Summit County tax dollars may one day be hard at work for the arts. The heads of Akron-area cultural institutions are looking into what is possible.

The Akron Press Club hosted a panel Wednesday on arts funding with Akron Civic Theatre Executive Director Howard Parr, ArtsNow Director Nicole Mullet and Akron Community Foundation CEO John Garofalo.

All three touted the local economic impact of their sector - $1.4 billion, pre-pandemic . The conversation quickly turned to public funding.

Parr pointed out that in neighboring Cuyahoga County, voters have consistently supported a cigarette tax by 3-to-1 margins. The proceeds are distributed by Cuyahoga Arts & Culture to nonprofits, including Ideastream Public Media.

“That's not just because they did great advertising in the campaign,” he

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