Emergency Grant Revives Wilmington Youth Arts Program After NEA Suspension

Warhol and Frankenthaler Foundations provide critical funding for Turning the Wheel’s

Community Performance Project

BOULDER, CO (May 22, 2025) — Turning the Wheel Productions, a Boulder-based national

nonprofit arts and education organization, announced today it has received emergency support

from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation.

The funding enables the organization to move forward with its Community Performance Project

in Wilmington, North Carolina, after the project’s original federal support was suspended by the

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) earlier this month.

The project was one of 272 previously approved through the NEA’s Challenge America

initiative and selected for a $10,000 grant. However, the NEA indefinitely suspended the

distribution of funds to all 272 organizations due to administrative delays, staffing reductions,

and new compliance reviews. The Warhol and Frankenthaler Foundations responded swiftly,

jointly committing $800,000 in emergency funding to support 80 visual arts-focused

organizations—aligned with their mission mandates—with hopes that other funders will step in

to support the remaining groups.

“We are incredibly grateful for this timely and visionary support,” said Alana Shaw, Executive

Director of Turning the Wheel. “It allows us to continue our planned project and honor our longstanding commitment to the Wilmington community—bringing high-impact, movement-based

arts programming to youth and families who need it most.”

The Community Performance Project includes a school-based residency that engages students in

theater, dance, rhythm, and visual arts activities, followed by a public performance of Stardust

and Water on October 3 & 4. Drawing from personal and community stories, the performance

features both residency participants and local performers, with a focus on inclusivity and

emotional resilience.

“This initiative is about more than performance—it’s about helping young people move, express,

and see themselves as valued members of their communities,” said Shaw “We’re deeply grateful

to the Andy Warhol Foundation and the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation for stepping in with

crucial support to ensure our project can move forward.”

A full list of supported organizations and the official grant announcement are available at:

🔗 warholfoundation.org 🔗 frankenthalerfoundation.org