ASSEMBLY FOR THE ARTS BOARD ELECTS NEW LEADERSHIP

All-female slate of officers will lead the arts council board during critical time to secure additional public funding for the arts 

CLEVELAND, OHIO — Assembly for the Arts’ Trustees have elected a new slate of all-female officers to lead the nonprofit regional arts council for greater Cleveland. Their work will be instrumental in generating more resources and elevating equity for arts and culture in Cuyahoga County and beyond.  

Chinenye is a strategic thinker. She has over 10 years of experience in asset building, community engagement and education advocacy. She holds a B.A. in Political Science, African Studies and African American Studies from The Ohio State University, with a focus on race and electoral politics.  

ChiChi is a proud Teach for America-Houston alumna, teaching middle school American History, Texas History and English. She gained essential skills in community development and wraparound services for Black and Latino students and families. 

She is focused on creating large-scale systems change predicated on radically inclusive racial and gender equity. As such, she co-founded Enlightened Solutions, a social advocacy research think tank focused on the lived experiences of Black Women. 

ChiChi is the current Board Chair for The Assembly for the Arts, the VP of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Junior League of Cleveland and board member of Preterm Cleveland and member of the NAACP of Greater Cleveland. She also served as a member of Mayor Justin Bibb's Transition Team (Equity in Action).

The new officers elected at a recent meeting of the Board of Trustees are:  

  • Chinenye (ChiChi) Nkemere, Enlightened Solutions - Chair 
  • Carrie Carpenter, Huntington National Bank - Vice Chair 
  • Shanelle Smith Whigham, KeyBank - Vice Chair 
  • Kelly Falcone-Hall, Western Reserve Historical Society - Secretary 
  • Sandra Madison, Robert P. Madison International Inc. - Treasurer 

Kathy Blackman from The Grog Shop has also joined Assembly’s board. 

 “Assembly was founded two years ago with a mission to increase equity in the arts, and our board has always been purposefully diverse to represent many points of view. I’m excited to work with our new Board officers, all of whom have distinguished backgrounds as advocates, especially as we launch into our essential work of increasing funding for artists and arts organizations. We are very fortunate to have these smart and savvy women leading Assembly’s board during this important time for our community,” said Jeremy V. Johnson, president and CEO of Assembly for the Arts. 

More information about Assembly’s board is available on Assembly’s website at https://assemblycle.org/about/board-of-trustees/.  

 ABOUT 

Assembly for the Arts is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a focus on advocacy, cultural policy, racial equity initiatives, research, marketing that elevates the region, and services for nonprofits, artists, and creative businesses. It is governed by a volunteer board with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. Assembly by design operates in close partnership with Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, a government agency, and Assembly for Action, a 501(c)4 political action nonprofit to serve the entire creative sector. Assembly is supported through major funding from: The Cleveland Foundation, The George Gund Foundation, The Char and Chuck Fowler Family Foundation, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, Ohio Arts Council, Huntington, KeyBank, The George W. Codrington Charitable Foundation, Fred & Laura Beth Bidwell, and Barbara S. Robinson. www.assemblycle.org 


Local & State Advocacy 

Championing Public Investment in the Creative Sector 

Assembly redoubled its efforts to advocate for financial support to help accelerate the recovery of Greater Cleveland’s creative economy – which contributes more than $9.1 billion to the local economy.  

City of Cleveland

Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb appointed Shaker Heights native Rhonda K. Brown to be the city’s first-ever Senior Strategist for Arts Culture & the Creative Economy. This vital position in city government will lead strategic policy initiatives to position the City as a national leader in the arts. This vital position in city government will lead, direct, manage, and plan strategic policy initiatives for the City of Cleveland to be a national leader in the arts with enhanced neighborhood vitality. Assembly for the Arts is proud to have advocated for this permanent arts and culture liaison. 

Additionally, utilizing American Rescue Plan dollars, the city allocated $3 million to a Transformative Public Arts Program. 

Cuyahoga County

Thanks to the advocacy of the Assembly board and the partnership of Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (CAC), outgoing Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish and Cuyahoga County Council President Pernel Jones jointly committed to $3.3M in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds for arts and culture. Assembly and CAC split the funds equally, and in November 2022, Assembly distributed the rescue funds to 400 individual artists and 65 creative small businesses in Cuyahoga County. 

The ARPA for Arts funds couldn’t have come at a better time. More than 1 in 4 of the artists who applied for funding said they were concerned they wouldn’t be able to make rent, pay bills or buy food in the next two months. More than 3 in 4 artists said they often worry about having enough money to pay their bills. Assembly worked to ensure ARPA funds reached broadly into the community. 

  • 70% of artists who received funding identified as Black/African American, Native, Hispanic, Asian or Middle Eastern 

  • More than 60% of businesses that received funding were minority owned; 45% were women-owned 

  • 26% of artists self-identified as having invisible or observable disabilities

State of Ohio

In June 2023, Ohio’s state budget bill authorized Cuyahoga County arts supporters to seek an increase on the flat 30 cents-per pack cigarette tax that funds nonprofits through Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. Cigarette tax revenues have declined steadily each year since 2007 when the tax was enacted – from a high of $19.5 million in 2008 to $11.7 million in 2022. In total, the tax has generated more than $250 million for arts and culture nonprofits of all sizes across the County. Assembly for Action, a political action committee, is leading the work to place a tax issue before voters. 


Activism 

Convening Community Leaders in Critical Conversations 

Assembly’s brings community voices together to discuss solutions to critical issues affecting the local creative economy. In these sessions, we collectively imagine possibilities and set a path forward to make change. 

Woman at table filling in survey

National Surveys

For the first time, Cleveland participated in the national Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) study administered by Americans for the Arts. Assembly staff and volunteers collected more than 1,100 surveys at 172 arts venues around Cuyahoga County. AEP 6 is the most comprehensive economic impact study of the nonprofit arts and culture industry. 

Community Discussions

group of people who participated in REvision smiling
REvision-Creative Spaces at SPACES

Assembly’s REvision series is focused on re-envisioning Greater Cleveland’s creative industries as a way to build collective action towards a better world for artists, creative businesses and arts nonprofits. We led discussions on Creative Spaces for artists to live, work and create; tips for securing Creative Income to maintain artistic practice. Conversations on Guaranteed Basic Income in other cities; and how local government should support Arts in Our City are on deck. 

Quarterly Assemblies keep community members up-to-date on our efforts to help ensure everyone benefits from a diverse and equitable arts and culture sector. It is an opportunity for the public to hear updates on Assembly’s work, share ideas, and ask questions.  

These events are free for Assembly members. 

Honoring Public Officials

The 2022 Public Officials Recognition Breakfast, sponsored by KeyBank, recognized former Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish and Cuyahoga County Council President, Pernel Jones for providing important ARPA rescue funds to artists, creative businesses and cultural nonprofits. Arts leaders, corporate representatives, artists, and community members of all kinds attended to connect and build relationships with government officials. 

Artist Support

Assembly received a $20,000 grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture to engage the community and develop a 2024 Support-for-Artists Plan that will identify  future structures for individual artist grant funding, , center equity, and recognize the diverse needs of Cuyahoga County-based artists (financial and non-financial). This work will also result in an Artist Advisory group at Assembly that informs and assesses artist programs and services. Assembly’s recommendations will help inform CAC’s future support for individual artists. 


Assembly for the Arts names equity advocate Chinenye ‘ChiChi’ Nkemere to head region’s nonprofit arts council

Source: Cleveland.com

Date: September 28, 2023

Abstract:

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Northeast Ohio has a new high-level arts leader with a passion for social and racial equity, deep family roots in Nigeria, and a strong conviction that a healthy arts and culture sector is essential to the region’s future.

Chinenye Nkemere, who goes by ChiChi, was recently elected to a two-year term to succeed philanthropist and arts entrepreneur Fred Bidwell as chair of the 23-member board of Assembly for the Arts, Greater Cleveland’s nonprofit arts council.

Read full Article

Announcing the 2023 Arts and Culture Honor Roll

Assembly for the Arts recognized U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ohio Senator Matt Dolan (R-24) and Cuyahoga County District 7 Councilwoman Yvonne Conwell during its annual Public Officials Recognition Breakfast. Brown, Dolan and Conwell were recognized for their contributions to arts and cultural policy and their advocacy for the creative economy in Cuyahoga County.

The Public Officials Recognition Breakfast is an annual tradition for arts and culture supporters that began in 2015. The event is an important recognition of public-private partnerships throughout creative industries in Northeast Ohio. Arts leaders, corporate representatives, artists, and community members of all kinds attend to connect and build relationships with government officials. KeyBank sponsored this year’s Public Officials Recognition Breakfast.

More information at www.assemblycle.org.

Mayor Keith Ari Benjamin, Village Of Bratenahl
Mayor Annette M. Blackwell, City Of Maple Heights
Jake Sinatra, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture
Donna Collins, Ohio Arts Council
Councilman Kevin Conwell, City of Cleveland
J Bradley Deane, Office of Senator Sherrod Brown, U.S. Senate
Mayor Benjamin Holbert III, Village Of Woodmere
Peter Lawson Jones, Ohio Arts Council
Councilman Judson Kline, Orange Village Council
Councilman Nathaniel Martin, City of East Cleveland
Jill Paulsen, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture
Tarra Petras, City Of Cleveland
David Razum, Office of Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne
Councilwoman Sandy Spinks, City of Bedford
Mayor Kim Thomas, City Of Richmond Heights
Councilmember Meredith Turner, Cuyahoga County Council

View Photos from the Breakfast

Racial Equity

Strengthening Support for the Region’s Creatives

Equity is at the center of everything we do. Through our advocacy, cultural policy work and funding opportunities, we seek to redress systemic racism through building an anti-racist organization that serves artists, business owners and nonprofit leaders. We want to help them move to action to create a more equitable arts community; this includes advocating for more equitable funding to BIPOC artists and organizations and removing perceived and real barriers that currently limit all residents from participation. 

In the last year, Assembly armed creative businesses, artists and non-profits with tools to help them forge cross-sector connections, expand their knowledge and find opportunities to share their artistic point of view – all the while enriching neighborhoods across the region. 

Powered by Huntington’s Entrepreneur in Residence program, Assembly welcomed its first cohort of Arts Leadership Residents with the Cleveland Leadership Center (CLC). The program was also supported by funding from the Ohio Arts Council, The George W. Codrington Charitable Foundation, and The George Gund Foundation. In keeping with Assembly’s mission, the program was delivered through a racial equity lens and provided management support, coaching, tools and $1,000 each to 25 artists.

Meet the 2023 Arts Leaders

With a $140,000 grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, Assembly for the Arts launched the Creative Impact Fund (CIF) to support the investment and growth of transformative arts projects in redlined communities in Cleveland and East Cleveland that lack arts investment. More than 140 creatives applied for 16 spots. In addition to a $6,250 stipend, each CIF awardee receives access to professional development and marketing support, industry connections, and an Assembly membership. 

CIF provides professional development, marketing support, and the opportunity make network connections. 

Meet the Artists

The Cleveland Foundation asked Cleveland Institute of Art and Assembly to lead a collaborative design project for a mural that would benefit the Hough community, CIA students and MidTown Collaboration Center stakeholders. CIA student Aniyah King’s “Growth From Within,” a mural that symbolizes growth and progress in Cleveland’s Hough neighborhood and represents Hough residents’ pride and passion, will be installed at the Cleveland Foundation’s MidTown Collaboration Center when it opens in 2025.

Assembly supported 10 fiscal sponsorships totaling $170,000 in FY2023. Our fiscal sponsorship program opens access to foundation and donor funds that solely fund tax-exempt organizations. We aim to support BIPOC-owned or led nonprofits and businesses and those managed by and serving individuals with disabilities. 

View Projects and Donate

Cuyahoga Arts & Culture considers November '24 levy to expand cigarette tax

Source: ideastream

Date: September 13, 2023

Abstract:

Cuyahoga Arts & Culture made several moves at its Wednesday board meeting aimed at addressing consistently declining revenue. The agency is funded by the county cigarette tax. It’s slated to bring in just over $10 million this year, down almost 50% from its inception in 2007.

Area arts leaders have been working for more than two years to get permission to expand the tax. State lawmakers finally agreed this year to allow CAC to ask voters to increase the tax from its current rate of 30-cents-per-pack.

Read Full Article

Support for Artists Campaign Findings

Outcomes of the Support Artists Campaign

Assembly is excited to receive a $500,000 grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture to administer support for artists programs in 2024.  This is a 25% increase in CAC funding over last year. 

Chosen as the sole grantee for CAC’s Support for Artists funds, Assembly will run an artist support grant program in 2024 in addition to regranting funds to Cleveland Public Theatre, Julia de Burgos, Karamu House and SPACES to continue their successful work with artists who have been previously funded by grants from CAC.  Assembly will work to ensure artists of multiple disciplines are represented, including musicians.  

 More information will be shared in the first quarter of 2024. 

Assembly will structure the 2024 programs in response to feedback from Greater Cleveland’s artist community through four listening sessions and online surveys conducted August to September, 2023. Assembly engaged Dr. Brea Heidelberg of ISO Arts Consulting to facilitate these discussions to generate community feedback and recommendations to inform future programs and services. The research was funded by Cuyahoga Arts & Culture and The George Gund Foundation.  

View Results Recording

The key learnings from the listening sessions and survey that will guide our work in 2024 and beyond are: 

  • Prioritize unrestricted funds and increase and the amount awarded to each artist   
  • Increase overall support for artist funding by seeking sources beyond Cuyahoga Arts & Culture  
  • Create a central virtual space for finding grant opportunities, deadlines, and resources to help artists navigate and utilize the funding ecosystem  
  • Simplify and streamline grant application processes to reduce administrative burdens.  
  • Prioritize funding and resources for historically underrepresented or marginalized artists 
  • Increase opportunities for artists to be included in discussions on conversations about civic and social issues by facilitating connections between artists and civic leaders.   
  • Facilitate more artist listening sessions 
  • Establish an Artist Advisory Board that:   
    • Has diverse geographic representation from the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County 
    • Is comprised of artists representing a wide variety of arts disciplines  
    • Has term limits that allow for a regular rotation of artist advisors 
    • Is comprised of members who are selected through an application process and is open to interested applicants who identify as artists  
    • Is compensated for their time and expertise 
    • Advises Assembly for the Arts and Cuyahoga Arts & Culture on their programs and policies  

 

Working Together as One Community 

Assembly and CAC acknowledge restorative work in the artist community will be foundational to the success of our future efforts. We look forward to working together and with all of you in the arts community to heal harms of the past, expand the pie of resources to our vitally important creative sector, and create a robust artist funding mechanism that includes sustained funding from private and public resources. 

 

Past Programs 

Assembly recognizes that the healthiest mix of artist support comes from a variety of sources.  Previous artist support programs through Assembly have included: 

  • ARPA Rescue Funds  $1.65 million to artists and creative for-profit businesses through American Rescue Plan Act funds from Cuyahoga County. 
  • Arts Leadership Residency in partnership with Cleveland Leadership Center and Huntington’s Entrepreneur in Residence program. 25 artists received $1,000 each and 6 learning sessions to help them grow their creative businesses. 
  • 2023 Creative Impact Fund 16 artists, collectives and informal groups received $6,250 each for flexible (unrestricted) funding and project-based placemaking in redlined communities that lack arts investment. Funded by a grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. 

 

Other Resources for Artists 

 

Visit our Business of Art section for tools to help you make your creative endeavors a sustainable venture.

Looking for a Fiscal Sponsor? Skip the process of becoming a nonprofit organization in order to access grant funds by having Assembly become your fiscal sponsor. Not all community projects or artists can afford to or need to become their own nonprofit. The process of becoming a nonprofit requires time and resources that could otherwise devoted to the project itself. Assembly can help by acting as your fiscal sponsor 

Sign up for Assembly’s newsletter to stay informed of upcoming workshops, community meetings and funding opportunities.  

Check out and use clevelandartsevents.com. So much more than just events, this is a central website to create and find artist profiles, events, venues, and opportunities (jobs, grants, fellowships, artist calls). Create a free account today to join the monthly email list.  

Still have questions? Email us at info@assemblycle.org  

Learn about Artist Funding Opportunities

This effort is made possible by generous support from the George Gund Foundation and Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.

Artists Funding Opportunities

Assembly by the Numbers  

Financials 

Did you know….Cleveland is one of the Top 20 most vibrant large arts communities in the country and in the top 1% of communities on measurement of arts dollars, per SMU Data Arts. Cleveland ranked best in the Midwest for the amount of total compensation paid to arts and culture employees per capita and in earned revenue from artistic programs.   

Engagement


mosaic of faces of Assembly's Board of Trustees

Board and Staff  

Assembly Staff

Jeremy V. Johnson, President & CEO

Jeanita Blue, Marketing and Communications Manager 

Abby Del Río, Chief Finance & Operations Officer 

Melissa Leuenberger, Finance & Operations Associate 

Meg Matko, Director of Community Relationships 

Deidre McPherson, Chief Community Officer 

Kristin Puch, Senior Researcher and Development Officer 

LeAundra Richardson, Executive Assistant to the President and CEO, Board Liaison 

Valerie Schumacher, Director of Strategic Initiatives

 

CONSULTANTS 

VEES Consulting 

Compelling Communications 

Equius 

Assembly 2022-2023 Board of Trustees 

Fred Bidwell (Board Chair), FRONT International 

Kathy Blackman, Grog Shop

April Miller Boise, Intel 

Lenora Inez Brown, Independent Consultant, Dramaturg 

Talise Campbell, Djapo Cultural Arts Institute 

Mordecai Cargill, ThirdSpace Action Lab 

Carrie Carpenter, Huntington National Bank 

Paul Clark, Retired 

Kelly Falcone-Hall, Western Reserve Historical Society 

Chann Fowler-Spellman, The Char and Chuck Fowler Family Foundation 

Phyllis Harris, LGBT Community Center Greater Cleveland 

Sandra Madison, Robert P. Madison International Inc 

Clyde Miles, The Adcom Group 

Christine Nelson, Team NEO 

Chinenye Nkemere, Enlightened Solutions 

Nahomy Ortiz-Garcia, OverDrive 

Tony Panzica, Panzica Construction Company 

Barbara Robinson, Retired 

Vince Robinson, Larchmere Cultural Arts 

Marika Shioiri-Clark, SOSHL Studio 

Tony Sias, Karamu House 

Paul Westlake, DLR Group 

Shanelle Smith Whigham, Keybank 

Leonard Young, Morgan Conservatory 

Zulma Zabala, The Center for Community Solutions 

Ex Officio 

Nancy Mendez, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture 

Michele Scott Taylor, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture 

Charna Sherman, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (2021-2023) 

Aseelah Shareef, Cleveland Arts Prize 

Board Transitions. Assembly gratefully acknowledges the service of out-going board members Nahomy Ortiz-Garcia, and ex officio Charna Sherman of Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. Assembly was saddened by the passing of founding board member Barbara Robinson, a beloved regional and national advocate for arts and culture