$1.0M in expenses

Convening, professional development, and sector connectionartsnow convened artists, arts and culture organizations, funders, civic leaders, and cross-sector partners throughout fy2025 to strengthen relationships, share knowledge, and build shared understanding. Convenings included professional development workshops, planning sessions, networking opportunities, and large-scale gatherings such as the creative placemaking conference.these activities focused on practical skill building, peer learning, and cross-sector dialogue, supporting both individual practitioners and organizational leaders. Artsnow's convenings strengthened access to resources, increased coordination across organizations, and supported the long-term health and relevance of the arts and culture sector in summit county.providing access to arts and culture information and resourcesartsnow continued to provide residents, visitors, and cultural practitioners with access to comprehensive information about arts and culture offerings across summit county. Through its online platforms, including summitlive365, artsnow promoted cultural events, job opportunities, and calls for artists, serving as a centralized information hub for the region.in addition, artsnow provided educational resources and tools to support arts and culture organizations, artists, and cross-sector partners, including civic, business, and community leaders. These efforts focused on increasing understanding of the local cultural ecosystem, improving access to best practices, and strengthening the capacity of partners to engage with arts and culture as a core component of community well-being and economic vitality.aggregating data and informing strategyin fy2025, artsnow continued to strengthen its role as a regional data resource by aggregating and analyzing information related to cultural participation, investment, and geographic distribution. Building on the akron/summit cultural plan's original static maps, artsnow advanced a partnership with summit county planning and gis staff to develop updated, dynamic tools that better support strategic decision making, investment alignment, and cross-sector collaboration.artsnow also used data collected from grantees, convenings, surveys, and community engagement to inform program design, grantmaking priorities, and sector support activities.building and strengthening funding for arts and cultureartsnow continued to administer and grow the artsforward grant program, a countywide funding initiative designed to invest in artists, arts and culture organizations, and projects advancing the akron/summit cultural plan. Since launching its grantmaking work, artsnow has invested $1,432,577 through artsforward, supporting a total of 135 grantees, including 54 individual artists and 80 nonprofit organizations.during calendar year 2025, artsnow awarded $507,343 to 55 artsforward grantees. Outcomes reported by grantees demonstrate the broader impact of this work. In a twelve-month reporting period, 2023 artsforward grantees secured an additional $155,231 in funding from local and national philanthropy, individual donors, and earned income; hosted 348 unique performances, classes, and workshops; engaged more than 20,000 participants; and employed or paid 340 individuals. (this work occurred in calendar year 2024.)