News: DeSantis’ Cuts to Arts Funding Hurts Florida, Not Helps

A statement from the Orlando Fringe Festival on DeSantis’ cutting of Florida’s arts funding:

Earlier this week, Governor DeSantis attributed the cutting of all arts funding in Florida to “The Fringe Festival.” In referring to the fringe as a “sexual” festival, he incorrectly characterized our festival and misrepresented our contributions to the arts community, locally, nationally and internationally. As the longest-running Fringe Festival in the United States, Orlando Fringe’s mission is to foster a vibrant community of artists, providing low barriers of entry to produce and enjoy art across diverse genres including theatre, dance, music, puppetry, circus, as well as children’s programming and visual arts. Orlando Fringe is proud to be part of a network of over 200 Fringes across the world, contributing to a global movement of artistic expression and cultural exchange. In Florida alone, there are three other Fringe festivals: Tampa Fringe, Fort Myers Fringe, and Squeaky Wheel Fringe. All of these festivals play a crucial role in enriching the vibrant arts and cultural landscape of Florida, for which Governor DeSantis vetoed funding.

To veto all state arts funding in FL based on one aspect of a large and growing arts industry ignores the economic, cultural, and quality of life benefits the arts provide to the communities they serve. According to the most recent Arts & Economic Prosperity report by Americans for the Arts, in Orange County, FL alone, the arts account for upwards of $15M in State and local taxes. They also account for upwards of 3,200 jobs, all of which correlate to hardworking, tax paying citizens.

In response to DeSantis’ actions, Florida State representative Anna Eskamani issued the following statement on the arts funding cut:

“I am deeply disappointed by Governor DeSantis’ decision to veto more than $32,000,000 allocated for Florida’s Cultural and Museum Grants and Cultural Facilities Grants. These funds were set to support well-vetted nonprofit organizations that play a crucial role in enriching our community and preserving our cultural heritage. Investing in arts and culture is a powerful economic generator. The arts sector creates jobs, stimulates tourism, and enhances the quality of life for all Floridians. Cutting this funding undermines the economic vitality of our state and disregards the significant contributions of our cultural institutions. We must recognize and support the invaluable impact of arts and culture on our economy and our society. I urge the legislature to fully fund these programs next session and ask that community members step up to fill these funding gaps created by Governor DeSantis.

This is exactly the same kind of bullshit that former governor Rick Scott pulled when he cut all tax credits to Florida filmmakers, which killed the whole industry and sent it north to Atlanta. Meanwhile, Georgia created all kinds of tax credits, and now Atlanta, Georgia has become Hollywood South. That could have been us. Instead, the Florida film industry is made up of hobbyists and aspiring filmmakers whose success will send them north instead of keeping them here.

This arts funding cut smacks of Scott’s same “stick it to the libs” mentality where DeSantis wants to harm anyone and everyone associated with the arts just because he doesn’t like certain people’s lifestyles.

Ron DeSantis doesn’t like sex, so the Orlando Philharmonic is losing funding. Ron DeSantis doesn’t like gay people so Spady Cultural Heritage Museum in Delray Beach, a Black history museum, is losing funding. Ron DeSantis doesn’t like drag queens, so the Hippodrome State Theatre in Gainesville is losing funding.

I met with Representative Eskamani recently and we had a chance to talk about this. She said she thinks this arts funding cut could be reversed next year or the year after, but there has to be a lot of outrage about it. We can’t throw up our hands and accept it. We can’t grouse about it to each other because we’re just preaching to the choir, and that’s not going to create change.

Instead, we need to shout about it, be outraged about it, and speak out publicly. Let your own representatives know that you oppose this measure. Let them know your vote for them relies on this issue. And support the candidates who support arts funding.