Changing the program to have a more clear public impact seemed like a clear move to protect the program from Republican leadership. Feel like this will all be irrelevant when the program is gone.
Ken, fortunately, the source of money for these grants is a tax approved (overwhelmingly) by voters in Cuyahoga County. It is not a line-item in anybody’s general fund budget, but a dedicated, voter-approved revenue stream to support the arts. And in Cuyahoga County, for a tax to be approved by more than 75 percent (which this was) it mathematically must have had strong bipartisan support. So whatever partisan politics are playing out in Washington and at the State level, it’s Cuyahoga County voters who matter.
Having served on various art boards over the decades and having watched others in action(not the least of which the CMA) I am highly sceptical that a truly fair and equitable method of making awards to individual artists can be devised.
The degree to which personal preference, social connection, and public recognition of whatever type influence the selection process makes it, in my observation, so fraught with conflict of interest as to make any pretence of fairness and equity illusory.
Thank you, Christopher Richards for this wonderful and thoughtful article! Proud to be included in the article…and in this beautiful show, juried by Cat Sheridan!
Changing the program to have a more clear public impact seemed like a clear move to protect the program from Republican leadership. Feel like this will all be irrelevant when the program is gone.
Thank you for the clarifying information.
Monday’s meeting will be very interesting…
Ken, fortunately, the source of money for these grants is a tax approved (overwhelmingly) by voters in Cuyahoga County. It is not a line-item in anybody’s general fund budget, but a dedicated, voter-approved revenue stream to support the arts. And in Cuyahoga County, for a tax to be approved by more than 75 percent (which this was) it mathematically must have had strong bipartisan support. So whatever partisan politics are playing out in Washington and at the State level, it’s Cuyahoga County voters who matter.
Michael:
Having served on various art boards over the decades and having watched others in action(not the least of which the CMA) I am highly sceptical that a truly fair and equitable method of making awards to individual artists can be devised.
The degree to which personal preference, social connection, and public recognition of whatever type influence the selection process makes it, in my observation, so fraught with conflict of interest as to make any pretence of fairness and equity illusory.
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Thank you, Christopher Richards for this wonderful and thoughtful article! Proud to be included in the article…and in this beautiful show, juried by Cat Sheridan!