The city of Coral Gables styles itself as The City Beautiful—a place where Mediterranean Revival architecture, leafy boulevards, and a vibrant civic life come together in harmony. But beauty is also shaped on the stage, in the gallery and beneath the lights of a local cinema. If Coral Gables is to preserve the cultural character that sets it apart from so many other South Florida cities, its leaders must do more than protect its buildings—they must invest in its soul.

That is why the City Commission should adopt, in full, the Coral Gables Cultural Development Board’s latest recommendations for arts grants. The $228,000 allocated for cultural programming is a modest sum compared to other city expenses, but the return on investment—in identity, vibrancy, and economic activity—is immense.

There is no shortage of data showing that the arts are an economic engine. According to Americans for the Arts, nonprofit arts and culture organizations generate $166 billion in economic activity annually across the U.S., supporting millions of jobs and billions in local and state revenue. On a micro level, the presence of cultural institutions—especially in compact, walkable neighborhoods like those in Coral Gables—drives foot traffic to nearby restaurants, shops, and small businesses. People do not come downtown simply to dine or to shop. They come for an experience. And the arts are the beating heart of that experience.

Performing arts, in particular, are uniquely valuable. A theater production at Actors’ Playhouse, a screening at the Coral Gables Art Cinema, or a concert at the Sanctuary for the Arts does more than entertain. It brings people together in public space, animates street life, and fosters the kind of community interaction that cannot be bought or built overnight. In a city where many cultural institutions operate on tight margins, a well-placed public grant is not just a kindness—it is the scaffolding on which much of our civic identity is built.

That identity runs deep. The Coral Gables we know today was born out of a utopian vision—a planned city where architecture, culture, and nature coexisted in balance. Founder George Merrick imagined more than real estate. He envisioned a community shaped by ideals. Supporting the arts is not a new experiment for the city; it is a continuation of its founding promise.

In that spirit, the Cultural Development Board has approached its recommendations with rigor and thoughtfulness. It reviewed 52 applications, representing both flagship institutions like the Coral Gables Museum and Actors’ Playhouse as well as smaller, grassroots groups that give voice to the city’s diversity. Its methodology—scoring each application on artistic merit, community impact, financial accountability, and organizational capacity—ensures that public funds are awarded not through favoritism, but through merit and mission alignment.

The board’s transparency is further reflected in its choice to adjust the scoring system to ensure that all organizations scored above the minimum threshold for funding. And this year’s additional $50,000 allocation for youth-focused programs is an especially welcome gesture. In an era when arts education is routinely underfunded, Coral Gables has the chance to distinguish itself by nurturing the next generation of artists, creators, and culturally literate citizens.

It is sometimes argued that cultural funding should come solely from private donors, and indeed many, if not all, local institutions rely on philanthropy. But the truth is that public investment and private support go hand in hand. Civic backing signals that the arts are not an afterthought but a priority—that they are part of the city’s core infrastructure, as essential as parks, roads, and public safety. When a city invests in the arts, it tells its residents that imagination matters.

Indeed, imagination may be the greatest resource Coral Gables has left to develop. It is no secret that development pressure is growing. Land is finite. Cultural capital is not. By continuing to invest in its institutions, Coral Gables reinforces its reputation not just as a place to live or shop or dine—but as a place to feel, to think, to gather.

Perhaps another moniker for the city should be “Cultural Gables” but it must be more than branding. It must be backed by consistent, credible action. The grant recommendations now before the commission are the next step in that promise. The amount is small. The stakes are not.

Approving these grants is not just about supporting the arts. It’s about who we are—and who we wish to remain.