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_2024_application

CU_Cover_Letter_Instructions_Guidelines_2023-2024

2022-2023 Event Funding Awards

W-9

Tinsley Media Presentation

Public Relations Presentation 2022

Cultural Umbrella funding is used for the advertising, promotion and marketing of cultural events taking place between October 1, 2023 and September 30, 2024.
  
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. 

Zoom workshops online for your convenience:

Tuesday, April 11th at 10:00 am
Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82251891343?pwd=ZVhHK21mRk84VldmaTVyOVdGNVRwQT09

Meeting ID: 822 51891343
Passcode: 720956

Tuesday, April 11, 2023 at 3:00 PM
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84744070590?pwd=MDNraVJJaU5jM0VzVzlNbGx0MzZiQT09

Meeting ID: 847 4407 0590
Passcode: 268890

The Monroe County Tourist Development Council, Tinsley Advertising 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 2023 magazine.

The deadline has passed.

Cultural Umbrella Budget
FY 2023

Cultural Umbrella Total		$850,000
Cultural Generic Advertising Campaign (35%)		$297,500
Event Funding		$552,500
DAC I	47%	$259,675
DAC II	8%	$44,200
DAC III	18%	$99,450
DAC IV	11%	$60,775
DAC V	15%	$88,400
Total	100%	$552,500

 

Definitions of Allowable Expenditures

Allowable Expenditures Download (pdf)

2015-2016 Cultural Umbrella Budget