About Us

Cuyahoga Arts and Culture (CAC) is a Regional Arts and Cultural District in the State of Ohio. It is the result of many years of planning and research. Beginning in 1998, leaders from arts and cultural organizations, foundations, local governments and other private entities cooperated to create an arts and culture plan for the region which called for public funding to strategically support the local arts and cultural sector.

The health and quality of our arts and cultural sector is one of Cuyahoga County's distinct competitive advantages--a defining element of our regional, national and worldwide image, a key facet of our economy and an important resource for educating our children. Voters in Cuyahoga County recognized this when they approved a 10-year tax on cigarettes to fund Cuyahoga Arts and Culture in November of 2006. The Cuyahoga County Commissioners subsequently appointed a Board of Trustees to govern CAC.

CAC is the only Regional Arts and Culture District in the State of Ohio with a dedicated revenue stream. CAC is one of the largest local public sector funders of arts and culture in the country. A primary purpose of CAC, established by the Board of Trustees through adoption of its by-laws in April 2007, is to make matching grants to not-for-profit organizations located in Cuyahoga County that have a primary mission of arts or culture and that have a proven history of arts or cultural programming.

Mission

The mission of Cuyahoga Arts and Culture is to promote and support arts and culture in Cuyahoga County by making grants, using public funds, to secure the excellence of our established arts and cultural sector and promote access to, and participation in, quality arts or cultural experiences for all residents.

Goals

  • Stabilize and strengthen our community's valuable arts and cultural assets.
  • Encourage innovation by funding new programs and projects.
  • Sustain and increase arts and cultural educational opportunities by encouraging collaborations and new programming.
  • Promote the value of arts and culture by increasing community participation and access to quality projects, programs and activities.
  • Foster cross-cultural understanding and awareness by supporting diverse programs and collaborations.
  • Measure, evaluate and report to the citizens of Cuyahoga County the impact of public sector funding for arts and culture.