When We Cut the Arts, We Cut Community

By Brock Cavett

On April 15, the Mayor released the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2027. In response to a $118 million deficit, the proposal includes $11.8 million in cuts to arts and culture funding eliminating critical grants that San Diego Pride and hundreds of nonprofit organizations rely on to serve our communities.

For San Diego Pride, the impact is immediate and significant. These proposed cuts would reduce our city funding from nearly $400,000 to zero within the current fiscal year. That funding is not abstract, it directly supports the artists who bring Pride to life. The majority of that talent is local and BIPOC, representing the diverse voices and lived experiences that define our community. Losing this support doesn’t just affect a line item in a budget; it diminishes access, representation, and opportunity.

And San Diego Pride is far from alone. These cuts extend across the city’s ecosystem of care, from the Office of Child & Youth Success (OCYS) to public libraries, parks, and recreation centers. These are the spaces where community is built, where young people find belonging, where families access resources, and where culture is not only preserved but created in real time. When we reduce funding to these institutions, we erode the infrastructure that supports San Diegans in their daily lives.

At a time when LGBTQIA+ communities, especially queer and trans people, are facing escalating attacks nationwide, the stakes feel even higher. Pride has always been more than a celebration. It is a platform for visibility, resistance, and collective care. Public investment in Pride and in the arts is not just about events or entertainment. It is about affirming that our lives, stories, and contributions matter.

That is why this moment is particularly difficult to reconcile. San Diego is a city with a long history of LGBTQ+ leadership and progress. Today, it is led by its first openly gay mayor and one of the most LGBTQ+ City Councils in its history. That representation has been a source of pride and hope for many. But representation alone is not enough. It must be paired with policies and investments that reflect a commitment to equity, inclusion, and community well-being.

Budget decisions are ultimately values statements. They reflect what a city chooses to prioritize and who it chooses to support. Maintaining funding for arts and culture is not simply about preserving tradition; it is about sustaining the people, organizations, and creative ecosystems that make San Diego vibrant, inclusive, and resilient.

There is still time to act.

Community voices have always been a powerful force in shaping public policy, and this moment is no exception. If you believe in the importance of arts, culture, and community investment, there are meaningful ways to get involved.

Reach out to the Mayor and your City Councilmembers. Share your perspective and urge them to oppose cuts of this scale to arts and culture funding. Public comment is also a critical opportunity to be heard. The City Budget Review Committee will hold a public hearing on Monday, May 4 at 6:00 p.m. at the City Administration Building (202 C Street). Showing up whether in person or through written comment helps ensure that decision-makers understand the real impact of these proposals.

You can also engage at the neighborhood level. Upcoming budget town halls in District 6 (May 7 at Mira Mesa Library) and District 2 (May 12 at City Hall) provide additional opportunities to speak directly with Councilmembers and advocate for the resources your community needs.

This is a pivotal moment for San Diego. The question before us is not only how we close a budget gap, but how we do so without compromising the values that define us. If we believe in a city where everyone belongs, where creativity thrives, and where community is nurtured, then we must invest in the very systems that make that vision possible.

Because when we cut the arts we don’t just cut funding, we cut connection.