Policy Idea: An Artful Revitalization of Over-The-Rhine

As an aspiring orchestral musician, I absolutely love having a world-class orchestra a few miles from my apartment. What I DON'T like is worrying about whether or not I'm going to be mugged when I walk back to my car after the performance (that is, assuming my car is still there and hasn't been stolen or vandalized). Music Hall, along with countless other arts venues, is located in Cincinnati's historic Over-The-Rhine district (OTR). Though once a thriving community, OTR has greatly diminished in quality and quantity over the years. According to the OTR Chamber of Commerce website, here are some quick facts about OTR:

-OTR has approximately 7,000 residents. At one time, over 50,000 people lived there.
-OTR has about 500 vacant buildings, 2500 vacant units and 700 vacant lots available for repopulation and renovation.
-The picture below is a map of OTR. If you're anything like me, I had no idea it was so big.

Though its past vitality and historic qualities should not be discounted, the truth is that OTR is largely seedy, unsafe, rundown and unattractive. The city of Cincinnati is fully aware of this, and implemented a revitalization plan in 2002. Though this plan is quite comprehensive, the last public update of the plan's progress was in 2006. That's right: 5 years ago. Though Cincinnati still swears that the progress is ongoing, the results have been few and far between over the past several years. How can we fix this problem, you ask? Why, let the arts take over, of course!

The revitalization plan from 2002 included some arts restoration/revitalization, but not much. Once again, there have been no updates to the plan since 2006, so it's hard to say exactly what has been implemented as far as the arts go. I go to parts of OTR pretty regularly (to go to the symphony of course, but mostly to go to my favorite eco-friendly vegan store, Park + Vine), and the only change that has been visible to me is the addition of a few hipster-trendy stores and some brightly painted buildings (see picture on right for reference). As such an artsy city, I'm sure that Cincinnati's arts scene could be doing more to help both OTR and the arts thrive. But who will show us the way? Enter the greatest city in the world: San Francisco, California.

San Fran was recently featured in the NEA's Artworks blog for it's ARTery project. According to the San Francisco Arts Commission's Director of Cultural Affairs Luis R. Cancel, the ARTery project is "a new initiative aimed at revitalizing a blighted and largely vacant stretch of the Central-Market corridor into a nationally-celebrated cultural destination". (Blighted and largely-vacant? Ringing any bells, Cincinnatians?) Strategies of the project are as follows:

-Activating vacant storefronts with local artists' installations that address community issues and history

-Expanding the programming of performing arts organzations that have long been tenants of this area, with emphasis on sidewalk cultural activities and exhibition openings

-Placing large-scale sculptures out on the sidewalk for urban, interactive arts experience

-Providing free music during daytime hours

-Instituting an "Indy Arts Market"

Goals of this plan include bringing in more foot traffic, increasing economic activity in the area, and activating the street with cultural activities. For more information about this plan, go here.

When asked why it is important to consider the arts when attempting to revitalize a community, Cancel replied as follows:

The arts have always been at the forefront of neighborhood transformation, and thereby revitalization. Not only are artists resourceful problem solvers and partners, historically it is their efforts to move into affordable neighborhoods where they can do their work in market rate spaces (or below) that inevitably transforms the neighborhood and its economy, clearing the path for more business activity, more people and more revenue. It is artists that make a neighborhood change from undesirable to a coveted locale. Tying these two points together, the arts are a presence in virtually every marginal neighborhood in San Francisco. NOT having the arts at the table would be cutting them out of a community process of which they are primary stakeholders.

This man is a genius. I propose that Cincinnati follow the lead of a greater city, and implement its own ARTery-esque project in OTR.

Proposal : (For local art) Don't tax you, don't tax me - tax the man behind the tree

In 2002, Hamilton County Commissioners authorized a 3.5% increase (from 3%) in the county’s hotel tax to finance an expansion of Sharonville’s convention center and retiring debt from the Duke Energy Center expansion. In 2008, a lower-than-expected price tag for the Duke Energy expansion resulted in an early retirement of about $11 million in convention center debt; in turn, yielding a $2.1 million excess. On February 4, 2008, the commissioners heard a series of presentations on how to spend the money. Options under consideration included the Cincinnati USA Convention and Visitors Bureau’s idea to spend at least half of the revenue on new marketing initiatives to boost tourism within the region and a pledge of $400,000 a year to the city of Blue Ash for the construction of a conference and performing arts center.

The original financing plan assumed no growth in hotel-tax revenue, yet revenue has been growing at the rate of 3 percent to 7 percent each year. In March 2010, Business Courier reported the Greater Cincinnati’s convention industry was “outpacing its peers up and down the Eastern United States when it comes to future bookings.” Dan Lincoln, CEO of the Cincinnati USA Convention and Visitors Bureau, reported that in 2009, the bureau booked more than 198,000 future room nights with an estimated economic impact of $59 million, marking the fifth year it has increased future booking results despite the economy. Conventions like the 2012 World Choir Games and the 2013 Fraternal Order of Police Grand Lodge will continue to generate revenue.

The Duke Energy Center expansion has been completed and the expansion and renovation of the Sharonville site will commence in 2012. The county commission has not voted to return the hotel tax to its original 3%. With the apparent success of the local hotel and convention industry, the county hotel tax funds (no longer earmarked for the Duke Energy expansion) should be made available to local arts programs and organizations through a grant application process. The local arts scene (i.e. murals) and the abundance of arts organizations (i.e. theater, opera, museums) are vital entities that make Cincinnati attractive to conference and convention planners, students, and professionals.

County patronage of these organizations and programs will continue to attract more people and more money to Cincinnati. Use of revenue generated by the hotel tax will not only benefit visitors to the city, but residents as well. Residents will dually continue to develop and nurture an appreciation for the arts and recognize the benefits of a flourishing arts scene to the local economy without the fiscal responsibility. While other cities have experienced a decline in tourism, Cincinnati has not and should reward the organizations and programs responsible for attracting people to the city.

Other cities have successfully implemented hotel tax funds for the arts. Since its inception in 1961, Grants for the Arts/San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund (GFTA) has distributed over $300 million to hundreds of nonprofit cultural organizations in San Francisco. In 2010/11 nearly $8.8M has been allocated to 217 groups and activities. (See pie chart below for distribution of funds.) While Cincinnati may not turn over that much revenue from the hotel tax, a scaled down model of San Francisco’s program would be beneficial.

With respect to Cincinnati’s convention centers’ expansions being supported by the increase on hotel tax, county commissioners could model funding for local arts organizations and programs on the King County Lodging Tax for Culture.

In 1987, the state legislature established a cap on the annual tax revenues servicing construction bonds for the Kingdome (former home of Seattle’s professional sports teams). According to the website, a portion of the Seattle county’s tax revenues above $5.3 million per year are dedicated to arts and heritage programs through the year 2012, when the original Kingdome debt is scheduled to be retired. Between 2001 and 2012 cultural programs receive 70% of the excess revenue above $5.3 million, with a requirement that 40% of the revenues for cultural programs be set-aside in an endowment intended to fund arts and heritage after 2012. The website lists several impacts of this fund including

- more than 250 arts and heritage organizations receiving annual support for public programs,

- $844 million in economic impact annually, including $300 million in "new money," spent by visitors, and

- 7 million visitors to cultural events each year.

This model would fulfill the original purpose of the Hamilton county hotel tax increase (convention center expansion) while stabilizing arts organizations and programming.

-Auna R. Hearne

Sources

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/02/04/daily12.html

http://www.4culture.org/lodging_tax.htm

http://www.sfgfta.org/grants_html/history.htm

http://www.hamilton-co.org/DAS/hotel_m.asp

Public Policy Proposal: “Enjoy CincinnArts”.

Have you heard this song?

Cincin Nati

Start spreadin' the news,

I'm leavin' today

I want to be a part of it,

Cinciiiiin, Natiiii

These vagabond shoes

Are longing to stray

Right through the very heart of it,

Cinciiiin, Natiii

I wanna wake up in a city

That doesn't sleep

And find I'm king of the hill,

Top of the heap...

Ok, if you have not heard it quite like that it’s because Cincinnati still has a lot of artistic and cultural life yet to grow. Cincinnati has a lot of potential, it is home of “one of the larger collections of nineteenth-century Italianate architecture in the U.S., primarily concentrated in Over-the-Rhine. Over-the-Rhine, for many years a neighborhood of German immigrants, is one of the largest historic districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places”. (wikipedia).

Why shouldn’t people want to move in to Cincinnati? Why is Cincinnati still not recognized internationally as a vibrant city? It has been named: Number 5 as a U.S. arts destination, American Style Magazine (2004); Highest rated city in Ohio for "Best Cities For Young Professionals" and 18th overall, Forbes magazine (2007) and, 5th in "America's Most Affordable Cities" Forbes magazine (2009) (wikipedia).

Cincinnati can still work harder in their attempt to be recognized, not only to outsiders but also to Cincinnatians, as a city full of activity, a city where people can pretty much stumble upon art with every step, not only downtown or inside museums but everywhere!

Thanks to the study conducted by Topos Partnership and ArtsWave we now know that it is important that Cincinnatians can see art as a way of life, not just entertainment; art can and should be an active experience; and art should be for and from everyone; it should be felt as community propriety.

Art should be part of Cincinnati’s evolution. Art is important in a city that strives to grow stronger not only because of its own value (art for art sake), but because all of the other benefits that come along not only for those actively involved in creating and experiencing arts but fort the whole community. The so called “ripple effect”, arts play an important role in creating a vibrant, thriving economy and a more connected population, it brings financial benefits and development opportunities.

This is why the local government and major companies should actively support the project “Enjoy CincinnArts”. The fore mentioned program is a combination of the successful campaigns directed by Arts Wave “Paint the Street” and “Sampler Weekend”. “Enjoy CincinnArts” can be made of those two types of events. And exhibit of performing arts around the city similar to the Sampler Weekend combined with openings of citywide exhibits of artistic photographs, sculptures, and street- and wall-paintings that will remain imprinted in the city longer than the performing arts. This project would be of great value to embellish the city. The making of the sculptures should involve local artists but also the work art lov

ers and of course city lovers. By involving local artists and the community as a whole “Enjoy CincinnArts” would help develop a sense of ownership and pride over the city.

Why should citizens, politicians and businesses strongly and actively support this city project?

ü The nonprofit arts industry generates $166.2 billion annually in economic activity, supports 5.7 million jobs, and returns $12.6 billion to the federal government in income taxes. By investing in the arts, government is fostering a skilled work force of creative occupations that contribute to economic productivity. (See Americans for the Arts, Arts and Economic Prosperity III)

ü Creativity is part of a state’s competitive edge. As part of a state’s cre­ative capacity, the arts are assets to economic recovery that support jobs, stimulate commerce and stabilize property values. (See NASAA’s Creative Economic Development Resource Center.)

ü The arts attract tourism revenue. Cultural tourism is the fastest growing sector of the tourism industry, comprised of some 118 million cultural travelers—people who include the arts and heritage in their trips each year. Cultural tourists stay longer and spend 36% more money at their destinations than other kinds of travelers. Public dollars support cultural activities and institu­tions such as museums, historic sites, theatres and festivals that draw visitors and residents alike. (See NASAA’s Cultural Tourism Resources.)

*Campaigning for Public Arts Support

For all of these benefits the city would only be required to give permission to locate the paintings, sculptures and photographs as well as support business in their donations by some kind of tax deduction support, citizens should jump on board by giving some of their time and artists by submitting proposals of their works. Given the magnitude of the project an institution such as ArtsWave might be the best candidate to coordinate everybody’s effort into accomplishing this project and eventually quantitatively evaluate the impact of such project.

http://www.giarts.org/article/arts-ripple-effect

The "Culture Wars" Return

When one thinks of a government regulating art or media and dictating what can and cannot be shown in museums and other public forums, one thinks of socialism, of countries like China or South Korea. However, these acts of censorship are happening today, and in the U.S.

The situation: In late November, 2010, the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. removed the video A Fire in My Belly by David Wojnarowicz from their National Portrait Gallery Exhibition. The video was part of a gay-themed exhibit and briefly featured ants crawling on a crucifix. Incoming Speaker of the House John Boehner, responding to pressure from right-wing coservative and religious groups, dropped some not-so-subtle hints that if the museum didn't remove the video, its federal funding could be in jeopardy. This is a catastrophic threat to the Smithsonian, as over 2/3 of their $1 billion budget comes from the federal government. So, Museum Secretary G. Wayne Clough folded under the pressure and removed the video, spurring many protests from the general public.


This entire situation seems like something that should never be happening in the 21st century. Shouldn't we be more advanced by now? Instead, we are still stuck in the "Culture Wars" of thirty years ago, with no progress made toward acceptance of art, no matter how controversial its subject. This act of censorship also brings up the question: Was it censored for the images of the crucifix? Or because of the gay-themes contained in the rest of the video? Was this an act by someone trying to protect their religion, or a display of homophobia?

Public Policy Proposal: Artist Storefront Program

One cannot deny the power of arts and culture to enhance the quality of life of a city. For instance, Cincinnati provides diverse artistic and cultural experiences to its residents through the symphony, opera, ballet, theaters, dance organizations, art and history museums, and many more institutions. According to ArtsWave’s research “The Arts Ripple Effect,” the arts do not only provide special experiences, but the arts also revitalize the community, making neighborhoods more vibrant and attractive. As an example, many cities have implemented public art programs in the community (e.g. downtown areas). These programs have been successful because they enhance the city, helping generate public interest and adding to the economy.

My proposal is to implement an Artist Storefront Program in downtown Cincinnati. The Artist Storefront Program would help facilitate the renovation process of vacant commercial property and storefronts by utilizing local artists who will create paintings, installations, and sculptures. Downtown Cincinnati is home to many arts organizations. There is also a vibrant restaurant and nightlife scene that complements the arts and culture in the area. However, there are areas of downtown Cincinnati (e.g. parts of Over-The-Rhine) that have been hit hard by the economic downturn which need to be restored and revitalized to further complement the thriving downtown area. This Artist Storefront Program will rejuvenate hard-hit neighborhoods, stimulate the aesthetics of the area, attract residents and tourists, and advance economic development. Moreover, this program will help artists bring art to diverse communities. Also, the artists will have the chance to create exciting and innovate art installations, creating more opportunities to experience art-related activities in downtown Cincinnati.

Many cities across the United States have implemented Artist Storefront projects. Here is an example:

In October 2009, San Francisco created a pilot program called Art in Storefronts. According to the San Francisco Arts Commission website, the pilot program “engages San Francisco-based artists to reinvigorate neighborhoods that have been hard-hit by the economic downturn.” The program was initiated by Mayor Gavin Newsom and represents a partnership between the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), the San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC), and neighborhood based cultural and economic development organizations.

“The first round of Art in Storefronts was a huge success and I’m happy to have the program grow into Chinatown,” said Mayor Gavin Newsom. “Vacant storefronts with boarded up windows became destinations for vibrant contemporary art. The increased foot traffic made neighbors feel safer and stimulated the local economy. The participating artists shared their work with a diverse new audience. Visitors and locals gained a better understanding and appreciation for San Francisco’s tremendous creative community, which is one of the things that makes our city so special.”

In order to implement this policy, the city of Cincinnati will need to enlist the help of the Department of Community Development, the Cincinnati Recreation Commission, ArtWorks, and neighborhoods and various city officials. The city officials will help locate different commercial property owners who will let their spaces be used. In addition, the Cincinnati Recreation Commission and ArtWorks will work together to select the artists and arts organizations who will be involved in the creative process. The Department of Community Development will provide a stipend to the artists through allocated City funds. Neighborhoods will also be involved in the conversation by identifying innovative ways to enhance their space.

The Artist Storefront Program has been successful in cities like Phoenix AZ, Pittsfield MA, and Seattle WA. The project will help create jobs for artists, as well as opportunities to experience contemporary art. In addition, both the city and the economy will be revitalized. Most importantly, the project will further enhance this vibrant community of Cincinnati through the arts.

Joshua Trujillo / P-1

A storefront glows, illuminating paper art in the window of the Eastern Building on Maynard Avenue South in Seattle's International District.

--Ahlam Yusuf-Ali

Public Policy Idea

Convenience is one of the largest factors people avoid doing activities. Cincinnati is known for having a non-convenient public transportation system. In cities like Portland, Chicago, Washington D.C., and NYC, a great public transportation system enables people to explore the city. Cincinnati currently has the rare opportunity of integrating a highly successful public transportation system into the city—The Streetcar.

The Portland Streetcar is approximately 4 miles in length, and has over 12,000 riders per day. The system is owned by the city of Portland, but is actually a not-for-profit public benefit corporation whose Board reports to the City’s Bureau of Transportation [Wikipedia]. Cincinnati is in the process of implementing the transportation system from Portland into the city.

The most unique aspect of the Portland Streetcar is its funding aspect, which is not at all entirely supported by Trimet fares. The Portland Streetcar gets revenue is from Trimet, city parking revenues, and a “Local Improvement District” (special property tax assessed on properties near the line). Another unique way that the Portland Streetcar is supported is through sponsorship of a train or a particular stop. [Wikipedia]

The surprising feature about the Streetcar is that most of its route lies in a special area designated Free Rail Zone. Adopted back in 1975, there is a special zone in downtown Portland which is free of service. Until 2009, the Portland Streetcar, Max, and bus systems in Zone 1 were all fare less, now it is just the Streetcar and Max. The idea behind the Fareless Square was prompted by limited parking and air pollution.

Being from Portland, I have a very in-depth view/opinion of the success and possibilities of a Fareless Square. I personally know dozens of people who park in cheap areas and go to concerts, bookstores, restaurants, movies, etc. utilizing Fareless Square. The greatest aspect of Fareless Square is the plethora of great places to attend that are located close to a stop. If you want to go to the Art Museum, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Newmark Theatre, etc. all you need to do is walk 1 city block from a stop—the best part is that you only park your car once.

Cincinnati has the rare opportunity to steal another one of Portland’s great ideas—Fareless Square. When examining the current route for the Cincinnati Streetcar, I have noticed that there are numerous arts organizations located in a literal square on the route. My idea is to impose the exact same property tax on the Streetcar route that is imposed in Portland.

This particular Fareless Square should lie exactly on the loop that starts on the East side of Washington Park and Ends at the Music Hall stop (possibly extended to Findlay Market—I am indifferent on that location). This loop could create a very large increase in people who frequent that particular area, and the messages could be created to focus towards those passengers. The loop could be called the “Culture Loop,” where there are numerous informational signs about the many great walking distance arts organizations on the route. Some of the arts organizations that are close to the Culture Loop is Music Hall, Emery Theatre, Cincinnati Public Main Library, Ensemble Theatre, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Contemporary Arts Center, and the list goes on. With all of these arts organizations so close together, advertising their specific locations would be simple.

The stop locations on the route could be named or geared towards the particular arts organizations that are nearby. Cars could be dedicated to a particular art form, and on-train advertising would be directly targeted at people who are currently passing by their location. There could be pamphlets created that could reside on the trains, much like route maps, that point out the numerous attractions the route stops nearby.

The primary focus of this initiative is twofold.  First, to create a frequency of message about the numerous arts organizations located on the route. Second, is to build trust, awareness, and convenience to attend these great local organizations.  A primary complaint surrounding Music Hall is its location. There is nothing to do around Music Hall that is within walking distance, but if you were able to park only once and travel for free to your concert, you are more likely to attend the event.

My policy would take support from the voters to increase the property tax surrounding the route, so that the Culture Loop can be possible. Arts organizations will have to be proactive in supporting the Loop, and be able to show tangible results regarding increased local revenue. The more support from a majority of the arts organizations equals a better likelihood of public support of the Culture Loop

 Here is a great link about the Cincinnati Streetcar. 

Justin

Policy Proposal: Find New Ways to Fund Public Art Program

When you visit a public place like a city park or a downtown square, you usually know right away whether or not the place has a good vibe – if there is energy from people coming together and sharing meaning in a space. The arts play a role in this by helping to build more dynamic, interesting communities where people want to be.

Public art projects can help enhance a city’s public spaces as well as support local artists whose work helps add to the local economy and the overall desirability of a place. For example, artists have been used to create or design park benches, manhole covers, murals, drinking fountains, sculptures, bike racks (as seen around Cincinnati) and other public amenities. These public art projects are often implemented in collaboration between many different city departments – such as parks departments and community development divisions – to incorporate art into projects that are not just aesthetic but sometimes functional.

While the City of Cincinnati has reduced its funding to arts organizations and projects during the economic downturn, I believe that it can find more creative ways to dedicate funds to support arts projects that will benefit the entire community. Specifically, I propose that the City of Cincinnati implement a public art program and explore new potential funding options to support the program.

To fund local arts programs, city governments commonly use sales and property tax allotments or percent-for-art requirements (specifying a percentage of public and/or private development projects that must be used for public art projects). But some cities have found other ways to fund these efforts, for example:
• The City of Toronto in Ontario, Canada passed a law imposing a billboard tax in which the proceeds go to arts funding.
• The city of Wilson, North Carolina uses late fees on utility bills to support local nonprofit organizations, including arts groups.
• In Aspen, Colorado, a real estate transfer tax supports arts and cultural organizations.
• Many cities use other tax revenue to support the arts, including hotel/motel taxes and other tourism-related taxes (e.g., rental cars), gaming taxes, and entertainment taxes (e.g., taxes on sporting tickets or movie tickets).

While not all of these options will work for Cincinnati, the City Council should examine different funding options to help support a public art program. Is there a way that we could use late fees on water bills to fund the program? Could we allocate some funds from parking fees? These are some of the questions that could be explored.

In developing the public art program, the City Council will need to work with the City Planning and Buildings division, Community Development Department, Cincinnati Recreation Commission, Parks Department, Public Services Department, and other divisions that could be involved in public art projects. The Council will also need to gather input from arts administrators and supporters, community leaders, artists and other stakeholders. Although there will be costs involved and time needed to develop the program – including the requirements of the accepted projects, the funding system, and the staffing needs – its impact could be tremendous.

Research has shown that the arts make a significant impact on local economies and communities. But the best way to see the impact of public art projects is to visit the places where public art has been used and see what you find. I bet they are lively and draw you in. Whether it’s a bus shelter or a neighborhood map to the street under your feet, the arts can be used in many different ways in Cincinnati to create a more engaging community.

- Aubrey Shermock

http://www.examiner.com/art-community-in-omaha/arts-trouble-try-billboard-tax-or-art-loans-at-least-a-positive-attitude

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/culturalcontracts/downloads/best_practices.pdf

http://www.plancincinnati.org/documents/working_groups/existing_conditions/AC%20Existing%20Conditions%20Supplement%2010-12-10.pdf

http://www.theartswave.org/about/research-reports

Arts Education in Public Schools

It is an issue that has been a focus in the arts world for many years and the topic of many debates, table discussions, and essays. I believe there should be more arts education in the public school systems, particularly in Cincinnati. Most people would agree that this is a nice idea, but the money simply is not there. In the current public education debate, you often encounter the acronym STEM, meaning science, technology, engineering, and math. These are currently the areas that the country is focusing on improving to create a workforce on par with the rest of the world. You can turn on your TV and probably see a commercial for this within 20 minutes. Many people in the arts community would like for the acronym to be changed to STEAM, adding an A for arts.

The arts world has been advocating for more arts education for years by presenting the facts about how students benefit from involvement in the arts. Americans for the Arts compiles vast amounts of information on the subject, which can be accessed through their website http://artsusa.org. According to Americans for the Arts students involved in the arts are much less likely to drop out of school, score on average 91 points higher on their SATs, have better attention skills that enable learning, higher motivation, better memory skills, better reading skills, and much more. Arts students are also in high demand in the workforce. 85% of employers say they want more creative employees and they value creativity and innovation in employees. This kind of inventive thinking cannot be taught, but must be experienced in arts programs.

I have had so many parents approach me to say how their child’s grades have improved in every one of their classes after joining the band. I constantly see the intangibles that students gain from being in the arts, such as leadership, multi-tasking, and teamwork. Unfortunately these intangibles do not hold much weight with officials who have had no experience in the arts.

While the facts from Americans for the Arts are very convincing and personal anecdotes are moving, they obviously have not been enough to change the public’s approach to arts education. Maybe it is time to talk about why arts education is important in a new light!

ArtWave’s study The Arts Ripple Effect proposes that one of the most compelling reasons to support the arts is that it allows our increasingly diverse population to create shared experiences. I feel this could be a persuasive argument at the K-12 level as well. If children could create these cultural connections at a very young age, they will remember them through the rest of their lives. It is conceivable that if children had more in common there would be less bullying and less discrimination. In an age of texting and twittering (and even blogging!) students don’t have nearly enough of the face-to-face contact that the arts provide, allowing them to forge lasting cultural bonds.

It is important to emphasize that students should not be involved in the arts because it is going to become their career, but rather because it will benefit them in every area of their life. Similarly, a very small number of students who play high school football end up in the NFL. In Seattle City Brights blog, Dr. Jim Taylor says that arts education needs to be stressed in the schools in order to “produce a truly well-balanced citizenry capable of being engaged members and vital contributors to all parts of our society.” Similarly, R. Barry Shauck from ARTSblog says that have arts education is a crucial contribution “to the development of culturally adept citizens.”

But back to the nitty-gritty of the question. In order for the arts to survive in public schools, more money needs to be allocated for the arts. It is important that the public advocates for arts education with the school board. It is also important that the general citizenry votes to pass school bonds that would support the arts. Many people are resistant to this because they do not want to take away money from other areas of education. But if people could imagine what Cincinnati would look like with much stronger arts education I think they would change their minds. We could be a community where students are more motivated to be high achievers in all area of their studies, are more prepared for the workforce, and have cultural connections that will last the rest of their lives.

Policy Proposal: Artist for A Day

In a time when the economy is drastically changing, many arts groups are feeling the pinch. Government funding for the arts at the local, state, and national levels is often one of the first things to be cut when budgets are shrinking, but the arts remain an important and vital part of our society, community, culture, and economy. As is discussed in The Arts Ripple Effect, many in the community use the argument that while the arts are nice to have, they are not necessary. On top of the declining financial support for the arts, many business and civil leaders in the community are criticizing the funds that are spent on the arts. Long story short, many of our public leaders are not promoting a broader sense of responsibility for the arts. Perhaps because they do not understand how arts organizations function or truly how much work goes into creating, producing, funding, and providing art.

In New York City, there is an organization called the New York City Arts Coalition. This organization is "a membership network of arts professionals and arts supporters organized for education, advocacy and public policy development in the nonprofit arts field." NYCAC currently represents over 200 non-profit arts organizations and is governed by members of these arts organizations. The coalition "promotes a broad awareness of the arts in the life of the city. It encourages leaders and elected officials to protect the creative freedom of the arts community and to support adequate appropriations for the arts in the city, state, and federal budgets." The group believes that "public funding for the arts is essential to the growth, diversity, and freedom of our communities. Works of art show us new ways of seeing and feeling, reveal who we are and who we might be. The availability of government funds ensures the creation and exhibition of all forms of art, independent of market trends."

One of the many successful initiatives that this group has managed to implement is a program called "Artist for A Day." This program takes civil leaders, business men and women, and influential community members into the city's most innovative arts organizations to see what happens behind the scenes at these arts organizations before tickets are sold or doors opened for admission. They speak with arts leaders about how they function day to day with minimal staff and funding, all while providing the arts to the NYC community and a vital boost to it's economy.

I think that the city of Cincinnati would greatly benefit from a similar program. Many of our community leaders (business and civil) do not have enough personal involvement in the arts during their lifetime to fully understand the impact that they can have on a community. I also believe that there is a misconception among some (not all) leaders about the difficulty and amount of work that arts organizations must push through in order to see a successful end product. By implementing a public initiative to actively involve community leaders in our arts organizations, we can allow them to see first hand the ripple effect that the arts have in our community.

My proposal? To implement a mandatory program for members of City Council that would require them to to experience a particular arts organization for several days over the course of a quarter, production time, or year. A single day is not nearly enough time to truly appreciate how an arts organization functions or to see the true impact it is having on the community. It is currently too easy for our leaders to put the arts on the back burner and get wrapped up in fighting the same political issues we've been struggling with for years. While this initiative may be difficult to implement for business leaders (perhaps this could be something based on a voluntary basis for them?), I do think it is something that should be adopted by the City Council as a requirement for all members, and is also something that could be implemented with little or no cost to the city. This initiative would force an open dialogue between City Council members and arts leaders, foster relationships between the City Council and the community, and allow the city's leaders to truly see firsthand the positive ripple effect that the arts have on the Cincinnati community.

http://www.nycityartscoalition.org/artistforaday.html

Policy Proposal: Affordable Live/Work Housing for Artists

Artists bring vitality to a community. Their creative work infuses energy and culture into a community’s day-to-day happenings. Through their art form, artists connect people with enriching experiences. Unfortunately, all too often, artists do not earn fair financial compensation for their extraordinary artistic efforts. Many artists struggle to provide for themselves and their families. This is true in cities across the nation, including Cincinnati. Research from The Arts Ripple Effect tells us that people across the Cincinnati region believe that the arts create economic vibrancy in the area and bring people of a community together. Without the artists to provide these opportunities, we have no art.

What can Cincinnati do to support, retain, and attract artists?

My proposal: create affordable live/work housing for local artists. The project would involve renovating an abandoned or rundown building, designing spaces to accommodate an artist’s life and work, and overseeing the management of the building and tenants. The housing should be located downtown or in Over the Rhine as these areas host numerous arts and cultural organizations, giving the artists convenient access to the arts scene. Artists would be chosen to live in the housing based on household income and their contribution to the arts community.

In her study of artist housing policies in U.S. cities, Elizabeth Strom found that cities throughout the country are using artist housing policy to revitalize their neighborhoods. Other motivating factors for setting such policy include meeting the housing needs of local artists and attracting artists to the city. These cities—which range from Las Vegas to Wichita to Minneapolis—are investing in the cultural capital of their community because artists add unique value to a city. Strom writes,

“City officials gamble that these small investments will have clear ripple effects: that a few dozen artists will make these spaces less marginal and that several years or decades later, their investment in artist housing will have paid off in new, private investment in the surroundings” (375).

The coordination and financing of these housing projects usually involves many stakeholders, committees, and funding streams. Cincinnati would need to create a policy network that includes representatives from arts organizations and members of the following city divisions: the City Council, City Planning and Buildings, Community Development, Economic Development, and the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority. The city council needs to first convene these people to begin discussions and planning. At the appropriate time, the council needs to officially approve the proposal and designate city spending for the project. Generally, for projects like these, funding comes from a mix of federal, state, city, foundation, and private money.

The city could also enlist the help of Artspace, a nonprofit that has been developing live/work and commercial and studio spaces for artists since 1979. Currently, Artspace is in the preliminary stages of developing 36 units of affordable artist housing near the Central Business District of neighboring Hamilton, OH (pictures below). Through the collaboration, Artspace conducted a Artist Market Study, created to reach 7,500 artists within a 50-mile radius of Hamilton. The survey supported the need for affordable live/work space for artists and their families. As Cincinnati does fall within the 50-mile radius of Hamilton, we can postulate that a similar need may exist in Cincinnati. A partnership with Artspace would allow the project to apply for Low Income Housing Tax Credit to cut costs. The organization’s ntation of this project. Based on the costs of past Artspace projects, I would estimate that the creation of artist housing in Cincinnati would cost between $10 and $15 million.

This project would benefit not only artists but also the community at large. It will help retain and attract artists, which can help revitalize a community’s vibrancy and economy. As a city with a high-quality and diverse arts scene, Cincinnati should take this step to support its cultural capital and provide it the opportunity to grow.