Did you know that the Florida legislature cut 94% of the funding recommended by the Division of Cultural Affairs for the 2018-19 grant cycle? For us that was a devastating loss of over $35,000 in one fell swoop. We received only $2,400 of the $37,500 DCA recommendation. Just today we successfully defended a grant for the 2019-20 cycle recommended at $40,950, but if the cuts are that steep again we will get just over $2,600. These are significant cuts that impact our education programs, our ability to compensate artists, and our ability to bring you the best work that we are capable of.
Jobsite is but one of 32 Tampa Bay organizations impacted by these cuts. Gobioff Foundation and Vinik Family Foundation are trying to provide emergency relief for all of us hurt by these cuts in the coming year, but the bottom line is that even their generosity will require the support of the community in order to truly be a success. The arts are a $1.68 BILLION dollar industry in the state of Florida. It is unconscionable that $43 million in recommended state grants to help this not for profit industry were cut to less than $2.5 million. We’re thankful that the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners and Arts Council see the importance of our work, but they can’t fix it all by themselves, either.
This is just one of the many current challenges we are facing.
SO LET’S TALK
On Mon., Oct. 1 from 7-9pm we are hosting a small reception for people to learn more about Jobsite in the home of a good friend of the company right outside of downtown in Tampa Heights. We’re generally pretty casual, no reason to get gussied up, and we will have drinks and nibbles and maybe even a bit of live entertainment. If you would like to learn more about Jobsite, talk about anything at all company related (what we do, why we do it, how you think we can do better), and meet some of our artistic staff and board members I hope you’ll get in touch with me through the form at the bottom of this page. I would sincerely love to have you there and talk to you not only about the challenges we face but the great things we are doing for the Tampa Bay area and all of the ways that you might be able to help.
