Ban on public nudity among proposed Brevard tourism cultural grant modifications
Brevard County Commission Chair Jason Steele is recommending that a new restriction be put in place on county tourism grants to arts and cultural organizations ― no nudity at public events, or else you'll be disqualified from getting a grant.
Steele put forth his proposal at a recent meeting of the Brevard County Tourist Development Council, the tourism advisory board that Steele also chairs. Steele wants the proposal incorporated into the county guidelines for cultural grants — guidelines that must go to the County Commission for final approval.
"I'm only concerned about nudity and partial nudity and things of that nature that might be offensive to children and their families," Steele said.
During the TDC discussion of the issue, Steele didn't define "partial nudity" or cite any specific examples of this happening at events that received county cultural grants.
In a subsequent interview, Steele said he is not aware of any particular past instances, and is not targeting any specific events or organizations. But he wants to make sure that grant recipients abide by state and local laws, and wants to avoid situations "that potentially could harm children."
Cultural grants and other tourism grants are funded by Brevard County's 5% tourist development tax on hotel and motel rooms, vacation rentals and other short-term rentals.
Tourism cultural grants have been awarded by the county for years, but became controversial since August, when Florida Rep. Randy Fine, who represents South Brevard County, raised questions about a proposed $15,000 grant to the LGBTQ+ organization Space Coast Pride for its 2024 Pridefest event in downtown Melbourne.
Part of Fine's concerns stemmed from the Drag Queen Story Time that was a part of some previous Pridefest events. Drag Queen Story Time was not included in the 2023 Pridefest, held in Sept. 23.
Space Coast Pride eventually received approval for its grant for its Sept. 28, 2024, event. But not before the County Commission briefly withdrew funding for cultural grants altogether, affecting 25 arts and cultural organizations and events, as money was shifted to paying for ocean lifeguards and marketing expenses for the lifeguard program.
"There was a big issue before," Steele said, referring to the cultural grant program, while adding: "I'm not pointing my finger at anybody."
Steele said his proposed restriction is limited to events that are held in a public venue that can be viewed by passersby. He said it's not intended to censor performances by local theater groups or other entities that may qualify for grants ― events in which patrons purchase a ticket for the event, and parents can decide on their own whether to bring their children to the performance.
The Brevard County attorney's office has been working to come up with specific language for the County Commission to consider, reflecting Steele's wishes.
Space Coast Office of Tourism Executive Director Peter Cranis said the language in the grant guidelines "can't be too subjective."
The discussion of Steele's proposal came as the Tourist Development Council made a series of recommendation for the cultural grant program — as well as for two other grant programs funded by the tourist development tax ― for the 2024-25 budget year that begins Oct. 1.
Cultural funding reversal: 25 cultural entitles again in line for Brevard grants, reigniting Pridefest controversy
Cultural and sports grants
The TDC recommended that $605,000 be allocated for cultural grants, and that the grants be tied to the number of out-of-town visitors the events are expected to attract.
It also recommended $240,000 in grants for sporting events, with amounts tied to the number of hotel room-nights each events generates.
Cranis, however, pointed out that cultural grant funding would be contingent on what the County Commission decides to do related to funding of beach lifeguards. Money for the county's lifeguard program potentially could be shifted from the pool of tourist tax money designated for cultural programs.
"There may not be any money for cultural grants, period," Steele said.
Nevertheless, TDC member Julie Braga, a hotel general manager, maintained that the TDC needs to send the message to the County Commission that cultural grants are important, and that arts and cultural events help bring tourists to the Space Coast, thus generating tourist tax revenue.
Tourism + Lagoon Grant Programs
The TDC recommended that Tourism + Lagoon Grant Program — which is designed for tourism-related projects that benefit the Indian River Lagoon — be given $500,000 for grants in 2024-25.
The program previously was funded for up to $1 million for several years. This grant program was suspended for the 2023-24 budget year, as a result of the expenditure of all tourist-tax-generated beach funds in order to repair the South Beaches because of damages from several storms in late 2022.
Under the TDC's proposal for the 2024-25 budget year, grants in this program could be for up to $50,000 apiece.
The Tourism + Lagoon Grant Program guidelines will come before the County Commission for final approval on Tuesday. The cultural and sports programs guidelines will be on a future County Commission agenda, potentially in July.
Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com, on X at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Commission chair: Ban nudity that gets Brevard tourism cultural grant
