by Ron DeSantis stripped more than $32m of arts and culture funding from the Florida state budget over his hatred of a popular fringe festival that he accused of being a “sexist event”, according to critics of the rightwing governor.
DeSantis justified his unprecedentedly broad veto of grants to nearly 700 groups and organizations by saying it was “inappropriate” to allocate $7,369 in state money to the Tampa suburb, a 10-day festival held earlier this month with a campaign strong. the message of inclusivity, and its co-event in Orlando.
“[It’s] like a sex fest where they’re doing all this stuff,” DeSantis said at a press conference Thursday, without elaborating.
“When I see money being spent that way, I have to stand up for taxpayers and say: ‘You know what, that’s an inappropriate use of taxpayer dollars.'”
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As a result, it eliminated almost all of Florida’s existing funding for the arts, denying much-needed dollars to a diverse range of groups including youth orchestras and choirs, museums, art galleries , dance companies, zoos, cinemas and communities. theatres.
Most depend on the state’s contribution to fully function, or in many cases simply to survive. So it makes little sense to any of them that what DeSantis sees as standing up for the taxpayer is tantamount to killing demonstrations, demonstrations and jobs.
“It’s going to be a combination of everything from tightening our programming and our salaries, and going to our patrons, once again, for donations,” said Margaret Ledford, artistic director of City Theater Miami, a small performing arts group. , among others. projects, which focus on presenting short plays to secondary school students.
Her group, with two full-time and three part-time employees, lost a $47,000 grant, about 6% of its annual budget.
DeSantis has other void allocations ranging from $500,000 each to organizations including the Tampa Museum of Art, the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Science and Discovery and Miami’s Pelican Harbor seabird station, to a few thousand dollars each to groups such as the Amelia Island Opera and the Annasemble community. the Gainesville orchestra.
Ledford is among those who believe the governor’s action against the arts world is purely a political act, a continuation of his well-documented targeting of minority groups, including the LGBTQ+ community, through executive action and through legislation designed to moderate discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity.
When asked for details, the governor’s office released a statement condemning a performance on the outskirts of Tampa that featured transgender characters.
“You can’t say gay, you can’t do anything that he deems arousing, and the word climate change has been removed from state statutes,” Ledford said.
“We’re also trying to figure out how we reach the students in the community if we can’t talk about things they need to talk about in schools. If we introduce a play with a gay character, we can do that because we are a theater, but whose job is being put in jeopardy if a student then asks a teacher a question?”
Margaret Murray, chief executive of the nonprofit arts agency Creative Pinellas, said DeSantis’ veto was “extremely disappointing.”
“Arts money does much more than allow us to enjoy a performance or visit a museum, and now is the time to invest more heavily, rather than less, in our cultural community,” a she said in a statement.
“According to a recent report from the Florida Cultural Alliance, every $1 spent on the arts generates $9 in economic activity. Unfortunately, there is little recourse to overturn the state’s decision, but we still have a voice. Please continue to support the artists and arts organizations. Now is the time to buy that piece of art or buy tickets to that play you heard about recently. Together, we can increase our support for the arts and make our voices heard.”
Also among those struck by DeSantis’ motives are political allies, some in the Republican-controlled Florida legislature that created a $117.5bn state budget earlier this year that the governor cut by nearly $1bn before signing it this month. Those politicians rubber-stamped grant applicants vetted and approved by the Florida Council for Arts and Culture, a 15-member advisory body hand-picked by the governor.
In addition, the state’s own publications tout the economic value of investment in arts and culture, a $3.1bn industry in Florida that it says “supports jobs, generates government revenue and is a cornerstone of tourism”.
Anna Eskamani, a Democratic state representative who represented Orlando, said DeSantis’ veto was unreasonable.
“If we are struggling economically, then yes, you cut programs, those that are not going to affect things like public safety, education, food security. You go after the line items that won’t lead to urgent problems,” she said.
“But we’re not there. Florida has like $ 17bn in reserves, and this was $ 32m, a drop in the bucket compared to the budget as a whole. Now these organizations will have to make budget decisions, reduce staff, cancel programs and reduce the events they can host.
“And there’s a ripple effect because the people who are going to the shows are eating at the little restaurant next door, they’re buying printed materials and swag that the art group is selling, they’re paying for parking, there’s an ecosystem there is a whole that rotates around. arts and culture.
“That’s why it doesn’t make any sense. It’s another DeSantis culture war, same old playbook, just another chapter.”
