When Gov. Ron DeSantis in June cut from the state budget $32 million for artistic and cultural institutions, it significantly affected arts and culture in Miami-Dade County, where 196 organizations before the cuts had been allotted over $15 million. From major institutions such as the Adrienne Arsht Center and the Frost Science Museum to smaller venues countywide, the sudden loss has left many institutions scrambling to readjust. Organizations that were expecting the funding have pivoted rapidly, letting go of staff, increasing responsibilities for the remainder, and turning to more contributions from donors, foundations and corporations to make up for the sudden loss. Jeff Potts, managing director of GableStage, says the funding loss has “made everything more difficult.” Operating as a non-profit at the Biltmore Hotel, the theater company was expecting roughly $70,000 this year – 3% of its funding – forcing reductions across the board. Mr. Potts said GableStage’s marketing and public relations team were let go, leaving its staff to shoulder that work. They have now dedicated more effort to seeking funds from grants and foundations, an already crowded race becoming even tighter. “It was really just out of the gates for our fiscal year. It was a pretty sizable chunk of money that we knew we had to work harder to find it elsewhere,” said Mr. Potts. “Arts organizations like ours, we play a huge role in communities, not only in terms of the culture side of things, but in terms of being an economic stimulus. When people come to a play, they go out to dinner before, they travel … the arts really drive the economy in some segments … which is why we always believe government sources should support us.” Gabriela Landaeta, Miami Symphony Orchestra production director, says that while the orchestra has taken a smaller hit than most, it still had to pivot to account for its loss of $102,333. “We don’t depend only on those funds, but it’s a big part of our annual budget. This means the fundraising team of the orchestra … they have to compensate that part, because it is a lot of money that we are not receiving,” said Ms. Landaeta. “We adapt, because we’ve been in these kinds of situations in the past, so they have the experience, and we have a great team that has been very supportive … and we have the city staff that always loves to be there for the open-air [events] … and they cover the expenses that we need to cover the event. Of course, we always have to find extra to cover the rest of the budget that the event is needed for. It takes a lot of money [to put on these events]. It’s not been easy.” The Adrienne Arsht Center downtown was slated to receive $650,000 this year, a cut that forced it to adjust. President and CEO Johann Zietsman said the center was fortunate enough to receive a Knight Foundation grant to subsidize its losses as well as support several companies using the center. “We feel for the organizations that are scrambling to make decisions about their future and are concerned about what this could mean for the cultural ecosystem in Florida overall. Thankfully, Knight Foundation stepped in with emergency funding for almost 100 smaller arts organizations. We applaud Knight for helping organizations adjust and ensure that vital arts experiences in our community could continue,” said Mr. Zietsman in a prepared statement. “As we plan for the next budget cycle, the Arsht is working with other organizations across the state to advocate more strongly to help our legislators understand unequivocally that the arts have a significant economic impact on communities and an immeasurable positive impact on human beings, especially young people.” The performing arts weren’t alone in loss of support. Playing host to 700,000 guests a year, the Frost Science Museum was due to receive $150,000 in state funds needed for its educational and conservation programs in addition to its daily operations. “This reduction has created significant challenges for us, particularly as an institution that receives no financial support from Miami-Dade County and is still recovering from the impact of the pandemic. We remain steadfast in our commitment to advancing science education, conservation, and community engagement, but we rely on public and private support to make that possible,” said science museum President and CEO Douglas Roberts in a prepared statement. “We’re working hard to minimize the impact of these cuts on our mission and the public we serve. But we can’t do this alone. Community support is critical to ensure Frost Science can continue providing impactful programs that benefit both Miami-Dade and beyond.” As larger institutions brace for the impact of the loss, smaller ones feel it exponentially. The Gold Coast Railroad Museum next to Zoo Miami was expecting $60,000, which would have been used for repairs for its 40-year recertification. With that loss, the museum diverted funds from its big-ticket events, including the Thomas the Tank Engine events for children, and its annual Polar Express events. Now, the museum has had to pump the brakes on these activities to make way for the repairs. “We just aren’t able to put on events right now…. It’s affected our ability to staff properly. It’s affected our ability to host our more major ticketed events, which you need capital upfront to put those on,” said Nicole Espaillat, secretary of the museum’s board. “It has affected our ability to run trains. A lot of our trains are diesel-run, and fuel is very expensive, especially when you’re working with these massive, large trains… Our grounds are super large; all the maintenance, the landscaping, all that space in general has taken a hit.” However, while some organizations suffered, those in Miami Beach got a sudden windfall from the city commission. Led by Commissioners Tanya Katzoff Bhatt and Alex Fernandez, the commission voted unanimously in October to increase funding for 16 Miami Beach cultural institutions to make up for the state funding cut, providing $957,151 from the commission’s operating budget to institutions including the New World Symphony, the Holocaust Memorial, the Miami City Ballet, and January’s South Beach Jazz Festival. “Miami Beach’s arts and culture institutions not only provide jobs and tremendous economic impact to our city, but also extend benefits and free programming to our residents and students,” said Ms. Bhatt in a commission meeting. “As we transition from a party-till-you-drop city to one with robust diverse entertainment options,” she said, “this one-time stopgap funding will continue to cement our reputation for a city which values our cultural anchors.” Howard Herring, New World Symphony president and CEO, expressed gratitude for that city decision and emphasized that the funding is important not only for the venues and organizations, but for the people of Miami-Dade who turn out to enjoy the arts and find cultural enrichment in these venues. “The next Miami is coming together, as creative and aspirational leaders arrive in our community. They are attracted to Miami, in part, because of our cultural profile. Sophisticated culture is defining this community. The people who are establishing themselves and their businesses in Miami would not have chosen the Miami of the year 2000,” said Mr. Herring. “Remember that between 2006 and 2016, this community used strategic public/private partnerships to invest $1.3 billion in cultural infrastructure – the New World Center, Pérez Art Museum Miami, Frost Science, Moss Cultural Arts Center, ICA, and the Arsht Center. The programs that fulfill the vision of each of these facilities are now informing, and will continue to inform, the vitality of our community. It is my hope that the State of Florida will recognize the importance of the state’s role in the public/ private partnerships that make Miami a vibrant community and Florida an attractive state.” So far, Miami Beach and St. Petersburg have been the only Florida cities to provide funding to accommodate for these losses, impacting a culture that Mr. Herring feels has defined Miami and the rest of the state for the better. “Sophisticated culture defines a community. If you have an audience that is exposed to the music … it expands your imagination. It makes life more interesting. It livens your imaginings of the future,” said Mr. Herring. “This is historically true, city after city, era after era … Florence was a pretty exciting place in the Renaissance, in part because the culture of that city at the time was sophisticated. You go from one city to the next … you see them thriving at every level as they get to these places where you have one factor being sophisticated cultural offerings. That’s where we’re going. That’s where Miami is going.” Related Posts:Polar Express, Thomas the Tank Engine victims of…There’s no exact science to spreading limited county cashAfter 18 indecisive years, can the mayor fix funding flaws?Doral Cultural Arts Center pushes opening back to OctoberJorge Pérez foundation plans $3.5 million to spur artsThe post State budget cuts hammer 196 Miami-Dade arts groups appeared first on Miami Today.