Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis has sparked controversy after cutting $32 million in state arts funding, a decision that is having ripple effects throughout the state's cultural institutions. The veto, made public earlier this week, targets a budget originally set to support more than 600 arts and culture organizations. According to WFTV, the cut includes approximately $1.9 million that would have been distributed to 49 organizations in Orange County alone.

The governor claimed the cuts were a response to taxpayer dollars being used to fund programs like the Fringe Festival, which he described as "like a sexual festival where they’re doing all this stuff." according to WFTV. This characterization has been disputed by representatives of the Orlando Fringe. Interim Executive Director Scott Galbraith clarified that while the long-standing festival is uncensored and has included performances like burlesque, it is not solely what the festival represents and is inclusive of various arts disciplines. Galbraith shared with the WFTV, "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."

Despite the cuts, the Fringe Festival's reach and impact on the artistic community continue to hold significance. For instance, artist Chase Padgett gained acclaim after debuting his one-man show "Six Guitars" at Orlando Fringe in 2010, which later toured internationally. In an interview with WFTV, he credited the festival as a crucial platform for developing his work which he described as not at all sexual, contradicting the governor's statements.

Other institutions are also reeling from the decision, as the budget cuts are impacting statewide. ArtNet News reported that museums such as the Pérez Art Museum Miami and the Norton Museum of Art were slated to receive between $50,000 and $150,000 but are now reassessing their budgets following DeSantis's line-item vetoes. Museum director Ghislain d’Humières expressed his concerns to ArtNet News, stating, "The governor’s recent decision to totally eliminate state funding for 2024-2025 is deeply upsetting." Republicans voiced concerns about the funding of programs of an adult nature, paralleling the governor's stance, per ArtNet News.

Amidst these reductions, there is also debate about whether the Fringe Festivals would have even received the state funding. As ArtNet News articulated, the ranking system for grants involves a thorough evaluation process that might not have favored the festivals. Nevertheless, political figures like Democratic Senator-elect Carlos Guillermo Smith have criticized DeSantis's blanket cut as an attempt at controlling and censoring the arts.