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About the Division

Who We Are

The Division of Cultural Affairs (DCA) is Florida's legislatively designated state arts agency and is one of six Divisions within the Florida Department of State.

The Division includes the Museum of Florida History, Florida's state history museum.

Our Mission

The Division of Cultural Affairs promotes arts and culture as essential to quality of life for all Floridians.

Our Purpose and Values

We believe that arts and culture change the world for the better: they significantly contribute to the economic vitality of communities, enrich the lives of participants, and educate people of all ages.

Our role is to connect cultural funding opportunities and services to Florida's citizens and visitors. Our strategic plan, Culture Builds Florida's Future, provides the foundation for our values and presents the statewide strategy for implementing, developing, recognizing, and supporting arts and culture opportunities.

Through the Division's services and activities, all of Florida's 67 counties are positively impacted. In 2007-2008, over 24 million individuals (including 2.3 million school children) participated in more than 27,900 Division supported cultural events.*

* Events and attendance reported by grant recipients.

Our Support and Outreach

The Division of Cultural Affairs provides support that:

• Funds programs of artistic and cultural excellence, diversity, education, and access for all
• Directly impacts the economy of local communities and statewide regions
• Promotes the knowledge of Florida's past and present cultures through the collections, exhibitions, preservation, and interpretation at the Museum of Florida History
• Encourages arts and cultural public/private partnerships

Our Activities

We support our mission through activities including:

• Grant programs for arts and culture projects, including history and science
• Partnerships with local arts agencies and state service organizations
• Workshops and webinars
• Communication through email updates, website, e-newsletters, and web news postings
• Resources, training, and professional development for artists, arts administrators, boards, and grantwriters
• Guidance and consultation to constituents
• Public policy analysis and input
• Florida Artist Hall of Fame award program
• Capitol Complex Exhibition spaces for Florida visual artists
• Florida's Art in State Buildings, a nationally known public art program
• Research, surveys, and reports that advance the public value of arts and culture
• Exceptional customer service through a staff of professional arts administrators, artists, and technical support

For more information

• Our History explains how the Division was created and its many milestones.

• Culture Builds Florida's Future is the Division's 10-year strategic plan to further the development of arts and culture throughout the state.

• The Florida Council on Arts and Culture is the 15-member advisory council appointed to advise the Secretary of State regarding cultural grant funding and on matters pertaining to culture in Florida.

• Citizens for Florida Arts, Inc. is the Citizen Support Organization for the Division of Cultural Affairs.

• Want to contact a program manager or other staff member? Visit our staff listing.

• Want to contact someone about a specific program or service? Visit our subject directory.

• For general questions, use our general contact information.