Targeted by DeSantis, festivals will give up money if arts funding is restored

On Thursday, the Tampa and Orlando Fringe festivals released an open letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis, formally offering to give up their approved grants for the 2025 fiscal year.

The nonprofit International Fringe Festival of Central Florida was slated to receive $102,629, with Tampa’s festival expecting significantly less, $7,909.

In exchange, the festivals requested that the governor approve a legislative turnover of his $32 million veto to arts and culture funding.

The proposal comes after DeSantis cited “sexual” festivals in Orlando and Tampa as the reason he vetoed arts funding across Florida last month. Specifically, DeSantis referenced playwright Christen Hailey’s show at Tampa’s Fringe Festival, “Captain Havoc and the Big-Titty Bog Witches.”

“You have 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,” DeSantis said during a news conference on June 27.

The nonprofit clarified that Florida taxpayer dollars do not support artists.

“Artists earn their income directly through ticket sales. In fact, 100% of an artist’s advertised ticket price is paid to that artist,” Fringe producers said in an open letter to the governor, “Instead, taxpayer dollars help with office expenses, ADA accommodations, and staff salaries.”

Approved funding for Fringe Festivals accounted for .002 percent of the vetoed $32 million, something Fringe leadership compared to “canceling Florida’s entire sports industry based on an objection with one player on one team.”

DeSantis’ office did not respond to two emails requesting comment on Friday.

Fringe intends to apply for state grants in future years. “The idea would be to forego it this year, but then through collaboration and talking, bring together an understanding of the arts,” said Tampa Fringe Producer Trish Parry.

According to Parry, on the same festival webpage as the show “Captain Havoc and the Big-Titty Bog Witches” was a comedy performance titled “Florida Fever Dream.” It features a political cartoon of DeSantis where the governor is seen riding an alligator wearing Minnie Mouse ears. A pile of books burn in a campfire behind him.

“So that might have helped to rile things up particularly against Tampa,” said Parry, “I’m sure that you could find a show at Orlando Fringe with the word ‘titty’ or something in it. I’m just sure that the ‘Florida Fever Dream’ show probably didn’t help matters.”

Both Orlando and Tampa’s producers hope to reach an understanding with DeSantis. They invited him, his family and aides to attend the festivals in 2025.

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“We ask that you reciprocate by welcoming and hosting us in October or November 2024 so that we can build bridges of understanding and deepen your familiarity with the benefits of arts & culture investments, thus empowering you to be an impassioned advocate,” wrote Fringe producers.

DeSantis has yet to RSVP.

Lawrence Mower contributed to his report.