Arts and Economic Prosperity 6 Report
Cuyahoga County’s nonprofit arts and culture industry generated $533,156,171 in economic activity in 2022, according to the newly released Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6), an economic and social impact study conducted by Americans for the Arts. That economic activity — $389.8 million in spending by nonprofit arts and culture organizations and an additional $143.3 million in event-related spending by their audiences supported 8,637 jobs and generated $104.2 million in local, state, and federal government revenue. Spending by arts and culture audiences generates valuable commerce to local merchants, a value-add that few other industries can compete with.
Building on its 30-year legacy as the largest and most inclusive study of its kind, AEP6 uses a rigorous methodology to document the economic and social contributions of the nation’s nonprofit arts and culture industry. The study demonstrates locally as well as nationally, arts and culture are a critical economic driver of vibrant communities. In Cuyahoga County, more than 1,100 audience members participated in the survey and 172 nonprofit organizations supplied financial and audience information – about 38% of nonprofit arts and culture organizations in the county. The study also surveyed audiences of color for the first time ever.
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.
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70% of artists who received funding identified as Black/African American, Native, Hispanic, Asian or Middle Eastern
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More than 60% of businesses that received funding were minority owned; 45% were women-owned
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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.
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

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.
Announcing the 2023 Arts and Culture Honor Roll
The following public officials were recognized in 2023 for their contributions to arts and cultural policy:
- Senator Sherrod Brown, United States Senate
- Senator Matt Dolan, The Ohio Senate
- Councilwoman Yvonne Conwell, Cuyahoga County Council
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
Meet Moises Borges
Meet Moises
Based in Cleveland, Ohio for over two decades, Moises Borges is a gifted guitarist and vocalist born in Bahia, Brazil, He grew up experimenting with rhythms such as Bolero, Baião, Xote, Afoxé, Frevo, Forró, especially Samba and Bossa Nova which are basic to his performances. His soothing voice and charm make for a wonderful evening of entertainment for all lovers of Brazilian Jazz. Moises has performed in numerous countries, venues and events, he often performs at area outdoor festivals and Jazz Clubs on a regular basis. Just back in town from a few international tours Moises is preparing to release a new album of original work with renowned international guests such as Ken Peplowski, Diego Figueiredo, Chuchito Valdez, among others. Borges has become a prolific performer in the Northeast Ohio scene in the last decade. In 2023 Moises was nominated as Best Jazz Band for the Cleveland Music Awards; In 2022 he scored the second place at the Cleveland Power of Sport Summit-Sport Song Competition during the All Star Games; In 2020 he was a finalist of the BDOLive Song Festival, a nationwide original music contest scoring the fourth place. He had 3 nominations to the Brazilian International Press Awards in the last decade. Borges is a good storyteller, vivid and funny performer who plays mostly in the Samba and Bossa Nova tradition, interpreting his original songs besides classics by Jobim, Gilberto, Bosco and many others. Far away from his native Brazil, the music of his homeland is very much alive when he is on stage. As a local artist and founder of the ABCAI-Afro Brazilian Cultural Appreciation Initiative in 2018, Moises has made cultural presentations at universities and schools. He has presented photography exhibits, and has appeared on radio and TV shows. Lately he has done a series of Zoom panels through the Karamu House of Residency speaking about “Afro Brazilian Culture”, Capoeira, percussion, culinary, religion (Orishas), and includes a samba dance class. All the online video materials are available on his YouTube channel to serve all audiences for free.

Creative Impact Fund Project: ABCAI Afro Brazilian Cultural Appreciation Initiative
The Afro Brazilian Culture Appreciation Initiative is a series of interactive educational experiences aimed at spreading awareness and excitement about Brazilian culture to students. It envisions that the youth will discover music and dance as an empowering force in their lives, it also seeks to provide an alternative mode of learning, especially for children who may not respond to traditional modes of teaching and learning.
The event will be performed for a group of anywhere in between 150 to 300 students in elementary/secondary schools serving in the Red Lined Cleveland neighborhoods. It will feature 5 components: Live samba music with a 5-piece band demonstration; A workshop on samba dancing.
A Capoeira presentation and workshop (a Brazilian body movement technique with 5 practitioners); An Afro-Brazilian Drumline presentation and workshop; One Keynote Speaker who will speak on Brazilian culture at the event, discussing Brazil’s history, its African roots, current affairs, the arts, customs and more. The students will be requested to do research on Brazil’s history and geography by two weeks prior to our presentation, developing acknowledgement for discussion with the Keynote Speaker on the event’s day.
The 3.5 hour event will also include activities that engage in an interactive, playful manner, giving the students a first hand experience of Brazil’s unique cultural heritage. Attendees will have the opportunity to join event activities, playing instruments, dancing and learning Capoeira techniques. This interactive approach brings Brazil to Cleveland’s youth like never before.
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.

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.
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.
Creative Impact Fund Grantees 2023
About the Creative Impact Fund
The Creative Impact Fund, which was established by the Assembly for the Arts, awarded a total of $6,250 to sixteen (16) artists, art collectives, and informal groups. The fund was designed to provide flexible funding and support for transformative arts projects aimed at redlined communities, developing areas with significant arts activity, and promoting increased walkability. The fund aimed to lay the groundwork for the City of Cleveland’s Rescue & Transformation Plan, which prioritized arts and neighborhood amenities.
Individual artists or art collectives of all expressions, including but not limited to painting, sculpture, photography, film/motion pictures, dance, ballet, theatre, music, comedy/improv, writing/literature, architecture, design, and fashion, were welcome to apply to the Creative Impact Fund. Along with funding, CIF offered professional development, marketing support, and connections to creative, business, and institutional networks. The Creative Impact Fund was funded by Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.
Let’s Meet The Artists:
Creative Impact administered by Assembly for the Arts and funded by Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.
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.