Palm Beach County arts advocates ‘hopeful’ for state funding after DeSantis veto last year

PalmBeachCountyartsadvocates‘hopeful’forstatefundingafterDeSantisvetolastyearNortonMuseumofArtinWestPalmBeach,Florida SeetheinsideoftheNortonMuseumofArtinWestPalmBeach,Florida,foundedin1941. ThePalmBeachPost Lastyear,Gov.RonDeSantisvetoed$32millioninfundingfortwoarts-and-culturegrants,affectingorganizationsthroughoutFlorida.Thisyear,advocatesareoptimisticthatwillnothappenagain.Theprocessforapplyingforthegrantschangedthisyear,withfewerpeoplereviewingapplicationsandahigherthresholdforscoringtoberecommendedforfunding,advocatessaid.Thevetowas“arealshock”toFloridaartsgroups–ashockfromwhichsomeorganizationsarestillworkingtorecover.ApairofbillsinthestateLegislaturewouldrevamphoworganizationsareselectedforthegrantprograms,andwhichprogramsareeligibleforfunding.WhenGov.RonDeSantisvetoed$32millioningrantsfromFlorida’sbudgetlastyear—basicallyallofthestate’sfun