The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has issued new grant application guidelines that explicitly reference President Donald Trump's executive orders and his vision for U.S. culture. The guidelines encourage applicants to align with orders like "Making Federal Architecture Beautiful Again," which mandates classical style for government buildings, and "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," which seeks to control exhibition content. The cover letter also points applicants to orders on combating antisemitism and anti-Christian bias, which appears to warn against pro-Palestinian applications.
This shift marks a significant politicization of a previously merit-based, apolitical federal grant-making process for museums and libraries. Critics, including former IMLS staff and museum advocacy leaders, describe the guidelines as "chilling" and an attempt to control the narrative presented by cultural institutions, potentially forcing them away from presenting difficult historical truths. The change occurs alongside broader federal cultural shifts, such as the NEA eliminating grants for underserved communities in favor of projects celebrating the U.S. 250th anniversary. The agency's very existence was recently in jeopardy, having been gutted by the Department of Government Efficiency before being revived via a lawsuit from 21 state attorneys general.