Following earlier rejections of citizen-panel recommendations for funding in social services and mental health, the Sarasota County Commission approved spending $2.1 million in tourist tax dollars for 35 arts and culture programs but only after eliminating money for the popular outdoor Embracing Our Differences exhibition and Chalk Festival as well as community radio station WSLR/Fogartyville Community Arts and Media Center.
The commissioners also postponed a decision on whether the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County should continue administering the grants as it has since 1997, even after the organization incorporated many changes in the process requested by commissioners last winter. An alternative would be to have county staff oversee the grants.
A small fraction of the county’s bed tax has long been allocated to arts and culture organizations to encourage creation of more programs and events to boost tourism and future tax revenues. This year, the county had $2.1 million available, significantly lower than the $3.2 million last year, which included extra funds to help organizations recover from pandemic shutdowns. Other portions of the bed tax support beach renourishment, sporting events expected to draw tourism, and marketing and promotion of tourism to the area.
“We appreciate the County Commission’s support in approving these projects,” Alliance CEO Brian Hersh said in a statement after the vote. “This is great news for the arts and culture sector in Sarasota County. Although not all recommended projects received funding, we are committed to working with the county to make this program even better.”
Sarasota County Commissioners want more changes to arts grant process
Wednesday’s vote came seven months after the commission called for changes in the vetting process to determine which organizations should be funded and with how much money, while allowing a one-year extension of the contract with the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County to oversee the application process. The ranking system was altered and two organizations – Save Our Seabirds and North Port Chorale – failed to meet the minimum numbers to qualify for funding.
In January, the commission voted to require arts organizations to spend 50 percent of the money they receive from the county on marketing and promotion of their performances, exhibitions and programs. At the time, Commission Chairman Mike Moran said “you can have the best programming content, but this money is dedicated to providing a head to the bed. You have to market it and sell it and promote it.”
They also set up requirements for having specific points of entry for all programs receiving money to better determine how many people are participating. That decision was seen by some arts supporters as a subtle way to target Embracing Our Differences, which has been a lightning rod for some groups that object to its display of giant posters paired with inspirational messages that promote peace, friendship and appreciation of diversity.
“I believe, unfortunately, that this is politically motivated,” said Sarah Wertheimer, executive director of Embracing Our Differences. “They have chosen to politicize the work we do though we are not a political organization in any way, shape or form. They have chosen to politicize human rights and human beings.”
In rejecting the funding for the three organizations, the commissioners offered no specific reasons, though they expressed concerns about measuring attendance or participation. There was no discussion on the quality or content of the rejected programs.
Commissioner Mark Smith initially made a motion to accept the grant panel’s recommendations for all 38 organizations, but no one seconded the proposal.
Sarasota County Commission rejects arts funding for some organizations
Commission Vice Chair Joe Neunder said that Embracing Our Differences and WSLR/Fogartyville “didn’t pass the litmus test” or reach the necessary level in his own scoring metrics, which he did not detail. Commissioner Neil Rainford agreed with Neunder and added what he called “Sidewalk Chalk,” which is officially known as Avenidas de Colores and better known as the Chalk Festival. “I don’t believe taxpayer dollars should be going to sidewalk chalk,” Rainford said.
He proposed rejecting the three organizations and reallocating the $112,252 they were to receive to the other organizations, which the commissioners later voted to do.
There was no mention of why funds were rejected for WSLR and Fogartyville.
Before the vote, the grants ranged from $3,302 for the Chamber Orchestra of Sarasota to $90,798 to major players like Asolo Repertory Theatre, Sarasota Orchestra, Sarasota Ballet, Florida Studio Theatre, Van Wezel Performing…
Read More: Sarasota commissioners reject funding for three arts programs