Policy Landscape Resources, International Artist News, and Education Executive Order

March 25, 2025

In This Issue

• Urgent: Keep Pace with the U.S. Visa Process
• U.S. Department of Education Directed to Close
• Resources on NEA and Big-Picture Policy Landscape

Urgent: Keep Pace with the U.S. Visa Process

Processing times are longer and scrutiny at borders is stricter. Visa preparations for international guest artists require careful attention to detail, and League resources are here to help.

• The League’s website, Artists from Abroad, provides essential tips and templates for seeking the O and P visas required for artists.
• Our most recent visa news item reminds petitioners and artists about best practices and notes a change in policy narrowing access to a waiver from in-person visa interviews at a U.S. embassy or consulate.
• The Department of Homeland Security has ordered the closure of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) Ombudsman’s office, which advocates for agency improvements. Your experiences fuel our policy efforts. Email us at advocacy@americanorchestras.org with details.

Delays may worsen with changes to security vetting and federal government staffing, not only at USCIS, but also at U.S. embassies abroad. Keep your members of Congress up to date on the need to support international cultural activity.

U.S. Department of Education Directed to Close

The Trump Administration issued a March 20 Executive Order, Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities to close the U.S. Department of Education and redistribute some of its responsibilities. Efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education have already resulted in court action (PDF), since fully eliminating the agency requires an act of Congress.

The League is an active member of the Music Education Policy Roundtable, hosted by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). Read NAfME’s recent overview for more details about next steps in sustaining federal support for education. With just days left in Music in our Schools Month, take an extra look at our recent list of actions orchestras can take to support music education now and all year long.

Resources on NEA and Big-Picture Policy Landscape

With an April 7 application deadline on the horizon, keep up to date on any future changes with the League’s National Endowment for the Arts Grant Application Resource page. We’ll report on how ongoing court action will influence grant requirements, and share news from the agency as we hear it.

The League’s updated Resources for Navigating the Changing Landscape provides overviews of executive orders, legal analysis, and tools to help guide conversations as the federal policy context evolves. The latest additions include background about the March 19 technical assistance documents issued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), “What To Do If You Experience Discrimination Related to DEI at Work” and “What You Should Know About DEI-Related Discrimination at Work.” These technical assistance documents are not formal EEOC guidance, which requires a vote. The Commission currently lacks a quorum to hold a vote after two of the three commissioners were terminated on January 28.