Scott Miller, founder and artistic director of New Line Theatre, said his company received a $12,000 grant from the Regional Arts Commission last year. This year, his application was rejected.

The loss of funding is no small matter for New Line. The troupe, known for staging offbeat, politically tinged musicals at the Marcelle in Grand Center, has an annual budget of about $100,000.

“That was a huge shock to us,” Miller said. “After 27 years of getting funding, and then suddenly zero — it’s like, what happened?”

A shift in the Regional Arts Commission’s funding philosophy, as reflected in its most recent round of grants, has raised concerns in the St. Louis arts community, with some applicants receiving zero funding, including theater companies like New Line that have consistently been supported.

Theater troupes and other arts organizations have looked to RAC for support for more than 30 years. As part of its mission of promoting and encouraging arts and culture in the St. Louis region, the organization has been a funding source that often has made the difference between a company staying in business or staging its final show.

RAC maintains that its goal is to reward companies that achieve artistic excellence and enhance the cultural life of the region.