On Nov. 13, a tax levy campaign for Cuyahoga Arts and Culture (CAC) was put on hold due to the dishonest distribution of money for artists and organizations that are supported by the tax. Currently, the money raised is used to support organizations like the Dobama Theater in Cleveland Heights and the Maltz Jewish Heritage Museum in Beachwood, rather than supporting individual artists who need the funding.

“Without a successful tax levy campaign, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture existing revenue source will expire on Jan. 31, 2027,” Jake Sinatra, Director of Grantmaking Strategy and Communications of CAC said in a statement to The Carroll News. “This means that funding will no longer flow to CAC after that date.”

This distrust is a result of individual artists not getting the payment that they deserve. Less than 3% of the money raised by the tax goes to the artists via organizations that regrant the money to them. The remaining money is then split between various nonprofit organizations. Without having the tax levy renewed, the amount of grants that are given to individuals, organizations, and nonprofits is going to decline drastically.

It is not just the organizations that are impacted by the tax levy being put on hold. It is also the individuals that have received grants from them that are being impacted by this situation. Dr. Philip J. Metres, a professor of English at John Carroll University, has described the impact of the funds and grants that he has received for his writing.

“In addition to funding worthy arts nonprofits like Writers in Residence, CAC has supported my own work. I have been the recipient of one of their individual artist grants, the Creative Workforce Fellowship (2014), and just received support for developing a theatrical adaptation of my book, Shrapnel Maps”, Metres said in a statement to TCN.

With this statement, Metres is saying that the funds that he has received in the past have been instrumental in his profession as a writer. He hopes that CAC works to get funding needed for arts projects, as they play a significant role in society.

“Without a successful tax levy campaign, CAC would need to reduce its grantmaking expense in 2026 and 2027,” Sinatra said in his statement.

It is not just community theaters and museums that are going to feel the economic weight of the tax levy on hold; it is going to be felt at John Carroll University. JCU is the home of Writers in Residence, an organization that teaches creative writing to incarcerated youth. It also relies heavily on the grants from Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. Without the necessary funding, the important work that they do could face the same fate as other organizations.

“Recent questions have arisen about how CAC is disbursing funds, and I hope that the process of ensuring CAC is doing its best work does not halt funding for worthy arts projects. Public arts funding is an essential part of a vital community,” Metres said.

Even though the dishonest distribution of funds can be seen as controversial, one statement can be made: the arts and culture throughout Cuyahoga County is essential to maintaining a strong community. The tax levy will make it harder for people to appreciate Cleveland and the surrounding area that they call home.