After uproar, Washington, DC grant-making commission backtracks
This past Monday, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities circulated a contract amendment to the recipients of its artist fellowships that placed content restrictions on grantee’s artworks. The amendment reads as follows:
The Parties hereby revise Section 5 of the Original Agreement by adding, as that section’s second paragraph, the following language: “Grantee warrants that neither Grantee’s performance under this FY19 | CAH Grant Agreement Amendment Page 2 of 3 Agreement nor any tangible manifestation of Grantee’s performance under this Agreement is lewd, lascivious, vulgar, overtly political, excessively violent, constitutes sexual harassment, or is, in any other way, illegal. The interpretation of what is “lewd, lascivious, vulgar, overtly political, and/or excessively violent” shall be at the sole discretion of CAH. In the event that Grantee’s Grant-related work product and/or performance under this Agreement is deemed to be lewd, vulgar, overtly political, and/or excessively violent, CAH reserves the right to terminate this Agreement (see “Termination” policies referenced below). These warranties survive indefinitely.”
I was notified of this and before I could get involved, yesterday Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office rescinded the amendment.
More here.