By Gina Yarbrough
San Diego, CA–Arts and culture advocates across San Diego voiced frustration Wednesday after Mayor Todd Gloria released a revised fiscal year 2027 budget proposal that did not restore funding for the city’s arts and culture sector, despite weeks of public advocacy urging city officials to reverse the cuts.
Organizations and advocates warned that eliminating arts and culture grants, as proposed in the mayor’s budget, could lead to layoffs, reduced programming and long-term damage to community arts services throughout the city.
In recent weeks, hundreds of artists, educators, nonprofit leaders and residents attended City Hall meetings, submitted public comments and organized rallies across San Diego council districts in opposition to the proposed funding reductions.
Art advocates say the mayor’s proposal to cut arts funding from $13.8 million to less than $2 million would deliver a devastating setback to the local arts community.
“While we appreciate that community advocacy helped move this conversation forward, we are extremely disappointed that the mayor did not restore any of the arts and culture funding in the FY27 budget,” Christine Martinez, manager of Arts+Culture:San Diego, said in a statement.
“Our sector made it overwhelmingly clear that these cuts would be devastating,” Martinez said. “Arts organizations are still facing enormous uncertainty and many are being forced to consider layoffs, reduced programming and cuts to community services.”
According to arts advocates, the sector supports thousands of jobs and generates an estimated $1.8 billion in annual tourism activity while providing free and low-cost programming in neighborhoods across the city.
Bob Lehman, executive director of San Diego ART Matters, said arts funding is essential to the region’s economy and identity.
“The arts are not optional infrastructure, rather they are part of what makes San Diego a vibrant, globally competitive city,” Lehman said. “This funding supports organizations that educate children, employ local residents, attract visitors and create a sense of belonging in communities across the region.”
Arts leaders are urging the San Diego city council to restore funding before the budget is finalized. Advocates specifically called on council members to reject the elimination of key grant programs, including the Operational Support Program and Creative Communities San Diego, while maintaining arts funding through the city’s Transient Occupancy Tax fund.
They also requested that councilmembers use discretionary Transient Occupancy Tax funds to preserve fiscal year 2026 funding levels if necessary.
Arts organizations said the proposed cuts come as the sector already faces rising operational expenses, parking fee increases at Balboa Park and reductions in state and federal arts funding, including cuts affecting grants from the National Endowment for the Arts.
“The arts are essential to the social and cultural health of our city,” said Alessandra Moctezuma, chair of the Cultural Arts Commission. “These organizations provide critical opportunities for connection, storytelling, education and cultural expression.”
Advocacy groups said they plan to continue encouraging residents, educators, artists and business leaders to contact council members in support of restoring arts and culture funding before the fiscal year 2027 budget is approved.
