ORLANDO, Fla. – Organizers for two Central Florida fringe festivals are calling for state lawmakers to override a veto from Gov. Ron DeSantis on $32 million in arts funding for the 2024-2025 budget.
During a news conference Thursday, officials with the Orlando and Tampa fringe festivals issued a proposal for DeSantis to support a restoration of the grants for other arts programs across the state. The proposal was made under an agreement that Orlando and Tampa Fringe will forgo their 2025 state grants to facilitate the restoration of the remaining legislature-approved arts and culture funding.
Thursday’s news conference came after DeSantis singled out fringe festivals on June 27 while speaking about the veto.
“You have your tax dollars being given in grants to things like the Fringe Festival, which is, like, sexual,” DeSantis said. “It’s like, how many of you think your tax dollars should go to fund that? Not very few people would do that.”
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Scott Galbraith, who is the interim executive director for the Orlando Fringe, said the governor’s remarks were a mischaracterization and believes DeSantis should support a reversal or override of the veto.
“For us it’s a very serious, legitimate, and actionable proposal,” Galbraith said. “We are very hopeful. We believe it addresses one of the principal challenges he identified in terms of keeping the funding in place. So by removing that barrier, hopefully it’s the green light to go ahead and fund the restoration of the state funding.”
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