The collective of exceptional arts and cultural organizations in Sarasota County bolsters our economy and cultivates the vibrant community we cherish. Our arts and cultural organizations are vital to our region, providing jobs, attracting visitors, and boosting our economy. 

I am excited to share that Gulf Coast Community Foundation conducted a review of our Arts Appreciation Grant program, which was established in 2014 to provide unrestricted funding and cut the administrative red tape for 13 cornerstone organizations that serve as the underpinning of our region’s thriving culture and economy. Now rebranded as the Empowering Arts Grant Program, which more accurately expresses that we don’t simply appreciate these arts institutions but aim to empower them to dream big, take risks, and continue fulfilling their impactful missions for years to come. Our Empowering Arts Grant Program provided $785,000 in funding this year, a $75,000 increase over last fiscal year.

The Empowering Arts recipients for fiscal year 2025 are Asolo Repertory Theatre, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Florida Studio Theatre, Sarasota Ballet, Sarasota Orchestra, The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota Opera, Venice Theatre, Circus Arts Conservatory, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, Embracing Our Differences, Hermitage Artist Retreat and Venice Symphony. I look forward to watching these organizations advance their missions and I am grateful for donors whose support enables these groups to bring world-class programming to our community. 

I was disappointed to see that, for the first time in Florida history, our governor vetoed most arts funding in the state, marking the first time since 1979 that the state will allocate no money for arts and culture programs. Nearly $1 billion was cut from the state’s $116.5 billion budget, including nearly $90 million the Legislature earmarked for close to 700 different arts and culture projects and special line-item programs. The cuts are a devastating blow to the arts and cultural community, resulting in a loss of over $1.4 million for Sarasota County organizations. 

Brian Hersh, executive director of the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County, spoke to WUSF Public Media about the cuts, saying it will take a lot of creative partnerships and collaboration in the next year to overcome these challenges. I echo Brian’s words on working together to support our arts partners. 

Sarasota County is fostering an arts-powered economy. The Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 study conducted in 2022, tells us the total economic impact of nonprofit arts and cultural organizations was $342 million. That includes 2.3 million total attendees to arts and cultural events in our local community every year, and an estimated $107 million spent by arts attendees on dining, hotels, parking and more. Additionally, our non-profit arts organizations created 5,262 jobs and contributed over $176 million annually to household income within our county. It’s no secret that the arts in Sarasota County generate revenue for the region and state and bring tourism, as nearly half (47.5%) of all arts attendees in Sarasota County reside outside of the county.  

You can support the arts and culture in Sarasota County by attending a performance or exhibition, volunteering, or donating to an arts institution that has inspired you. Now is the time to unite to champion the arts and cultural organizations in our region and state.

Phillip P. Lanham, is president and CEO of Gulf Coast Community Foundation. 

Photo courtesy Gulf Coast Community Foundation: Lending a Feather.

You hear it often from people who want to see Sarasota County and its cities frozen in time, “commissioners need to stop all of this building.”  It is a fascinating premise to think a commissioner would have this sort of power, to issue a moratorium on building.

In reality, in Florida, they don’t. In Florida, private property owners have rights that have special protection due to the Bert J. Harris, Jr. Act.

The Act came about as a result of private land being restricted by government, or taken, to the point of being unusable for environmental reasons. The premise of this act is to protect property owners from governmental intrusion that limits what a property owner can do with their property if they have a reasonable expectation of being able to use it in a certain way.

If a government does take a property, there is a process the property owner can use to seek relief. On top of the relief, there can be damages, attorney fees and costs awarded to property owners who win their claim.

The language of the act is clear in its intent: “When a specific action of a governmental entity has inordinately burdened an existing use of real property or a vested right to a specific use of real property, the property owner of that real property is entitled to relief.”

Some in the public have argued investment property owners should not be protected since expectations are based upon an investment. But the statute specifically addresses this too and protects a “reasonable, investment backed expectation for the existing use … or a vested right to a specific use.” However, reasonable investment backed expectations may not be just speculation.

The processes in the act have resulted in mostly settlements between governments and property owners, but the property owner does not have to settle and can file a lawsuit in court if the settlement process is not satisfactory to them.

This law prevents governments from making arbitrary decisions on properties just because the neighbor next door isn’t happy that the property will be built on. Other laws also prevent governments from adding on requirements that are not in the code to create new burdens that other property owners would not have to face to build. 

So no, a commissioner cannot just say no to building on a property that has vested rights or a vested right to a specific use. Property rights have protection in Florida that prevent government overreach from taking it or rendering it useless. It is not the commissioner’s fault; it is state law that has been in existence for 30 years. 

Christine Robinson is Executive Director of the Argus Foundation. 

Image vi Pixabay.