25 arts, cultural entities recommended for Brevard County tourism grants totaling $530,000

An advisory board has recommended that 25 arts and cultural organizations and events receive Brevard County cultural grants ranging from $15,000 to $25,000 apiece.

Funding for the 25 grants ― which would total $530,000 for the 2023-24 budget year that begins Oct. 1 ― would come from Brevard County's 5% tourist development tax on hotel rooms and other short-term rentals.

The unanimous recommendation of the Brevard County Tourist Development Council's Cultural Committee still must be approved by the Tourist Development Council on Wednesday and by the Brevard County Commission on Aug. 8.

Applicants for these grants must draw at least 1,000 out-of-county visitors for their event or season to be eligible for a cultural support grant. Applicants drawing 1,000 to 2,500 out-of-county visitors are eligible for $15,000 grants; those drawing 2,501 to 5,000 out-of-county visitors are eligible for $20,000 grants; and those drawing 5,001 or more out-of-county visitors are eligible for $25,000 grants.

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The idea of the cultural grants is to help boost the number of out-of-county visitors coming to Brevard, who will stay at local hotels, eat at local restaurants and patronize other local businesses.

These 13 applicants were the recommended for $25,000 grants:

• American Police Hall of Fame

• Brevard Symphony Orchestra

• Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation

• Cocoa Beach Main Street

• Henegar Performing Arts Center/Brevard Regional Arts Group

• Historic Cocoa Village Main Street

• Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse

• Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts

• Melbourne Main Street

• Museum of Dinosaurs and Ancient Cultures

• Titusville Playhouse

• U.S. Space Walk of Fame Foundation

• Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum

These five were the recommended for $20,000 grants:

• City of Palm Bay

• Florida Surf Museum

• Harry T. & Harriette V. Moore Cultural Complex

• Native Rhythms Festival/Native Heritage Gathering

• Space Coast Symphony Orchestra

These seven were the recommended for $15,000 grants:

• Field Manor Foundation

• Green Gables at Historic Riverview Village

• Melbourne Art Festival

• Melbourne Municipal Band Association

• Space Coast Art Festival

• Space Coast Pride

• Surfside Playhouse

The nine members of the Cultural Committee rated the grant applicants, based on six criteria. An applicant had to receive an average of at least 80 on a 0-to-100 scale to be eligible for a grant. The highest average scores were received by Titusville Playhouse (96.50), Space Coast Symphony Orchestra (94.00) and Melbourne Art Festival (93.43).

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The applicants with the most out-of-county attendees ― as measured by cell phone location data at the venue during events ― were the King Center (34,400), the Henegar Center (23,902) and the Museum of Dinosaurs (23,901).

Cultural Committee Chair Andrea Young, who also is a member of the West Melbourne City Council, said after the meeting that she was "very glad to see to money approved for deserving applicants who will keep tourism coming" to Brevard.

Four applicants did not qualify for a 2023-24 grant, based on either their score, number of out-of-county visitors or another factor.

Last year, the County Commission approved 22 cultural grants totaling $340,000 for 2022-23 budget year.

Brevard Cultural Alliance contract

Separately, the Cultural Committee unanimously recommended extending the county's professional services contract with the Brevard Cultural Alliance for the 2023-24 budget year, at a cost of $212,160, a 4% increase from the $204,000 cost of the current 2022-23 contract.

The county and the state previously designated the Brevard Cultural Alliance as the county's official local arts agency.

Among the roles of the BCA under the contract are promoting local cultural events and activities through advertising, marketing and administrative support; holding at least two workshops each year for cultural entities to learn more about applying for federal, state and foundation grants; and helping administer the county's cultural support grant and major events grant programs.

A 2022 study produced for the BCA by Florida Institute of Technology economics professor Michael Slotkin estimated that Space Coast arts and cultural organizations were responsible for $122.74 million in annual sales, 1,541 direct and spinoff jobs, and $40.98 million in annual payroll. The study estimated that 19.3% of the 1.71 million arts and cultural attendees at Brevard venues that year were from outside Brevard.

Major events grant

Still to be determined by the Cultural Committee are recommended allocations for county special events grants, which are for events that attract at least 25,000 total attendees. A minimum of 25% of total attendees must be visitors from outside Brevard County.

In the past, those grants have gone to air shows and powerboat races.

Under current guidelines, events that attract 25,000 to 49,999 people can receive a major events grant of up to $25,000; ones with attendance of 50,000 to 99,999 can receive up to $50,000; and ones with attendance of 100,000 or more can get up to $75,000.

The application process for those grants is now underway.

Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com, on Twitter at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: 25 Brevard arts, cultural entities recommend for grants