Florida’s proposed 2026-27 budget includes $20M for arts

The Florida Legislature published its proposal for the 2026-27 fiscal budget Tuesday. And although the numbers aren’t nearly as dire as they were in the final 2024-25 budget, when Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed all arts funding for the state, and they’re up slightly from the 25-26 budget, state support for the arts remains precipitously low.

According to the nonprofit watchdog Americans for the Arts, Florida’s nonprofit arts and culture sector generated $5.8 billion in spending last year, and supported 91,270 jobs.

Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd selected the organizations whose asks he recommended for funding, based on a scoring system. The Florida House and Senate considered his lists, discussed, argued and made concessions, additions and subtractions, and this became part of the $116 billion budget released Tuesday.

The budget next goes to DeSantis, who has line-item veto power but is not permitted to change dollar amounts. By law, the governor must sign the final budget by July 1.

The budget requests a total of $20 million in cultural grants, with $12,457,000 for the projects recommended by the Secretary of State. The remaining balance of funds is to be held in reserve for a second list, created by the Secretary from the original recommendations by the Florida Council.

The Department of State will decide which arts organizations statewide will receive part of the remaining $7.5 million.

Here’s the breakdown of Pinellas County arts nonprofits recommended for funding by the Secretary of State: Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg ($150,000); Dunedin Fine Arts Center ($150,000); the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance ($90,000); the Gulf Beach Arts Center ($46,441).

Pinellas arts organizations recommended by the Arts Council, and still eligible for a portion of the remaining $7.5 million: City of Tarpon Springs, Girls Rock St. Pete, Florida CraftArt, Art Center Association, Emit Inc., Creative Pinellas, American Dance Competition, American Stage, Clearwater Jazz Holiday Foundation, Dali Museum, St. Petersburg Clearwater Film Society, The James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art, The Florida Orchestra, Florida Holocaust Museum, Sunsets and Pier 60 Society, Academy of Ballet Arts, freeFall Theatre, Great Explorations, Warehouse Arts District Inc., Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Imagine Museum, Mom Art Annex, Eight o’Clock Theatre, Bill Edwards Foundation For the Arts, Dunedin Museum, Creative Clay, The Studio@620, St. Petersburg Opera Company.

A timeline for creating and approving this “second list” was not provided.

Also awarded, through the General Revenue Fund, were these Cultural Facilities Program grants:

Home of The Florida Orchestra ($500,000); The Florida Holocaust Museum: Elie Wiesel Exhibition and Learning Center ($2,500,000); The Pinellas Science Center ($350,000).

Graphic: Florida Cultural Alliance.