\/p>\n