SMU DataArts Explores How Unprecedented Levels of Federal Funding for the Arts Demonstrated the Strength of Local Advocacy and the Essential Role of Local Arts Agencies 

CLEVELAND – OCTOBER 24, 2024 – Cuyahoga Arts and Culture (CAC) and Assembly for the Arts are featured in a new report from SMU DataArts, Federal Recovery Funds for Local Arts and Culture: Tactics from 11 Creative Communities. The report examines how Local Arts Agencies (LAAs) distributed federal relief funding to arts and cultural organizations across 11 geographically diverse cities during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The insights gleaned in this analysis demonstrate the responsive and nimble ways LAAs like CAC and Assembly for the Arts operated throughout the pandemic. The report spotlights how collaboration between CAC and Assembly helped to secure $3.3 million in local County relief funding for the arts and how outreach efforts led to increased equity in funding distribution. An online case study of the local distribution of arts relief funding in Cleveland accompanies the report. 

“More than a year later, we are still grateful to Cuyahoga County for providing SLFRF funding for CAC and Assembly to distribute to our local creative economy,” said Jill M. Paulsen, Executive Director of Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.  

Jake Sinatra, Director of Grantmaking Strategy & Communications at Cuyahoga Arts & Culture added, “The critical investment of relief funding into the nonprofits CAC supports has helped them to continue to provide meaningful arts and cultural experiences for residents. These dollars helped provide stability at a critical time.”  

The report identifies key tactics that were commonly employed by 11 municipalities to distribute a cumulative $100 million of relief funding efficiently and fairly to artists and cultural organizations that are vital to the economy, civic and social engagement, and quality of life. Several common practices emerged in three areas: 

• Advocacy: LAAs advocated most effectively for federal relief funds through both grassroots efforts and partnerships across government agencies in other sectors.  

• Process: Many LAAs streamlined applications and reporting requirements to deliver funds as efficiently as possible.  

• Equity: Distributing funds fairly and equitably included considerations around geographic distribution and prioritizing service to the neediest communities. 

“Times of crisis can mobilize communities to focus and act on priorities. In re-distributing federal COVID-19 relief funding, these agencies prioritized equity, removing barriers to funding, and filling gaps in support and recovery opportunities locally,” explains SMU DataArts’ Associate Director for Research, Daniel Fonner. “This report attests to the variety of ways that our local arts agencies play a key role in serving in their communities.”  

The 11 communities and LAAs the report studied are: 

• Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (Atlanta, GA)  
• Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (Chicago, IL)  
• Cuyahoga Arts & Culture / Assembly for the Arts (Cuyahoga County/Cleveland, OH)  
• Denver Arts & Venues (Denver, CO)  
• Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (Houston, TX)  
• Los Angeles County Department of Arts & Culture (Los Angeles County, CA)  
• New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (New York City, NY)  
• Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture (Phoenix, AZ)  
• Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council (Pittsburgh, PA)  
• City of Seattle Office of Arts and Culture (Seattle, WA)  
• Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis (St. Louis, MO) 

The report was prepared with support from Bloomberg Associates, a philanthropic consultancy that advises cities around the world and is a part of Bloomberg Philanthropies. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving and works to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. 

For more information and to view the Federal Recovery Funds for Local Arts and Culture report in its entirety, please click here.  

ABOUT SMU DATAARTS 

SMU DataArts, the National Center for Arts Research, is a project of the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University. The mission of SMU DataArts is to provide and engage both organizations and individuals with the evidence-based insights needed to collectively build strong, vibrant, and equitable arts communities. Its research efforts range from academic papers published in leading journals, applied research undertaken with community partners, and actionable insights shared directly with arts practitioners. Its programs provide business intelligence tools and resources to help arts leaders leverage data to answer critical management questions and connect research analyses to their own work. Recent publications include research reports on the scope of COVID-19 federal relief funding for the arts,  emergence from the COVID-19 crisis; the alchemy that drives high performing arts organizations of color; audience diversity, equity and inclusion in large performing arts organizations; impact of investments made in diverse creative communities; and more.  

ABOUT CUYAHOGA ARTS & CULTURE 

Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (CAC) is a regional arts and cultural district and a political subdivision of the State of Ohio. Established by voters in 2006, CAC is the largest arts and culture funder in the region. To date CAC has made over 4,000 grants, totaling over $247M in tax dollars, to more than 485 organizations serving County residents. For more information, visit cacgrants.org.