CLEVELAND – Today, Cuyahoga County voters approved Issue 55, a replacement and expansion of the cigarette tax that funds Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.  The new, increased tax replaces CAC’s sole revenue source, which would have expired in January 2027. The tax will provide additional funds over a 10-year period for CAC to invest in hundreds of local arts and culture nonprofit organizations that provide arts experiences for residents of every zip code in the county. 

Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (CAC) is a political subdivision funded by a tax on cigarettes that was first approved by voters in 2006 and reapproved in 2015. Since 2007, CAC has made over 4,000 grants totaling $247 million to 485 nonprofits. The new tax could generate an estimated $160 million over the next 10 years, increasing levels of support after years of steady decline. 

Karolyn Isenhart, president of Cuyahoga Arts & Culture’s Board of Trustees, expressed appreciation for voters’ confidence in CAC. “We thank the voters of Cuyahoga County for their continued support for public funding for arts and culture,” she said. “We also thank Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne, the members of County Council, and every elected official, nonprofit, and business leader whose commitment to public funding for arts and culture made this result possible.”  

The passage of Issue 55 replaces the current tax of 15 mills (1½ cents) per cigarette sold in Cuyahoga County with a tax of 35 mills (3½ cents) per cigarette. CAC will start to receive the increased tax revenues in March 2025 and anticipates new revenue will impact grants made for 2026 and beyond. 

CAC’s Executive Director, Jill Paulsen, highlighted the importance of the new tax to our region’s arts nonprofits. “CAC funds a wide range of organizations that make arts and culture experiences available to residents in every corner of Cuyahoga County,” she said. “With this funding, CAC will continue to be a reliable resource and provide core support for the nonprofits that make our community such a special place. We take seriously our charge to responsibly and transparently steward these tax funds, and we look forward to continuing our work – to the benefit of all Cuyahoga County residents.” 

Cuyahoga Arts & Culture is charged with making grants to arts and cultural nonprofits using public tax dollars, as outlined in the Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3381. As a public agency, CAC does not engage in fundraising or campaign activities; its role is to provide information regarding its grantmaking, the stewardship of its public resource, and to educate the public on the importance of public funding. 

Current and potential grant recipients are invited to sign up for e-mail updates about CAC grant opportunities at cacgrants.org.  Residents and visitors seeking arts and cultural experiences in Cuyahoga County are encouraged to visit ClevelandArtsEvents.com to view upcoming CAC-funded programs and events. 

Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (CAC) is a regional arts and cultural district and a political subdivision of the state. Established by voters in 2006, CAC is the largest arts and culture funder in the region. To date CAC has made over 3,000 grants, totaling over $247M in tax dollars, to more than 485 organizations serving County residents. For more information, visit cacgrants.org.