Arts Garage President and CEO Marjorie Waldo has announced a new podcast, provocatively titled “Culture Under Fire”—and the first episode dropped this week. The series, which features biweekly conversations with local arts advocates, leaders, artists and changemakers, will trumpet the importance of the arts. As Waldo describes in the introduction to her first episode, “Lighting the Match,” the arts “do way more than just give you a good time on a Friday night.”
The discussion comes at a time when funding challenges are threatening the vitality of the arts in Florida and beyond. Waldo was a key source in my own award-winning expose on Gov. Ron DeSantis’ slashing of $32 million in state arts funds last year. More recently, the arts in Miami-Dade County are facing potentially existential cuts in the county’s 2025-2026 budget proposal, which eliminates its Cultural Affairs Department, and with it some $13 million in county financial support for arts organizations.
“The arts, especially nonprofit organizations, are facing real challenges. Recent legislative proposals in Florida and beyond could drastically reduce funding for arts and culture,” Waldo said, in a statement. “The best way to respond is by helping our communities understand what’s at stake. This isn’t about politics—it’s about making sure everyone continues to have access to the arts.”
In this week’s episode, Waldo speaks with her fellow Arts Garage colleagues Naja Hardmon, Seth Weaver and Michelle Diaz, each offering an insider’s take on arts programming, why it’s a lifeline for so many, and what’s at stake when this essential cultural component is defunded.
Waldo has also slated interviewees for the next two episodes of “Culture Under Fire.” On the Sept. 9 episode, she’ll speak with Morgan Furnari, government affairs contractor at Arts Action Fund, to discuss the national data surrounding the arts and its impact on policies, job growth and the economy. On Sept. 23, Waldo will welcome Dave Lawrence, president and CEO of the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, to speak about public investment in the arts and its importance to cultural tourism.
“Culture Under Fire” can be found on all major podcast platforms.
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