Overview

In the 1980s, the citizens of Monroe County passed referendums authorizing a 3-cent sales tax on tourist lodging (the bed tax) to be used for tourist advertising, promotion, and some tourist related capital projects.

The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) passed several ordinances to implement this tax including one that created the Tourist Development Council (TDC) to recommend expenditures of the bed tax revenue and to administer the expenditures. (The County Clerk is actual custodian of the funds. He/she writes and signs all checks which are co-signed by the County Mayor.) The TDC is an advisory committee to the BOCC which has final approval of all TDC actions. The nine members of the TDC advisory board are appointed by the BOCC.

To accommodate the different geographic communities of the Keys, five District Advisory Committees (DACs) were created. They are DAC I-Key West; DAC 2-The Lower Keys: DAC 3-Marathon; DAC 4-Islamorada; and DAC 5-Key Largo. The DACs recommend expenditures for approximately one-third of the revenue which is divided among the districts according to the percentage of revenue collected in the district.

To accommodate three keys-wide industries, three "umbrellas" were created: the Dive Umbrella, the Fishing Umbrella, and the Cultural Umbrella. DACs and Umbrellas are unique to Monroe County.

The District Advisory Committees and the Umbrellas are advisory committees to the TDC and BOCC. Almost always the TDC and the BOCC approve the recommendations sent to them.

The Florida Statute allows bed tax funds expenditures for administration, advertising, promotion, and some tourist related capital projects and maintenance. The statute has been interpreted more narrowly in Monroe County than in other Florida counties.

The money allocated to the Umbrellas and DACs is distributed by an application process. Successful applicants are reimbursed for approved expenditures. The applications are rated by a point system based on the goals of the TDC. Factors included are Heads in Beds in Off-Season, Enhancement of Visitor Experience, Amount of Local Support and Showcasing of the Destination.

The DACs and Umbrellas each have Recommendation Committees that review the applications and recommend which are funded.

Originally the county contracted with the Key West Art and Historical Society to administer the Cultural Umbrella Funds. For the past few years, the Florida Keys Federation of Chambers had the contract to administer these funds.

In the meantime the Florida Keys Council of the Arts was created and flourished. It became recognized as the appropriate organization to administer the cultural umbrella and requested the job. In August the BOCC, by Resolution, turned it over to the FKCA as of 1/1/02.

CU_2026_application

CU_Cover_Letter_Instructions_Guidelines_2025-2026

2024-2025 Event Funding Awards

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Cultural Umbrella funding is used for the advertising, promotion and marketing of cultural events taking place between October 1, 2025 and September 30, 2026.
  
Organizations intending to apply for Cultural Umbrella funding are strongly encouraged to attend one of the free workshops on the application and the media/marketing procedures being offered by the Florida Keys Council of the Arts. Please register in advance by contacting the Arts Council office at 305-295-4369 or info@keysarts.com. 

Wednesday, March 26th at 11:00 am • Key West
Committee Meeting
Welcome new members
Elect vice chair
Confirm interim actions Agency Reports/ Preliminary 2025/26 Media Plan;
Select Culture Magazine Cover Artist and Artists

Cultural Umbrella Application Workshop # 1
Tuesday, April 8th at 4:00 pm
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86703894519?pwd=t7IYzQGFeP7wHaRteS9NuuRbtnFEHm.1
Meeting ID: 867 0389 4519
Passcode: 489082

Cultural Umbrella Application Workshop # 2
Wednesday, April 9th at 11:00 am
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83536290030?pwd=MopCQaEe4dv2Ry77asDBWlPqtqn4Wv.1
Meeting ID: 835 3629 0030
Passcode: 875754

Friday, May 2nd - Application Deadline via email by 5 pm
director@keysarts.com
(Distributed to Committee by May 9th)

Monday, May 19th at 10:00 am in Marathon (venue TBD) • Committee Meeting
Application Scoring & Funding Recommendations
Agency Presentations
Confirm interim actions
Public Comment Session
(Recommendations to TDC by June 2rd)

Tuesday, June 10TH at 11:00 am via zoom • Committee Meeting
Application Scoring & Funding Recommendations
Evaluate 2025 application process
Public Comment Session Review Media plan 2025-26
Select Culture magazine article topics for 2026
FKCA to nominate CU Committee members for 2025-26

The Monroe County Tourist Development Council and the Cultural Umbrella Committee of the Florida Keys & Key West are issuing a call for writers and visual artists interested in producing articles for the Culture 2026 magazine. Deadline has passed

Cultural Umbrella Budget
FY 2026 (Draft)

Cultural Umbrella Total		$1,500,000
Cultural Generic Advertising Campaign (35%)		$525,000
Event Funding		$975,000
DAC I	46.62%	$454,545
DAC II	8.11%	$79,073
DAC III	18.44%	$179,790
DAC IV	11.23%	$109,493
DAC V	15.60%	$152,100
Total	100%	$975,000

 

Definitions of Allowable Expenditures

Allowable Expenditures Download (pdf)

2015-2016 Cultural Umbrella Budget