The Cuyahoga Arts & Culture board closed 2024 by approving funds that will be regranted to more artists than in previous years.
At its Wednesday meeting, the board set aside $500,000 for Assembly for the Arts, the agency administering CAC money for individual artists as CAC can only grant to nonprofit organizations. The funds come from a tax on cigarettes, which voters approved increasing last month.
Last year, $375,000 supported 73 artists and was administered by Assembly. In 2025, $450,000 is slated for 176 artists.
Part of that pool, as in the past, will go to the Creative Impact Fund, which provides $5,000-$10,000 to 30 emerging and established artists determined by a panel. Funds will also continue to support six of Assembly's Artist Advisory Committee members.
Deidre McPherson, Assembly’s chief community officer, said they’re also introducing the Boost Fund to provide 140 artists with $1,500 awards – at random.
“It will supplement operating needs related to an artist's creative practice, and it's also money that can be used for projects that are open and accessible to the public," she said. "It is a bit of a lottery, and we're doing that to level the playing field so that everyone has an equal opportunity."
Details and applications will roll out in early 2025. The grant cycles will run in April, July and October. Both funds are open to artists in all media.
In years past, Assembly has worked with partner organizations to provide grant opportunities using the CAC money. Next year, the process will rest solely with Assembly. McPherson said that generates $75,000 in programming, administrative and operational savings.
“We really want to continue to find new ways to work with these partners and others because what they bring - the access to opportunities for artists to showcase their work or … the impact that these organizations have on artists - is essential.”
During Wednesday's meeting, the board also heard from Sarah Sisser, executive director of arts advocacy group CreativeOhio. She said in the next legislative session, lawmakers plan to introduce a bill similar to what's known as the "Taylor Swift bill" to provide protections for online ticket buyers. Her group is also exploring the possibility of legislation that could allow counties to ask for up to a 3% tax on recreational marijuana to fund the arts.
CAC's final 2024 meeting was a stark contrast to a year ago, when artists advocated for more funding, board members sparred over procedural issues and the future of the cigarette tax was uncertain.
Last month, voters approved an increase to the cigarette tax to 70 cents a pack in the face of falling revenue, extending the tax by another decade. Ideastream Public Media contributed to the ballot campaign and also receives funding from CAC.
In November, the CAC board also approved $10.7 million in grants to 300 nonprofits.
