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Orange County Opens CARES Act Portal for Arts Organizations, Will Provide 5 Million in Grants

Photo: Anna Kolosyuk
Photo: Anna Kolosyuk

Five arts organizations have already begun the application process.

Grants will be distributed through United Arts of Central Florida and can be used to cover costs of PPE, COVID testing and lost wages.

Board Chairman Brendan Lynch says the portal opened this morning at 9 a.m. He expects dozens of groups will apply.

“It is open to any nonprofit arts and cultural group that operates in Orange County, however. So we encourage all those to look at the application process, determine if they fit the criteria and then to apply. And there are multiple grant programs within the application."

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Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings says a new initiative called "Arts in the Parks" will also turn county parks into CDC-compliant performance spaces for performers and audiences to enjoy. 

“We’re very excited, however, to use our existing parks as a performance venue that our community's talented artists can entertain the public once again. Of course these are outdoor venues so it lends itself fairly well to being able to offer these opportunities.”

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According to United Arts, nearly 10,000 local arts events have been canceled and some 4,300 local arts jobs have disappeared, translating into 3.9 million dollars in lost wages. 

If you'd like to listen to this story, click on the clips above.

Danielle Prieur is WMFE's education reporter.