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— Investing $1M in Art & Culture to Support Long-term Community Viability —
The COVID-19 pandemic is resulting in unprecedented financial loss to cultural organizations nationwide. To date, Miami Beach based cultural organizations are collectively reporting over $7M in lost revenue in the first four months of closures.
In an effort to address the extraordinary need in the Miami Beach arts community and to support the very institutions that promote, encourage and protect the history, spirit and ethos of Miami Beach, the Miami Beach Mayor and City Commission in partnership with the Cultural Arts Council approved $1M in funding to support 13 Miami Beach-based cultural organizations in the current fiscal year. They have also announced the use of an additional $1M from the emergency reserve fund, established in 1998, to launch the second Miami Beach Cultural Arts COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund (the “Fund”) in the upcoming fiscal year.
Miami Beach based organizations receiving the first $1M in emergency relief include: The Bass, Holocaust Memorial, Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU, Miami Beach Botanical Garden, Miami Beach Urban Studios-FIU, Miami City Ballet, Miami Design Preservation League, Miami New Drama, New World Symphony, O’Cinema, O, Miami, The Rhythm Foundation and Wolfsonian-FIU. The cultural organizations were eligible for funding in segments up to $50,000 for institutions with annual organizational budgets below $750,000, up to $75,000 for institutions with annual organizational budgets between $750,000 and 3.5M, and up to $100,000 for institutions with annual organizational budgets at or above $3.5M. The funding criteria for the second Fund disbursement will be assessed by the Cultural Arts Council in $500,000 increments beginning October 2020.
“Supporting our cultural community, as they face the unknown, is important to the fabric of Miami Beach. We are hopeful that by providing these grants, the City can be a bridge of support to the artistic community during the challenging months and year ahead,” shared Mayor Dan Gelber. “Financially supporting our art and culture sector, from a fund reserve designed for such difficult times, makes economic sense. The cultural community contributes to Miami Beach’s economic productivity, tourism, quality of life and community development.”
“Cultural anchors and presenters are challenged now, but in six or nine months, the impact may be even greater,” added Commissioner David Richardson. “Continued investment in our cultural institutions is vital, and long-term funding solutions to support our arts and cultural community is more crucial than ever.”
