ARPA postcard writing party (East)

Did you know that in 2020, $4 million in CARES Act pandemic relief dollars reached the hands of individual artists, arts and culture nonprofits and performing arts businesses?

Cleveland’s arts and culture communities were one of the hardest hit by the pandemic. We lost $30 million in wages, saw 90% of artists and creative workers lose work and lost $146 million in nonprofit revenue.

We have another opportunity right now to secure more funds for our Creative Workers. The City of Cleveland has received $511 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, a pandemic support program enacted by President Biden. Artists, Nonprofits, Creative Businesses and Arts Advocates we need your help in asking Cleveland City Council to dedicate $10 million of these dollars to our Creative Workforce. This is only 2% of the ARPA funds Cleveland received – that’s only 2 cents on the dollar!

Lift up your voice through the Artists for ARPA postcard campaign. This campaign is led by creative people, for creative people with the support of Assembly for the Arts and Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. We’ve created 18 unique and vibrant postcards, featuring artists of all disciplines in all 17 Cleveland City Wards. Let’s flood City Hall with powerful postcard messages of why our community matters to Cleveland and why Creative Workers need this financial support – 2% of ARPA for the Arts