TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — $1.1 million was approved in the state budget for arts and culture grants in Leon, Gadsden, and Jefferson Counties, but that's less than half of what was requested, causing many organizations to consider cutting employees and programming.
- The Florida Division of Arts and Culture evaluated 46 grant applications from local counties, but approved just 12.
- Local art groups say this is the second year in a row that funding has been unequal as it has been in years past.
- Watch the video below to see which programs will or will not receive funding.
CLICK OR TAP HERE TO SEE THE FULL LIST OF WHICH PROGRAMS DID OR DID NOT RECEIVE FUNDING.
READ FULL STATEMENT FROM THE TALLAHASSEE BALLET:
The Tallahassee Ballet is experiencing a significant financial setback due to recent changes in Florida’s state arts funding process. As a result, only arts organizations receiving a score of 95 or above on their state grant will be fully funded, whereas in years past organizations were granted funding for scores 85 and above. Unfortunately, this means The Tallahassee Ballet will lose over $100,000 in expected state support- the second year in a row.
This cut represents a substantial portion of our annual budget and will force us to make difficult operational decisions, including reductions in personnel. Like many non-profits, our staff is small in numbers, and an unfortunate cut in personnel could directly affect our ability to sustain the level of programming, education, and outreach that we’ve proudly provided to the Tallahassee community for decades.
To help offset this loss, we will be introducing additional fundraising opportunities in the coming months. This includes holding our second annual fundraising gala, Bevs, Bites, and Ballet, in November—just eight months after our inaugural event—as well as launching a specialized fundraising initiative focused on supporting our professional dancers and their salaries. Now more than ever, we are relying on the generosity of our supporters and community to help us maintain the standard of excellence that defines The Tallahassee Ballet.
Despite these challenges, we remain deeply committed to our mission of enriching lives through the art of dance. The support of our patrons, donors, and audiences is what allows us to keep moving forward. We encourage everyone to attend our performances, engage with our programs, and be part of our story. Together, we will continue to inspire, uplift, and bring world-class ballet to Tallahassee.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The state budget grants more than $1 million to arts and culture in the Capital Region…But that's less than half of what was requested.
I'm Alberto Camargo your neighborhood reporter in downtown Tallahassee.
I'm learning what groups were approved, why some were denied, and what this means for the local arts scene.
44 groups across Leon, Gadsden, and Jefferson Counties asked the state to fund 46 different projects.
12 projects in the Capital Region, such as the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, the Tallahassee Museum, and 621 Gallery, received full funding.
Kathleen Spehar, Executive Director of the Council on Culture and Arts, says she's grateful that over a million dollars will be flowing into local arts, but the disparity in funding is concerning.
"In years past, it has always been a little something for everyone. And last year, nothing. And this year, distribution but it varies greatly. They're all organizations that root our community. In programming, in engagement with our community. So the fact that they're going to get a very small portion of funding is pretty startling."
These 17 orgs that you see on your screen now are in a state of limbo, tapped for just 3% of funds requested.
17 more — flat-out denied.
The decisions were based on the Florida Division of Arts and Culture's scoring system for each grant application.
Tallahassee Ballet CEO Lauren Hernandez says losing over $100,000 in expected state funding is a significant financial setback with major implications.
She explained further in a statement, saying, "This cut represents a substantial portion of our annual budget and will force us to make difficult operational decisions, including reductions in personnel. Like many non-profits, our staff is small in numbers, and an unfortunate cut in personnel could directly affect our ability to sustain the level of programming, education, and outreach that we've proudly provided to the Tallahassee community for decades."
Hernandez says Tallahassee Ballet will be introducing more fundraising efforts this year to help offset the loss.
Spehar says you can expect many more organizations to do the same.
Spehar tells me organizations and groups that received no funding have no time to waste in reassessing.
That's because the application window for next year's budget is already open, and ends on July 14.
The full list of who received grant funds is available on my web story at WTXL.tv.
In Downtown Tallahassee, Alberto Camargo, ABC27.
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