Fringe Orlando Responds: Governor cuts $32 million in arts funding because of “sexual” festival

ORLANDO, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis is pointing directly at a popular festival, for his decision to cut millions in grant funding for the arts.

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Channel 9 shared earlier this week that Governor DeSantis cut about $32 million in grant funding for arts and culture programs across Florida.

According to Orange County’s Arts and Cultural Affairs office, that money would have supported more than 600 arts and culture organizations across Florida, and approximately $1.9 million would have gone to 49 arts and cultural organizations in Orange County.

During a Thursday press conference, Governor Ron DeSantis explained his decision to veto funding and said Florida taxpayers shouldn’t be asked to support what he called the “sexual” fringe festival.

It is unclear whether the Governor was referring to Orlando Fringe, which is considered one of the largest “fringe festivals” in the country.

Other cities including Tampa also have “fringe festivals” which often provide 100 percent of ticket sales directly to the artists, are typically characterized by uncensored performances, and utilize a lottery system to decide who performs.

“You’re having your tax dollars being given in grants to things like the Fringe Festival, which is like a sexual festival where they’re doing all this stuff,” said DeSantis, “I can’t sell the Fringe Festival to taxpayers.”

On Friday, Channel 9 sat down with the interim Executive Director of Orlando Fringe,

Scott Galbraith who said the Governor “mischaracterized” Orlando Fringe.

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According to Galbraith, for more than 30 years dancers, comedians and puppeteers have found a home at the Orlando Fringe Festival.

“We feel there’s a mischaracterization. To suggest that’s all our festival is, just sort of demonstrates a lack of understanding of who we are and what we do,” said Galbraith.

According to Galbraith, while Orlando Fringe is uncensored and has included burlesque in the past, that inclusion is based on a random lottery of local artists.

He added that attendees can choose to attend several different performances and that all performances have descriptions with age appropriateness disclaimers.

“Orlando Fringe is multi-disciplinary, it’s multi-genre, multi-age-group. As I say, it’s a very inclusive environment,” said Galbraith.

Chase Padgett, is a singer and actor who debuted his one-man show “Six Guitars” at Orlando Fringe back in 2010.

He has since taken the show across the globe to as far away as South Korea.

“I premiered it at the Orlando Fringe Festival, and it changed my life,” said Padgett, “The Orlando Fringe provides an economic testing ground for artists to try something in a safe, cheap environment, and if it goes well, then continue further.”

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Padgett explained it would have been too expensive and risky to debut his show in a traditional theatre venue over a decade ago, but Orlando Fringe allowed his show to take-off.

He’ll bring his performance to the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in January.

Padgett told Channel 9 his show is not at all sexual. He disagreed with the Governor’s characterization of the Orlando Fringe Festival.

Meanwhile, Orlando Fringe’ Interim Executive Director said either way state-wide cuts to the arts are not justified.

Galbraith said that Fringe was set to receive about $70,000 of the more than $32 million in the state budget approved for arts and culture grants.

That amounts to less than one percent of the total grant funding.

“We’re one quarter of one percent. And all that funding was lost based on us? That seems really incongruous,” said Galbraith. Channel 9 reached out to the Governor’s office Friday for clarification on his statements but did not hear back by news time.

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