DeSantis vetoed all arts money because of Fringe festivals he calls 'sexual'

Gov. Ron DeSantis said he vetoed the entire $32 million in cultural and museum grants and related funding for hundreds of organizations in Florida, because a fraction of the dollars went to "Fringe" festivals, offbeat shows which can include adult-content and drag performers.

Opening what may be his latest cultural battleground, DeSantis said the budget line was condemned because a handful of fringe festivals – which he said are "like a sexual festival" – could draw financing.

"We didn't have control over how it was being given," DeSantis said of the individual grant awards, during a Thursday appearance in Polk County. "So you're having your tax dollars being given in grants to things like the Fringe Festival, which is like a sexual festival where they're doing all this stuff.

"How many of you think your tax dollars should go to fund that? Not very many people would do that," he added, explaining for the first time the veto which occurred more than two weeks ago, but which continues to roil Florida's cultural community.

DeSantis $32 million veto wiped out grants expected by almost 600 arts and cultural programs and 33 community theaters, museums and other attractions around the state.

For some, the loss of tens of thousands of anticipated state dollars came just days before the budget year began July 1, leaving them scrambling to close sudden financial holes.

Not much fringe festival funding was there

There's not a lot of Fringe Festival funding in the line item killed. And there are only four Fringe festivals which take place in the state.

"It's very unfortunate that the governor is misrepresenting our festival," said Tempestt Halstead, producer for the International Fringe Festival of Central Florida, which has been operating for 34 years.

"To veto all state funding and blame us is absolutely absurd," she added.

The Tampa International Fringe Festival was in line to receive $7,369 before the DeSantis veto; the International Fringe Festival of Central Florida could have gotten $70,508, which Halstead said represents about 5% of the Orando organization's budget.

The Lee County Alliance of the Arts was to receive $61,570 before DeSantis veto. The organization helps fund the Fringe Fort Myers, whose website proclaims it as upholding traditions of "being 100% uncensored, 100% unjuried and 100% inclusive."

The Global Association of Fringe Festivals notes that "Fringe is a grassroots Festival with the freedom to celebrate and exchange."

Fringe festivals originated in Scotland almost 80 years ago and now take place around the globe. They often include comedy, music, theater and dance and can span a few days, featuring a wide range of performers.

Ticket sales for Fringe Fort Myers go directly to the performers. Melissa Dehaven, marketing director for the Alliance of the Arts, dismissed DeSantis' portrayal of fringe festivals as sex shows.

"It's a weekend where they artists are able to perform in front of people, express their talents and make money," said DeHaven.

Is DeSantis looking to divert criticism?

Carlos Guillermo Smith, a Democratic state senator-elect from the Orlando area, said he thought that by "scapegoating" fringe festivals, DeSantis was looking to divert criticism he may be getting from some allies over the veto.

"He's abusing his veto power to censor and control the arts," Smith said. "This doesn't happen in 'free' states."

In lashing out at fringe festivals and where the cultural and museum grant money is directed, DeSantis appears to have found a fresh target for his anti-woke crusade.

DeSantis has successfully pushed a compliant, Republican-controlled Legislature over the years to erase diversity, equity and inclusion programs in schools and workplaces, remove certain books from school shelves, overhaul the liberal-leaning New College of Florida and impose a range of new restrictions on LGBTQ Floridians.

DeSantis portrayed himself Thursday as the state's fiscal watchdog.

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He also hinted that new oversight may be needed on how the state directs cultural funding, currently based on arts review panels which submit recommendations later scrutinized and endorsed by the governor's own Secretary of State.

The Legislature ultimately decides the level of spending for the cultural and museum list. This year's award was less than half of what was originally recommended.

Now, no dollars to any group

But now, there are no state dollars flowing to some organizations.

"When I see money being spent that way, I have to be the one to stand up for taxpayers and say that's an inappropriate use of taxpayer dollars," DeSantis said. "And I think the Legislature has to re-evaluate how that's being done."

Sandra Mortham, a former Florida secretary of state, took part in a meeting Thursday of the state's Council on Arts and Culture and urged the community to take notice of DeSantis' action.

"This is something I think we need to strategize about," Mortham said of the veto. "Everybody on the council is an appointment of the speaker, the Senate president and the governor. And, obviously, the governor felt strongly about this. This is something that we need to look to how we can solve this for the future, as opposed to necessarily looking backwards."

DeSantis spoke Thursday after an event promoting dollars for road-building and other projects in the Polk area. He diminished the need for the cultural and museum grants in the state' $116.5 million budget taking effect July 1.

The governor pointed out the budget is smaller than last year. The grants funding was cut as part of almost $950 million in vetoes, although the budget still has $17 billion in reserves.

"These roads are important. I can sell that. Education is important. I can sell that. Preserving our natural resources is important. I can sell that," he said.

"I can't sell the Fringe Festival to taxpayers, nor would I want to sell the fringe festival to taxpayers."

John Kennedy is a reporter in the USA TODAY Network’s Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jkennedy2@gannett.com, or on X at @JKennedyReport.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: DeSantis' disdain for 'sexual' Fringe Festivals leads to arts vetoes