Arts organizations across Florida are scrambling after Governor Ron DeSantis’ unexpected and unprecedented move in June to veto all state grants for arts organizations that the legislature approved for the current budget year.
The veto totals $32 million dollars in matching state grants for more than 600 arts organizations. In explaining the reason for his veto, DeSantis cited fringe festivals in Tampa and Orlando calling them sexual festivals that shouldn’t be funded with tax dollars.
Critics of the veto say it’s among the latest moves in DeSantis’ culture wars, in which he’s supported laws including the Stop WOKE Act, the Parental Rights in Education law, dubbed “Don’t Say Gay” by opponents, and moves to limit what can be taught in schools regarding the country’s history of institutional racism.
Critics of the move characterize the veto as shortsighted, given the return on investment the state sees from funding the arts. Overall, Florida’s arts and culture sector generates $5.7 billion in economic activity each year, including $2.9 billion by nonprofit arts and culture organizations alone. Florida’s arts and culture industry also supports more than 91,000 full-time jobs, according to a study from the Americans for the Arts in collaboration with the state Division of Arts and Culture and Citizens for Florida Arts Inc.
We explore the economic impact and other benefits of a robust arts and culture sector for a community, and the economic impact of the arts and culture industry in Lee and Collier counties in a conversation with WGCU arts reporter Tom Hall, Alliance for the Arts Executive Director Molly Rowan-Deckart, and Executive Director of United Arts Collier, Elysia Dawn.
