This is a digest of information, news, and questions relevant to changes in Individual Artist Grant Funding in Cuyahoga County. The Board of Cuyahoga Arts and Culture (CAC) meets at 3:30 pm Monday, December 12 in the Miller Classroom of the Idea Center to discuss what will be elements of a new program. 

Things to know:

1) In November, Cuyahoga Arts and Culture–the cigarette tax-funded, public agency making grants in support of the arts in Cuyahoga County–proposed to replace the locally administered individual artist grants (Creative Workforce Fellowships) with a program offered by Washington DC-Based National Arts Strategies.

2) Artists—especially visual artists— questioned and objected to the change.

3) In response to the objections, National Arts Strategies withdrew its proposal.

4) This leaves Cuyahoga Arts and Culture working to define a new individual artist grant program, and looking for another non-profit organization to administer it.

5) The Individual Artist program is a tiny percentage of Cuyahoga Arts and Culture’s grant-making—approximately 3 percent, including administrative costs. The vast majority of CAC’s resources are dedicated to non-profit organizations through General Operating and Project Support grants.

6) Artists broadly support the the work of Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. The concerns expressed in recent weeks specifically relate the end of the Creative Workforce Fellowships, the process by which that was determined, and the future direction of individual artist funding.

7) When National Arts Strategies withdrew its proposal, some of those concerns were made moot.

8) However, as CAC goes forward, questions about the shape, intent, impact, and process by which all that are derived still relate.

Questions include:

1) Who was dissatisfied with the Creative Workforce Fellowships?

2) What was the nature of the dissatisfaction?

3) Did the CAC Board share in the dissatisfaction?

4) Did the CAC Board vote to end that program?

5) Is the intent of the program to support artists and their work, or to provide social service?

6) Does CAC mean to support the making of art in Cuyahoga County, or to have an impact on its direction?

7) Will CAC host listening sessions with artists and other interested parties to gather input?

News to read

Below is a digest of news reports on the subject.

Cleveland.com breaks news of the proposal in November 

CAN Blog’s initial report, which was picked up by the national artsjournal.com

CAN Blog’s follow-up, with Karen Gahl-Mills answering questions about the proposed new program

Cleveland.com broke the news that NAS withdrew its proposal

CAN Blog’s conversations with artists after NAS withdrew its proposal, also picked up by the national artsjournal.com

David C. Barnett’s excellent interview with CAC Director Karen Gahl-Mills, with pointed questions, which aired on WCPN, 90.3 FM

The Board of Cuyahoga Arts and Culture is listed here.

We will update this list of stories as more become available.

The Board of Directors of Cuyahoga Arts and Culture will meet at 3:30 p,m Monday, December 12 in the Miller Classroom of the Idea Center on Playhouse Square. There will be no vote on an individual artist grant program. The agenda will include Board discussion of elements of the program that eventually develops. Public comments will be heard.

Collective Arts Network is pleased to have received news that for the first time ever, it will receive Project Support from Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. The grant of $4,000 will support a series of stories on efforts to expand the market for art in Northeast Ohio.