Page 18 RA.IN May 1980 by Jim Williams Louis Harris, of Harris Polls, put t_o rest the false notion that cities are dying and suggested rather that cities were growing economically due to recent efforts to revitalize urban business districts through the development of cultural arts and entertainment programs, and physical planning. He cited two major obstacles to the use of cultural services for revitalization efforts. One is that, due to unfair tax distribution, in most cities services are funded from a residential base, whereas most downtown services are used by nonresidents or visitors from outside the city. The other major obstacle to the arts as a:n essential component in the economic life of a city is the bias of most politicians to cut arts services from the budget be-· fore any other service despite the·fact that the arts are the strongest draw of visitors to the urban core. Despite money woes, cities around the country are increa·sing their financial support for the arts. Why is this happening in a time of increasing unemployment and economic difficulties in urban centers? To answer this question and others, national leaders and experts gathered in San Antonio, Texas, December 11-13, 1979, for a conference on "Arts and City·Planning-:-Making Cities Livable.'" The wide range of participants representing, among others, the American Council on the Arts, the American Planning Association, the U.S. Conference,of Mayors and the National League of Cities,· all agreed on one basic premise: despite financially hard times, cities with strong cultural arts programs are thriving eco~omically. The director of the Design Arts program of the National Endowment for the Arts, Michael J. Pittas, recommended that if a city expects its cultural planning and development to succeed politically, artistically and economically, planning must emphasize the innovative and diverse tastes and interests of all the local populace, riot just the wealthy. John Blaine, of Hou~ton's Cultural Arts Council, argued that the arts should become a major, integral part of essential city services and budge·t, and that every state, county and city should establish one percent of their total budget to be set aside for arts services. Talking with delegates from v~rious cities, the single most important fact I learned was so obvious I am surprised we haven't-been aware of it. The most severe obstacle the professional arts worker faces in the economic reality of a city is a long-standing s~cial bias that somehow cultural work is not legitimate, valid, oi: essential in relation to all other forms of work. When budgets are designed and altered, the public funds allocated to support the contributions of the cultural worker to the quality of life of a community is often eliminated first. In essence, the professional arts worker does not have parity with other municipal workers. The products of cultural workers are not valued as highly as the pr,oducts of filing clerks, parks maintenance, street sweepers, or fiscal officers. The arts must achieve parity with all other essential city services. And, as one woman put it, "If you don't respect yourself as an equal, how can you expect others to think of the arts as more than a non-essential frill?" _. Jim Williams is the Producer of the Comrr,unity Center for Performing Arts in Eugene, Oregon. •
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