One time I went to the open meetings of the Florida Division
of Cultural Affairs hearings on grant applications, and the writing program
at Florida International University had applied for a grant to do a writing seminar
at Seaside. The head of the department, Les Standiford, pitched the grant as
cultural outreach, because Walton County was one of the poorest counties
in the state. But Seaside is one of the richest communities. Seaside is richer than
Manalapan, or Boca Raton, or Palm Beach. I asked Standiford how many writers
he had invited from Hogtown Bayou. I meant how many writers from Point and Shoot.
Nowt, zero, none. Payola, buzzola...just call it ola--that's our business.
Art 0, Commerce 1. This kind of shit enrages me.