Americans for the Arts and the National League of Cities present Councilman Kevin Conwell of Cleveland, Ohio, with the 2024 Public Leadership in the Arts Award for a City Council Member. This award honors city council members who have consistently advocated for pro-arts legislation, funding, and promotion in their communities.
“Americans for the Arts is proud to honor Councilman Kevin Conwell for his steadfast dedication to enrichening Cleveland through the arts,” said Jamie Bennett and Suzy Delvalle, Interim Co-CEOs of Americans for the Arts. “Conwell’s leadership demonstrates a profound commitment to creating spaces where arts and culture can flourish, strengthening community bonds and improving the quality of life of all residents.”
Conwell has served on Cleveland’s City Council since 2001, representing Ward 9, which includes most of Glenville —where he grew up— and University Circle, named the country’s best arts district by USA TODAY in 2021.
Ward 9 is home to internationally acclaimed cultural landmarks such as the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and the Western Reserve Historical Society, as well as community-based organizations including CAL, The Music Settlement, and Cleveland Cultural Gardens.
Councilman Conwell is widely recognized as an enthusiastic champion of arts and culture, consistently highlighting their benefits to communities. As a percussionist himself, Conwell believes the arts have played a role in helping him overcome health challenges.
“I’m honored to receive this award and gratified that people in the Northeast Ohio arts community nominated me,” said Councilman Kevin Conwell. “I’ve spent most of my life involved in the arts, specifically music. My belief that art has the power to transform children’s lives and enhance communities economically and by creating a sense of belonging has been a guiding principle in my life.”
In 2022, Conwell was appointed chair of Cleveland City Council’s Health and Human Services Committee, which he renamed the Health, Human Services, and Arts Committee, demonstrating his commitment to advancing arts and culture. The committee now oversees matters related to the visual and performing arts.
He also collaborated with Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb to spearhead legislation establishing the city’s first cabinet-level arts strategist in 2023. This year, Conwell was a major proponent of nonpartisan Issue 55, a levy expected to generate approximately $160 million over a decade for 400 arts and cultural nonprofits.
“Councilman Conwell’s passion for uplifting and advancing the arts and culture in Cleveland is unparalleled,” said NLC CEO & Executive Director Clarence E Anthony. “This honor reflects his dedication to developing the Cleveland arts community. We applaud Councilman Conwell’s leadership and join the Cleveland community in celebrating this recognition.”
As an outspoken activist on social services issues, Conwell has consistently advocated for low-income families, individuals with disabilities, the elderly, and the unemployed. In 2019, he led the creation of a program to distribute used musical instruments to Cleveland children from underprivileged backgrounds.
Following the pandemic, Councilman Conwell sponsored legislation to direct funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to support struggling individuals and neighborhoods, establishing a $3 million Transformative Arts Fund for public art projects and artist-led initiatives. He worked diligently to raise awareness among minority and senior artists about their eligibility for $1.5 million in Cuyahoga County ARPA funds designated for individual artists.
“Councilman Conwell lives and breathes the arts every day. Cleveland area residents applaud his advocacy for pro-arts legislation on the Cleveland City Council, his active involvement in supporting arts education for youth, and his prowess as a practicing musician who inspires with his percussive rhythms,” said Jeremy Johnson, President and CEO of Assembly for the Arts
Through his tireless dedication, Conwell has profoundly impacted arts policy and funding within Ward 9 and beyond, revealing the transformative power of the arts to enrich lives and strengthen communities.
For more information, follow @Americans4Art.
Established in 1960, Americans for the Arts (AFTA) is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization advocating for the arts at the federal level in the United States. AFTA is committed to representing and serving local communities while fostering equitable access to the arts.
Contact:
Mariaesmeralda Paguaga
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