Cuyahoga Arts and Culture Board of Trustees Appointed

Commisioners Appoint Arts and Culture Board of Trustees

CLEVELAND – The Cuyahoga County Board of Commissioners (BOCC) tomorrow will appoint three trustees to Cuyahoga Arts and Culture (CAC), the public authority that will oversee the allocation of the revenues from the 1.5-cent-per-cigarette tax passed by voters last November to support local arts and cultural organizations.

Appointed were Steven Minter, former President of the Cleveland Foundation, Santina Protopapa, Executive Director of the Progressive Arts Alliance, a Cleveland-based arts-in-education group, and David Bergholz, former Executive Director of the George Gund Foundation. Mr. Minter was appointed to a one-year-term, while Ms. Protopapa will serve two years, and Mr. Bergholz will serve a three-year term.

“Cuyahoga County has a rich history of supporting artistic and cultural achievements that foster creativity,” said Commissioner Timothy F. Hagan, President of the Board of Commissioners. “These three newly appointed individuals will contribute their combined experiences in the arts and our community while encouraging economic development and job creation. They will be excellent additions to the CAC Board and we are pleased they are willing to serve.”
The BOCC established CAC in June 2005 as a regional arts and culture district. Catherine Boyle is serving as executive director for CAC.

“Cuyahoga County residents clearly recognized the important role that arts and cultural organizations play in our economy when they approved the tax,” Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones said. “I am confident that the new CAC Board and staff will ensure that the voters’ trust is rewarded.”

The Board of Trustees of Cuyahoga Arts and Culture is expected to approve an estimated $20 million in annual grants to small, medium and large not-for-profit arts and cultural organizations located in Cuyahoga County. All eligible grant applications will be evaluated for funding in an open, transparent and public peer review process by a panel of arts and culture professionals recruited from outside the county limits. Panel recommendations will go to the Board of Trustees for approval before grants are awarded. The Board of Trustees and CAC staff will rollout grants programming in the near future.

“These appointees bring a wealth of experience, and knowledge of the community to the task,” said Commissioner Jimmy Dimora. “Arts and culture are driving forces for economic development in this community and it is important that steady hands guide that development.”