ORLANDO, Fla. –(January 23, 2026) – Arts, culture, history, and science leaders from across Central Florida gathered for a high-level convening hosted by the DeVos Institute of Arts and Nonprofit Management, the DeVos Family Foundation, and United Arts of Central Florida, marking the culmination of a two-year strategic planning and leadership accelerator. The initiative focused on strengthening Central Florida’s creative sector and advancing the region’s goal of becoming a Global Creative Capital by 2045.
“At a moment when arts and culture organizations across the country are under extraordinary strain—facing rising costs, uneven recovery, and growing demands on their missions – Central Florida stands out as a genuine beacon of strength and stability,” said Brett Egan, President of the DeVos Institute of Arts and Nonprofit Management. He noted that this progress was “the result of sustained, disciplined investment in leadership, planning, and organizational capacity,” adding that the program demonstrated “what is possible when a community chooses long-term sustainability over short-term fixes.”
The convening brought together philanthropists and leaders from nearly 20 nonprofit organizations for a critical conversation that informed how the region invests in, supports, and sustains arts and culture during a period of rapid growth. Leaders from four organizations shared key discoveries, successes, and next steps emerging from their strategic planning work, highlighting promising opportunities for growth and investment in the sector. The gathering also included a facilitated philanthropy roundtable between cohort representatives and invited funders to explore future initiatives, regional needs, and opportunities for strategic partnerships.
“Our family is proud to support the arts and culture leaders working together who want to deepen their impact, offer more opportunities for residents, families, and visitors to the region, and better serve their customers and the community,” said Dick and Betsy DeVos of the DeVos Family Foundation. They emphasized that Central Florida’s arts and culture scene is united around the shared long-term goal of making the region’s creative sector “the envy of the world,” noting that the convening marked a significant step forward.
The program built directly on the 2022 Orange County Arts Ecology Study, conducted in partnership with the Dick and Betsy DeVos Family Foundation, the Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation, Orange County Arts and Cultural Affairs, and United Arts of Central Florida. The study identified both significant opportunities and structural challenges for local artists and nonprofit arts and cultural organizations across the region, prompting a coordinated effort to strengthen organizational capacity and long-term planning.
The nonprofit arts sector was highlighted as a critical contributor to the Central Florida economy, generating more than $500 million in annual economic impact, supporting approximately 9,400 jobs, and enriching families and communities across Lake, Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties.
Through the multi-year partnership, participating organizations received one year of comprehensive training from the DeVos Institute for staff and board members and completed one year of intensive strategic planning, resulting in three- to five-year plans focused on leadership, high-quality programming, financial sustainability, audience development, and community relevance. United Arts also participated in the process and emerged with a new vision and mission, three strategic priorities, and eight indicators used to define a thriving arts and culture ecosystem.
“As Orlando works toward becoming a Global Creative Capital by 2045, this convening reflected the strengthening of an ecosystem that will help to get there,” said Jennifer Evins, President and CEO of United Arts of Central Florida. She said United Arts is focused on strengthening its organization and increasing investment in nonprofit partners, creative entrepreneurs, and artists, noting that reaching the region’s long-term goal will require collaboration across sectors including education, workforce development, health, and tourism. She added that United Arts is “deeply grateful to the DeVos Family Foundation and the DeVos Institute for investing in the leadership and long-term sustainability of Central Florida’s arts and culture sector.”
Speakers at the convening included Egan, Evins, David Odahowski, President and CEO of the Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation, and Jason Zylstra, Senior Vice President of Philanthropy at the DeVos Family Foundation. Participating organizations included Art and History Museum of Maitland, Central Florida Community Arts, Downtown Arts District, Enzian Theater, Florida Symphony Youth Orchestras, FusionFest, IDEAS For Us, Mead Botanical Garden, Open Scene, Orlando Family Stage, Orlando Fringe, Orlando Museum of Art, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, Orlando Science Center, Orlando Shakes, Orlando Urban Film Festival, Ritz Community Theater Projects, Timucua Arts Foundation, and United Arts of Central Florida.
