Budget cuts slice into area arts groups

Local arts groups are scrambling after Florida’s recently approved budget allocated most of them less than a third of the money recommended by the state.

Although the legislative budget hit new heights this year — $82.4 billion — money given to cultural groups was slashed. Most local arts organizations will receive only half of what they did in 2016.

Central Floridians will see the effects.

United Arts of Central Florida could eliminate a program that gives teachers grants for curriculum-based arts activities, and it needs to find money to bus Osceola County school children to Orlando Philharmonic concerts.

Orlando Shakespeare Theater has cancelled a planned production.

“It hurts, it definitely hurts,” said Vicki Landon, development director at Orlando Repertory Theatre. “But it’s happened be-

fore, and sadly, I’m sure it will happen again.”

Each year, organizations such as Orlando Ballet and the Polasek Museum in Winter Park apply to Florida’s Division of Cultural Affairs for Cultural and Museum Grants, a state program providing money to help them operate.

The applications are evaluated numerically; any group that meets the minimum score for funding is guaranteed some money.

But exactly how much money is up to the Legislature.

Complicating matters: Because the typical arts “season” mirrors the school year, fall to spring, many groups plan and budget for their upcoming slate of programs before the state budget is finalized. They know how much money has been recommended — but not how much they will ultimately get.

Landon calls that system “inherently destabilizing.” Others agree. “It doesn’t make for good fiscal planning,” said Flora Maria Garcia, president of United Arts.

Using past awards as a guide doesn’t always help.

“Estimating what will be awarded from the state in a given year is a long and uncertain process, so it can be challenging to plan program improvements and expansions around it,” said Rae Ward, director of advancement at the Art & History Museums — Maitland.

Her organization is getting $35,005 although the recommendation was for $109,505.

“It’s historically a really volatile grant program,” Landon said. The Rep will receive $49,062 out of its $150,000 recommendation.

In the past, Landon has seen the Orlando Rep receive anywhere from the full $150,000 recommended all the way down to $7,300.

“There’s no way you can responsibly plan,” she said.

At Orlando Shakespeare Theater, officials used a bestguess estimate when setting their budget for the upcoming season of plays. The Shakes was recommended $150,000, but erring on the side of caution, the theater hoped for an amount close to last year’s allocation of about $92,000.

It turned out officials weren’t cautious enough; the theater will receive about $46,000.

“We were kind of ready, but not ready for them to cut the funding we had last year in half,” said artistic director Jim Helsinger. “The arts just have to be creative.”

To compensate for the shortfall, the theater will not produce Shakespeare’s “Timon of Athens” as planned. The show, like many plays by Shakespeare, calls for a large cast and expensive costumes.

About $120,000 had been budgeted to produce that show, he said. Instead, the theater will present a fouractor modern play that should cost about $75,000 to stage.

Although Shakespeare buffs might be disappointed, Helsinger said the theater is committed to presenting quality work — that it can afford. “We will present great theater, but not go into the red,” he said.

In all, $11,128,124 in cultural and museum grants will be given to organizations throughout the state. That’s down from an allocation of about $18.6 million last year. The state also awards grants for specific arts projects, but the cultural grants are especially important because they can be used for anything that supports an institution’s mission.

Arts leaders such as Sherron Long, president of the Florida Cultural Alliance advocacy group, acknowledge the state budget is complicated. But some say artsgroup funding could be stabilized by establishing a dedicated funding stream, such as through a portion of the state sales tax.

Such a change would require both public support and political consensus, making it unlikely in the shortterm, she said.

“Everyone’s fighting for limited dollars,” Long said. “We need to build stronger connections with policymakers at all levels and show them this is a very important and diverse industry that helps drive Florida’s economy.”

Meanwhile, arts groups adapt as best as they can. At United Arts, which will receive $47,491 of its $150,000 recommendation, Garcia hopes to find an alternative way to fund the education grants.

“We’re scrambling to see if there are other funders who can help us make up the shortfall,” she said. “It’s a roller-coaster ride.”

“We were kind of ready, but not ready for them to cut the funding we had last year in half.” Jim Helsinger, artistic director, Orlando Shakespeare Theater