Budget cuts threaten Miami-Dade’s arts scene — and our vibrant future | Opinion

On a global scale, Miami is emergent, in part because sustained cultural programs have given us a third dimension. Those of us in the arts community — artists, audiences and donors — envision an even more vibrant Miami going forward.

Just consider our community’s current transformation through the art we share. We know what’s possible. We know what’s at risk.

Recently, Miami-Dade officials issued a proposed fiscal 2025-2026 operating budget with a 52% reduction in the annual arts grants funding program and the suggested closure of the Department of Cultural Affairs. That budget proposal was later restated with funding approaching the original budget level and a renewed commitment to the cultural affairs department.

All of us in the arts community had positive reactions to the possible return of funding at a figure approaching the original budget.

At the same time, I am troubled that we are moving through a second annual budget cycle that shows some county leaders ready to sacrifice cultural programs at the expense of Miami’s vibrant future.

Arts funding in Miami-Dade is not a small matter. The Department of Cultural Affairs administers more than $40 million annually in grants that support hundreds of nonprofit organizations, festivals, theaters, museums and neighborhood programs. These funds sustain jobs, provide educational opportunities for young people and attract international tourism.

The current and future uncertainty regarding county arts funding and its Department of Cultural Affairs can be understood in the context of sustained vision.

Do we choose vibrancy or decline?

That choice is not abstract — it is before us today. The Miami-Dade commission is holding a public budget hearing on Thursday, giving residents and advocates the opportunity to speak directly about the future of arts and culture in our community.

This is the moment for voices to be heard and for leaders to demonstrate whether they will safeguard the cultural assets that define Miami.

This is more than a budget issue—it’s about who we are and the future we want to shape. Every phone call, letter, email and public comment counts. Let’s protect the arts and preserve what we’ve built — a global cultural capital and a vibrant, diverse, and thriving artistic community for all of Miami-Dade.

I urge the county commission to, not partially but fully, reinstate the annual arts grants funding program and the Department of Cultural Affairs and to begin to consider the value of our cultural assets as we move toward next year’s budget and gain even more momentum as a “city of the future.”

I urge you to attend the 2025-26 Miami-Dade County budget hearings.

Howard Herring is president & CEO of the New World Symphony in Miami Beach.

This story was originally published September 4, 2025 at 12:57 PM.