San Francisco International Arts Festival pushes on despite Trump cutting grant
The San Francisco International Arts Festival (SFIAF) returned this month with a vibrant lineup of performances that celebrate multiculturalism, artistic exchange, and community engagement — values organizers say are at the heart of the city itself.
Every performance takes place in San Francisco's Mission District.
The festival features artists both locally and across the globe, including dancer Jyotsna Vaidee, who has participated in the event for five consecutive years.
Vaidee, who performs the classical South Indian dance form Bharatanatyam, says the festival offers a rare platform for sharing heritage with wider audiences.
"What I love about being part of SFIAF is, we get to share our art not only within the Indian community, but we also get to share this with broader communities and folks who may not have seen the kind of classical dance that I do, which is Bharatanatyam," said Vaidee, who was born in Bangalore, India.
Her performance this year pays tribute to the courage and voices of Indian female writers. She said the opportunity to bring traditional art into new contexts reinforces her sense of identity as both Indian and American.
"We came here to America, and I feel it's all these vibrant communities coming together that really makes us the Bay Area," she said.
The festival's executive director, Andrew Wood, said that's exactly the goal.
"We are the San Francisco International Arts Festival, so we represent what the city is and what the city's values are," Wood said. "The artists bring diverse perspectives from around the world."
However, the festival faces growing challenges in maintaining support for such programs. Earlier this month, SFIAF received notice from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) that a $20,000 grant—awarded in November 2024 to support a separate performance—had been canceled.
"The cancellation was the direct result of a rash of Executive Orders signed by President Donald Trump," SFIAF said in a statement, calling the move a blow to the nonprofit arts sector.
The group said the cuts are tied to Project 2025, a policy initiative aimed at restructuring federal agencies and reducing government spending.
Despite the loss of funding, Wood said the festival is proceeding with a full schedule and continues to pursue alternate sources of support.
For artists like Vaidee, the event's value lies not just in performance, but in cultural connection.
"They go the extra mile to get that diversity. To bring that diversity. And bring it all in one festival and show that there is actually beauty and a common thread between us all."
