Jacob Ogles
An Orlando art museum still reeling from losses related to faked paintings just landed a real investment from the state.
The House and Senate appear to agree on funding $1 million for the Orlando Museum of Art building renovation. That’s about a quarter of what Sen. Jason Brodeur, a Lake Mary Republican, and Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis, an Ocoee Democrat, sought in budget requests this year. Kimberly Case of Holland & Knight lobbied for the funding on behalf of the museum.
But both chambers seem ready to fund the effort. The latest offer from the House Transportation and Economic Development Budget Subcommittee agrees with a Senate plan to put $1 million in nonrecurring revenue to the project. Before the offer presented on Thursday, the lower chamber had no funding dedicated to the project.
The line item hasn’t been grayed out, meaning it could still change.
A request from Cathryn Mattson, the museum’s Executive Director and CEO, said the funds are needed to refurbish a 30-year-old heating and air conditioning system and to renovate visitor areas. Funding will also repair water-damaged areas of the museum.
The maintenance of the facility is especially important for protecting the environment considering the museum boasts a $40 million collection of artwork sensitive to humidity.
“The target population to be served (by) this project is the general public,” an application reads. “An anticipated 150,000 people will be served by the Orlando Museum of Art each year of the next five years.”
Of note, the cultural institution remains in a period of financial recovery after a scandal involving forged artworks on display. The FBI in 2022 raided the museum and seized 25 paintings determined to be fake Jean-Michel Basquiat artworks.
That led to the departure of Executive Director Aaron De Groft. Mattson, who succeeded De Groft in that role, told ArtForum last year the institution remained in dire financial straits and was facing an $835,000 shortfall in its $4 million budget.
In grant requests, museum officials said renovations would help in attracting more visitors, thereby increasing tourism, while also improving arts education in the Orlando area.
