The Arts Are Not a Privilege—They Are a Necessity — Dane Suarez

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Before I begin, I want to make it clear that these words represent my individual thoughts and ideas and I share them in that vein. Through this platform, I speak for myself, not for OperaDelaware. --DMS

If history has taught us anything, it’s that the arts don’t die—they adapt, they fight, and they persist. But let’s be clear: in this current climate, the fight just got a lot harder.

We already know what’s coming. We’ve seen the language about “adherence” to guidelines and the implicit threats to funding. We know that when the arts don’t align with a particular agenda, they’re the first to be dismissed as frivolous. But the truth? The arts are dangerous—not because they entertain, but because they provoke, they question, they challenge. And that’s exactly why they need us now more than ever.

We’ve Been Here Before

When the National Endowment for the Arts faced slashes in the ‘80s and ‘90s, artists responded with resilience. When oppressive regimes throughout history sought to censor and silence creativity, art found a way— through underground performances, independent patronage, and community-driven initiatives. Even in times of war and economic collapse, people gathered to hear music, see plays, read poetry… Why? Because art is not just decoration. It is survival.

This moment is no different.

So What Can We Do?

  1. Artists and Administrators: Create boldly. Do not water down your work. Do not conform out of fear. If funding is threatened, find another way—through grants, private donors, crowdfunding. The art that makes history is not the art that plays it safe.

  2. Donors: Give now, not later. The organizations you love cannot afford to wait. Do More 24 (happening 6pm Thursday 3/6 through 6pm Friday 3/7) is a perfect time to put your money where your passion is. Give locally, give generously, give to the companies that refuse to compromise.

  3. Audiences: Show up. Every empty seat is an argument for less funding. Fill the theaters, attend the concerts, bring friends. Your presence is activism.

  4. Advocates: Make noise. Contact your representatives. Tell them the arts matter to you. Share posts, write letters, be loud. A government that threatens the arts is a government that fears the power of its people.

The Arts Will Outlast Any Administration

We do not need permission to create. We do not need approval to inspire. We have never been a luxury—we are a lifeline. And if history tells us anything, it’s that we will not be silenced.

Are you with me?