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An Urgent Message from the Miami-Dade Arts Action Alliance<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n On July 15, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava released the proposed Miami-Dade County budget for FY 2025-2026, which includes devastating cuts to the arts. If approved by the Board of County Commissioners in September this budget would take the following devastating actions: <\/p>\n WHY THIS MATTERS<\/strong><\/p>\n – Cultural grants are a lifeline for hundreds of arts groups and thousands of local artists. <\/p>\n THE MESSAGE<\/strong><\/p>\n Tell the Mayor and your County Commissioner to: <\/p>\n WHAT YOU CAN DO \u2014 TAKE ACTION NOW IN 5 EASY STEPS!<\/strong><\/p>\n 1- Contact Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava: Mayor@miamidade.gov. <\/p>\n Mayor: Daniella Levine Cava, daniella.cava@miamidade.gov <\/p>\n CALL, EMAIL OR TEXT Your County Commissioner NOW<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n A quick phone call or text can make a big impact. Tell them how arts grants have impacted your work, your community, or your neighborhood.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 3- ENGAGE High-Profile Donors and Board Members<\/strong><\/p>\n Urge your Board Members and top donors to contact the Mayor and Commissioner directly. Their voices carry weight. Encourage them to: <\/p>\n 4- STAY INFORMED AND SHARE THE MESSAGE<\/strong><\/p>\n – Follow and repost updates on Facebook: https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/artsactionmiami <\/p>\n 5. SHOW UP AT THE BUDGET TOWNHALLS AND THE BUDGET HEARINGS<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Budget Townhall Community Meetings: schedule and locations TBA<\/p>\n Budget Hearings \u2013 Board of County Commissioners \u2013 SAVE THE DATES! <\/p>\n YOUR VOICE MATTERS!<\/strong><\/p>\n Every email, phone call, text message and testimony counts. Together, we can stop these cuts. Join the movement. Take action today. <\/p>\n In solidarity,<\/p>\n The Miami-Dade Arts Action Alliance <\/p>\n \ud83d\udce3 If the arts are so important for Miami, as Mayor Levine Cava says, then why are our funds being cut? Watch this and decide for yourself<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\n– $12.8 million cut to cultural grants funding\u2014a more than 50% reduction
\n– A merger of the Department of Cultural Affairs into the Miami-Dade Public Library System
\n– The elimination of the position of Director of the Department of Cultural Affairs
\nThese actions would dismantle Miami-Dade\u2019s nationally respected arts infrastructure, severely reduce access to cultural programming to residents across the county, and threaten the very existence of small and mid-sized arts organizations and the livelihood of artists that serve communities across Miami-Dade County.<\/p>\n
\n– The arts in Miami-Dade generate over $2.1 billion annually, support 32,000 jobs, attract 4.2 million cultural tourists and produce $443 million in public revenue. Every dollar Miami-Dade County invests in the arts leverages an additional $42. The arts in Miami-Dade County mean business.
\n– Artists and Cultural Institutions provide essential services\u2014educational programs, cultural enrichment, social wellbeing, and economic opportunity\u2014in every corner of our community.
\n– These cuts would undo decades of investment and undermine Miami-Dade County\u2019s global identity as a thriving cultural capital.
\nThis proposed budget is NOT FINAL! This can be reversed. The budget will be finalized at the second and final budget hearing on Thursday, September 18, 2025. We have from now until then.<\/p>\n
\n– Restore arts grants funding
\n– Keep the Department of Cultural Affairs independent and preserve the Director position.<\/p>\n
\n2- Contact your County Commissioner. Find your Commissioner here: https:\/\/www.miamidade.gov\/global\/government\/commission\/home.page.<\/p>\n
\nAnthony Rodriguez, Chairman and District 10 district10@miamidade.gov
\nKionne L. McGhee, Vice-Chairman and District 9 KionneMcGhee@miamidade.gov
\nOliver G. Gilbert, III, District 1 district1@miamidade.gov
\nMarleine Bastien, District 2 district2@miamidade.gov
\nKeon Hardemon, District 3 district3@miamidade.gov
\nMicky Steinberg, District 4 district4@miamidade.gov
\nEileen Higgins, District 5 district5@miamidade.gov
\nNatalie Milian Orbis, District 6 district6@miamidade.gov
\nRaquel A. Regalado, District 7 district7@miamidade.gov
\nDanielle Cohen Higgins, District 8 district8@miamidade.gov
\nRoberto J. Gonzalez, District 11 RobJGonzalez@miamidade.gov
\nJuan Carlos Bermudez, District 12 district12@miamidade.gov
\nSenator Ren\u00e9 Garcia, District 13 district13@miamidade.gov<\/p>\n
\n– Email or text the Mayor and Commissioners
\n– Make personal phone calls
\n– Emphasize how these cuts would impact Miami\u2019s reputation and economy<\/p>\n
\n– Look out for and share advocacy email alerts from the Arts Action Alliance.
\n– Here are the economic impact facts: https:\/\/artsbizmiami.org\/join\/economic-impact.<\/p>\n
\nThursday, September 4, 2025 at 5:01 PM
\nThursday, September 18, 2025 at 5:01 PM
\nLocation: Stephen P. Clark Government Center \u2013 Commission Chambers, 111 NW 1st Street, Suite 625, Miami, FL 33128
\nPublic testimony is allowed. Plan on arriving at 3 PM to sign up.
\nLet your voice be heard!<\/p>\n
\nLet\u2019s defend what we\u2019ve built\u2014a vibrant, diverse, and dynamic arts community that reflects the spirit of Miami-Dade and inspires the world.<\/p>\n
\nThe future of the arts in Miami-Dade County depends on all of us.<\/p>\n
\n(a coalition of artists, arts collectives, arts groups, cultural organizations, volunteers, arts supporters and arts patrons \u2013 formerly known as the Dade Cultural Alliance)<\/p>\n