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Supporting the arts makes sense for the city

Larry Silvestri

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American Stage's "Beauty and the Beast" onstage in Demens Landing Park, Spring '24. The theater warns future "park" performances may be canceled. Photo provided.

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It’s time for all of us in St. Petersburg to step up to financially support the arts in our city.

Consider that the governor vetoed more than $32 million in arts and culture grants from the 2024-25 state budget, which hurt St. Petersburg nonprofits by approximately $1 million. This comes at a time when soaring costs are hitting arts organizations hard.

Anyone walking around downtown St. Petersburg can see the impact of the arts. Walk a few blocks, and you’ll see everything from the Museum of Fine Arts and the Dali Museum along the water to the James Museum, the Museum of the American Arts & Crafts Movement and The Studio@620 downtown.

When I talk to realtors, commercial real estate brokers and to new residents, they often mention the arts as a major reason that people and companies are choosing to move here. Add in the growth of the Warehouse Arts District, and the success of institutions like freefall Theatre in the western part of the city, and you can see that the citywide impact is significant.

As local artist Mark Aeling said to the St. Petersburg City Council in July: “The arts community is the goose that laid the golden egg for the city. It’s time for the city to feed the goose.”

The city government can do its part by bringing city arts funding back to 1% of the budget, where it used to be. City Council member Gina Driscoll has brought up this idea, which is reasonable and makes sense. The 1% would equate to roughly $4 million a year. While the city administration recently grew the arts budget from $600,000 to $1.3 million (which certainly helps), it’s important to get to 1%.

We can’t just depend on the city government for help, though. Residents and local companies should step up, too. As an example, I recently donated to “Save Park,” American Stage’s fundraising drive to sustain its annual outdoor performances in Demens Landing Park.

As one example of increased costs, think about what it will cost to put on next spring’s performance of Hair. These performances are first-class, but that means paying more for the materials needed to build the set and for quality actors and staff.

Groups like American Stage are doing their part to adapt and be as efficient as possible. But that isn’t enough to counter the impacts of inflation.

One inventive approach is to find uses for arts-related spaces that can be of help financially. I recently represented the landlord in negotiating the lease for entrepreneur Reuben Pressman’s move to create a pickleball complex within the Factory St. Pete facility. The Factory will continue to have a significant arts presence, while the pickleball complex should dramatically improve the facility’s revenue situation.

Our city’s economy is one of the healthiest in Florida, and much of it is tied to our quality of life. The arts are so important to this equation, and we should all look at ways we can support these invaluable nonprofit institutions.

Larry Silvestri is president of St. Petersburg-based Silvestri Law. The firm works in the real estate transactions sector, including commercial leases, title insurance and closings.

4 Comments

4 Comments

  1. Avatar

    Chad L

    September 13, 2024at7:17 am

    I like the combination approach mentioned in the article, where potentially highly profitable pickleball complex would help to offset the expenses. There is certainly a great need for the arts and you can see the difference in citys that do not provide support. The arts are something that can be enjoyed along all socioeconomic levels, and at all ages. I would argue that the great city of Venice, Italy did not stop caring about the arts just because they had other problems. If St Pete is to continue to be a global destination, the view needs to change to that of global mindset.

  2. Avatar

    SB

    September 10, 2024at11:22 am

    The people in favor of spending enormous Government taxpayer dollars on baseball used the argument that all kinds of people and companies are relocating here because of baseball.

    I’m 62 years old. I’ve owned multiple businesses and lived all over Florida, the United States, and other countries. I know of no person or company who has ever relocated anywhere because there was a baseball stadium there. It’s a laughable suggestion uttered by people who are financially conflicted.

    It sounds like art groups increasingly dependent on tax dollars are taking a page from their playbook.

    This is a questionable priority given the dystopian science fiction drama that played out in our city last week with massive flooding everywhere. From a not all that unusual rainstorm.

    Until we figure out the flood control issues here, paying for questionable quality public art should not be a government priority.

  3. Avatar

    Rbruce

    September 10, 2024at7:45 am

    Biden/Harris have made inflation much worse, up to 9%. Why keep the same people in office? Back to the arts asking for a handout. All those who want the “Arts” to be profitable, freely give them all the money that’s yours. Don’t force others to pay for something they do not want.

  4. Avatar

    Mike

    September 9, 2024at1:10 pm

    Bruce suggesting the current administration has the monopoly on blame for inflation is absolutely absurd. 20% of the circulating money supply was printed in the single year of 2020, before the current administration.

    Put blame where ot belongs. That blame is shared.

    Inflation is caused by government. Find me an american governance that lives within its means.

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