Florida budget slashes arts culture grants, boosts legislator earmarks

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The Florida legislature nearly doubled the amount of overall money spent on arts and culture programs and organizations in the new budget compared to last year, but not in the way arts advocates had requested or expected.

Allocations for fiscal year 2025 total $93.9 million, funding 669 different arts and culture projects or organizations across the state. Just $32 million of that is allocated for grants overseen by the Florida Department of State’s Division of Cultural Affairs, while the rest is earmarked for what are known as member projects.

A year ago, the state budget included about $58 million for arts and culture programs, with $43.3 million for grants and $15 million allocated for special member projects. The $43.3 million represented a $16 million cut from the previous year.

The largest of the four categories of grants overseen by the state’s Division of Cultural Affairs, Cultural and Museum grants, received $26 million to be shared by 625 organizations, which will get less than half of what they qualify for under the state’s long-established vetting and evaluation system.





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