“Best Budget Ever” Gets Even Better: Mayor Adams, DCLA, Cultural Leaders Celebrate Historic Investments in City’s Cultural Sector as Part of FY 2026 Adopted Budget

July 2, 2025

Watch the video here at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8lNXpLEMfM

Follows Agreement Between Adams Administration and New York City Council on $116 Billion
FY 2026 Adopted Budget to Create a Safer, More Affordable City for Working-Class Families 

Adopted Budget Invests Nearly $300 Million in Department of Cultural Affairs,
Largest Investment in New York City History, Including First Substantial
Baseline Funding Increase in Over 10 Years 

Adopted Budget Also Invests Record $523 Million in Public Library Systems

Adopted Budget Builds on Investments Made in Mayor Adams’ “Best Budget Ever”
Earlier This Year to Support Cultural Organizations and
Make New York City Best Place to Raise a Family

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) Commissioner Laurie Cumbo, and leaders of cultural organizations from across the city today celebrated historic investments in New York City’s cultural sector as part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Adopted Budget. The FY 2026 Adopted Budget — which builds on the Adams administration’s initial “Best Budget Ever” unveiled earlier this year and passed unanimously by the New York City Council earlier this week — invests a record $299.6 million in DCLA, including a permanent funding increase of $45 million. That permanent, or baseline, funding increase — the first substantial baseline funding increase for DCLA in over a decade — was originally announced as part of Mayor Adams’ Best Budget Ever in May and included in the final, adopted budget as well. The FY 26 Adopted Budget also invests an additional $30 million into DCLA, bringing the total new investment in the agency to $75 million this fiscal year alone. The additional funding will bolster the city’s Cultural Development Fund (CDF), which supports more than 1,000 cultural organizations and neighborhood-based groups citywide, as well as the city’s 34 Cultural Institution Group (CIG) member organizations. Moreover, the FY 2026 Adopted Budget increases funding for the city’s three library systems by an additional $17 million, investing a record total of $523 million in the city’s libraries to support operations. Collectively, the investments celebrated today will help bolster the city’s cultural sector, attract tourists, and fulfill the Adams administration’s commitment to make New York City the best place to raise a family.

“Making New York City the best place to raise a family means investing in the cultural organizations and libraries that bring parents, children, and friends together — that is exactly what our budget does,” said Mayor Adams. “With a historic $300 million investment in our city’s cultural sector, we will boost the museums, zoos, and theaters that make our city special. Ultimately, though, this investment is about more than dollars in a budget, but about the dance organization that helps a young immigrant connect with their culture, the garden that gives families a quality place to picnic together, the science exhibit that inspires a third grader to study rockets and, someday, make it to Mars. Along with a record $523 million investment in our libraries, historic funding for universal after-school, and an ambitious tax cut for working-class New Yorkers, this year’s budget is laser-focused on making life safer and more affordable for our city’s families, each and every day.”

“The quality of life in a great city is measured in part by the cultural institutions and programs it endows, so we are proud today to have made this landmark commitment to the cultural life of our city,” said First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro. “With the historic investment in our cultural organizations and libraries through this year’s budget, we will strengthen that quality of life and ensure that New York remains the greatest city on the globe.”

“Art and culture are the lifeblood of New York: our city’s unrivaled cultural sector makes our communities safer, our economy stronger, our students more engaged, and our neighborhoods more vibrant,” said DCLA Commissioner Cumbo. “The Adams administration couldn’t be prouder of the historic investment we’re making in our cultural community in the city’s budget. With $75 million in new investments this fiscal year alone, the city is standing up as a strong, dependable partner and source of support for the cultural programming that enriches the lives of so many New Yorkers. Cultural nonprofits are facing challenges on so many fronts, and this investment will help them weather the storm and continue to deliver for New Yorkers the world-class programming that makes our city a cultural capital. From arts education to more equitable funding for groups in underserved communities, to increased support for individual artists that live and work in our city, this budget sends a powerful message: Arts and culture matter to our city, and we’re proud to stand with and support the organizations and the people that make our sector thrive.”

Mayor Adams’ FY 2026 Executive Budget — unveiled earlier this year and often called the “Best Budget Ever” — increased DCLA’s baseline funding by an $45 million. With this increase in funding, DCLA can provide stable, long-term support for this critical sector in New York City, especially as it faces a range of new challenges. The FY 2026 Adopted Budget goes further to strengthen investments in the city’s cultural sector by adding another $30 million into DCLA’s budget, for a total of $75 million in new investments through this budget cycle.

Mayor Adams Best Budget Ever also includes $3.1 billion for cultural institutions and libraries through the 10-Year Capital Plan. The Adams administration has prioritized supporting cultural institutions across the five boroughs by, among other things, breaking ground on renovations, expansions, and other city-supported capital projects at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, the Weeksville Heritage Center, The Bronx Museum, Nuyorican Poets Café, and more in 2024. Additionally, last year, the Adams administration announced more than $52 million in grants for 1,031 cultural organizations through its annual CDF grant making program and diverted over 5.9 million pounds of materials from landfills, making them available to educators, nonprofits, and artists through its Materials for the Arts program free of charge. Finally, to bolster the city’s cultural economy and support more cultural organizations, Mayor Adams announced, in his 2025 State of the City address, that New York City will invest more resources into the CIG network, adding up to five additional organizations in order to ensure that the CIG network reflects the rich diversity of the city’s creative sector.

Additionally, the FY 2026 Adopted Budget invests a record $523 million into the city’s three library systems, increasing funding by $17 million over last fiscal year’s budget. That increased funding includes an additional $6.3 million for the New York Public Library; an additional $4.7 million for the Queens Public Library; an additional $4.7 million for the Brooklyn Public Library; and an additional $1.2 million for the New York Research Library.

Today’s celebration follows the agreement reached last week between the Adams administration and the New York City Council to pass an on-time, balanced, and fiscally responsible $115.9 billion Adopted Budget for FY 2026. The FY 2026 Adopted Budget doubles down on Mayor Adams’ commitment to make New York City the best place to raise a family by, among other things, investing in “After-School for All,” a $755 million plan to deliver universal after-school programming to families of children in kindergarten through eighth grade; baselining funding for 3-K citywide expansion and special education pre-K to build on the administration’s work to dramatically expand access to early childhood education; capital investments that include allocating $24.7 billion towards affordable housing through the city’s 10-Year Capital Plan; investing over $400 million to fully fund the transformation of Fifth Avenue in Manhattan into a world-class, pedestrian-centered boulevard; and revitalizing “The Arches,” the public space on the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge. This budget is also the first to implement Mayor Adams’ landmark “Axe the Tax for the Working Class” plan, which abolishes New York City's personal income tax for filers with dependents living at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty line. Because of this plan, which the Adams administration successfully fought to pass in Albany this budget cycle, $63 million will go back into the pockets of over 582,000 low-income New York filers, including their dependents, helping make New York City more affordable for working-class families.

“With increased operating support, including funds to expand seven-day service, this year’s budget is an important investment in our city’s most trusted and most democratic institutions,” said Linda Johnson, president and CEO, Brooklyn Public Library; Tony Marx, president and CEO, The New York Public Library; Dennis Walcott, president and CEO, Queens Public Library. “This additional funding will help cover rising costs and meet the growing demand for our essential programs, services and resources. We are deeply grateful to Mayor Adams and the City Council for reaffirming their continued commitment to libraries and to the millions of New Yorkers who rely on us.”

“New York City’s arts and cultural community is the heart and soul of the five boroughs. We are thrilled by the historic boost in the Fiscal 2026 Adopted Budget. We are grateful to Mayor Eric Adams, Speaker Adrienne Adams, First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro, Deputy Mayor Adolfo Carrión, Commissioner Laurie Cumbo, Council Member Carlina Rivera, and Council Member Justin Brannan for recognizing the imperative role culture plays in making our city great and for their unwavering commitment to our sector,” said Coco Killingsworth, chair, Cultural Institutions Group. “This funding will significantly stabilize our organizations, enable us to cover rising costs, support greatly enhanced programming, and fortify ourselves against shifting federal priorities.”

“New York City’s cultural groups enrich the lives of New Yorkers — creating jobs, attracting customers to merchants, and adding tens of billions of dollars to the local economy each year,” John Calvelli, executive vice president for public affairs, Wildlife Conservation Society. “This year’s robust funding increase reflects a historic commitment to keep our city a vibrant and exciting place and ensuring we remain the global cultural capital.”

“We are thrilled to see New York City’s historic investment in the cultural life of our home city,” said Melissa Ngan, president and CEO, American Composers Orchestra. “With this additional $30 million investment, our city’s leadership has recognized creativity and the arts as essential to building strong communities, healing the spirit, sharing cultural traditions, protecting freedom of expression, and nurturing a vibrant civic life.”

“Arts and cultural institutions are essential to New York City, and the rich diversity of arts programming opportunities they offer is crucial to providing a holistic education for our students. Their continued partnerships with schools across our city are a lifeline for students and the highly specialized teaching artist workforce,” said Kimberly Olsen, executive director, New York City Arts in Education Roundtable. “We applaud New York City leaders who are proudly investing in our students’ futures and the vibrant communities that make our city the cultural capital of the world.”

“What wonderful news! This $45 million in permanent funding and $30 million one-time addition for arts and culture is a game-changer for the creative sector and for arts education for NYC kids,” said Kimberly Olsen, executive director, New York City Arts in Education Roundtable. “Mayor Adams and the Council really came through by making arts a priority. This investment, along with the baselining of $45 million for arts education, shows they truly get how important creativity is for our students and our city’s future.”

“We are deeply grateful to the New York City Mayor’s Office and the New York City Council for the historic $75 million to the Department of Cultural Affairs in the FY 2026 Adopted Budget. This critical investment sends a powerful and timely message: that culture is not a luxury, but an essential public good,” said Patrick Charpenel, executive director, El Museo del Barrio. “At El Museo del Barrio, this support will help offset rising costs in labor, security, programming, and operations. Most importantly, it will expand access, ignite opportunity, and ensure that all New Yorkers — especially those historically underrepresented — see themselves reflected in the city’s cultural landscape.”

“The entire Board and Staff of New York City Center are enormously grateful to Mayor Eric Adams, his administration, Speaker Adrienne Adams, and the full City Council for this historic investment in the cultural life of New York City. This level of public support for arts and culture will ensure countless organizations across the five boroughs, including City Center, can continue providing unparalleled opportunities for education, professional development, and entertainment,” said Michael Rosenberg, President and CEO, New York City Center. “People come from across the world to experience the rich offerings of our varied cultural institutions and we are proud to see this transformational funding put into action to help us all thrive.”

“We’re thrilled with this historic investment in New York City’s cultural organizations — a powerful recognition of the essential role arts and culture play in the life of our city,” said Anne Pasternak, director, Brooklyn Museum. “This vital support will allow us to continue advancing our mission with renewed energy. It strengthens our ability to serve our community, create meaningful experiences for visitors, and ensure that culture remains accessible, inclusive, and impactful for all New Yorkers.”

“We are deeply grateful to Mayor Adams and the City Council for their steadfast commitment to New York City’s cultural community in this year’s adopted budget. The inclusion of increased operating support for the Cultural Institutions Group reflects a profound understanding that culture is not a luxury — it is the heartbeat of our city, driving education, economic vitality, and community resilience,” said Stephanie Hill Wilchfort, Ronay Menschel director and president, Museum of the City of New York. “Mayor Adams’ support ensures that institutions like the Museum of the City of New York can continue to tell the stories of our great city, engage the public in critical dialogue, and inspire future generations. This investment sends a powerful message: culture matters, and New York City is stronger because of it.”

“A thriving arts and culture sector strengthens mental health, public safety, education, and community connection,” said Taryn Sacramone, executive director, Queens Theatre. “This historic investment will uplift all New Yorkers. On behalf of Queens Theatre’s staff, board, audiences, and students, thank you to our champions — Mayor Eric Adams, Speaker Adrienne Adams, Council Members Justin Brannan and Carlina Rivera, and Commissioner Laurie Cumbo — for your visionary leadership and commitment to culture for all.”

“We thank Mayor Adams, along with Commissioner Cumbo, on this historic investment in NYC’s cultural sector, including essential permanent, baseline funding, that will support one of our city’s greatest assets: culture,” said Adrian Benepe, president and CEO, Brooklyn Botanic Garden. “In addition to enriching the lives of New Yorkers and visitors alike, the arts and culture help drive our economy and tourism, support education, allow cross-cultural exchange, and so much more.”

“We celebrate this critically important increase to cultural funding and applaud Mayor Eric Adams and his team, Speaker Adrienne Adams, Finance Chair Council Member Justin Brannan, and all of City Council for recognizing that New York City’s cultural institutions are both deeply treasured community assets and vital economic engines,” said Atiba T. Edwards, president & CEO, Brooklyn Children’s Museum. “With this support from the city, Brooklyn Children’s Museum looks forward to welcoming more students on class field trips and presenting more cultural festivals, artists, authors, and performers to our diverse Brooklyn community.”

“We are immensely grateful to the Mayor and City Council for making historic investments in our city’s vibrant cultural institutions,” said Jennifer Bernstein, CEO and The William C. Steere, Sr. president, New York Botanical Garden. “These vital operating dollars ensure that cultural anchors like NYBG continue to flourish and remain accessible, offer enriching nature-based educational experiences for all, and employ thousands of New Yorkers. We celebrate that our city leaders recognize the crucial role of culture and science institutions to our economy, wellbeing and identity as New Yorkers.”

“The City’s Fiscal Year 2026 Adopted Budget is a significant investment in New York City’s cultural life and is a testament to the vital role organizations like the New York Hall of Science plays in enriching the lives of all New Yorkers,” said Lisa Gugenheim, president and CEO, New York Hall of Science. “We are profoundly grateful to Mayor Adams, Speaker Adams, Commissioner Cumbo, Council Members Carlina Rivera and Justin Brannan, and their colleagues for their unwavering advocacy and support in this year’s budget. Thanks to their commitment, we can continue to inspire a new generation through immersive STEM learning experiences, fostering curiosity and critical exploration and learning that are essential for our city’s future.”

“We are profoundly grateful to Mayor Adams, Commissioner Cumbo, Speaker Adams, Cultural Affairs Chair Rivera, and Council Member Brewer for their relentless work on New York City’s Fiscal Year 2026 Adopted Budget, including the unprecedented $30 million boost in operating funds for the City’s Cultural Institutions Groups,” said Patrick Willingham, executive director, The Public Theater. “For the past five years, lingering post-pandemic deficits, rising inflation, and federal disinvestment have made it difficult for many institutions to maintain stability. For nonprofit performing arts organizations, like The Public Theater, which are deeply committed to offering free programming, this climate has laid bare just how fragile these organizations truly are without robust public support. Thank you, again, to the Mayor’s Office and City Council for believing in our mission and championing accessibility to arts and culture throughout New York City. We look forward to working together to ensure continued and growing support for the cultural community that makes our city so extraordinary.”

“I want to thank the mayor for his continued support of NYC’s cultural institutions through this increased investment,” said Sean M. Decatur, president, American Museum of Natural History. “Institutions like ours are not only cultural spaces, but also major employers and economic drivers. This funding will provide much-needed operational support for New York’s critical cultural sector.”

“Arts and culture institutions are central to our city’s wellbeing, serving millions of New Yorkers each year,” said Leah C. Johnson, executive vice president, chief communications, marketing & advocacy officer, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. “We’re so grateful for this continued support, as we offer hundreds of free and choose-what-you-pay events and help bring the joy and community of the arts to our neighbors across New York.”

“On behalf of Historic Richmond Town, I want to thank the New York City Council and Mayor Adams and his team for this historic $75 million investment in the cultural sector,” said Jessica B. Phillips, CEO, Historic Richmond Town. “This funding is a powerful recognition of the essential role cultural institutions play in the life of our incredible city — educating, inspiring, and strengthening our communities. We are proud to be part of a cultural landscape that continues to shape New York’s identity, and we are deeply grateful for this meaningful support. New York City is culture.” 

“We heartily applaud the administration for embracing the fact that a major investment in arts and culture is always going to be a force-multiplying investment in the power of our local economy — and the future of our kids, our seniors, our families, our diversity, our strength, and our endurance,” said Leonard Jacobs, executive director, Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning.

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