By Tom McClimon
February 6, 2006

Bringing back the arts and culture to New Orleans took center stage at the meeting of the Tourism, Arts, Parks, Entertainment and Sports Committee. Chaired by Miami Mayor Manuel Diaz, the mayors gained a better understanding of the role they and their cities can play in helping New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region restore their arts and culture programs.

The mayors heard from New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin and members of the Cultural Committee of the Bring New Orleans Back Commission. These included its Chairman Cesar Burgos, and Committee members Richard Gruber, Director of the Ogden Museum of Southern Art; Arthurine Payton, Government Affairs Manager, Cox Communications, and Jay Weigel, Director of the Contemporary Arts Center. Nagin and the Committee members presented what the economic impact of Katrina has been on the arts and culture to New Orleans and shared with the mayors some ideas as to how their cities can help, such as having their arts organizations adopt arts organizations and activities in New Orleans to work with. Nina Ozlu, Chief Counsel to the Americans for the Arts, shared her thoughts on the outlook for ways the arts community can assist in helping bring back the arts. As part of this effort, Diaz announced that the Arts Committee would be holding a special meeting in New Orleans, May 3-5 to further discuss what can be done to assist in rebuilding the arts programs in New Orleans.

Courtney Fox, Executive Director of the Travel Business Roundtable, and Vince Wolfington, Chairman of the World Travel and Tourism Council, gave the mayors a preview of the Travel and Tourism Summit that will be held April 10-12 in Washington, (DC).

Diaz joined with Kelly Caffarelli, Executive Director of the Home Depot Foundation in previewing a new awards program that will recognize communities for excellence in community trees. The awards will be announced at the Conference’s Annual Meeting in Las Vegas.

Earl Hurrey, Assistant Executive Director of the National Association for Music Education, gave the mayors an update on the National Anthem Project which is a campaign to promote the singing and history of The Star Spangled Banner. Launched this year at the Orange Bowl, the campaign will include marketing tours to a number of cities, a national media campaign and grassroots outreach to students, teachers, and communities.

Two programs honoring the nation’s war heroes were discussed. Carmella LaSpada, Executive Director of the White House Commission on the National Moment of Remembrance shared with the mayors ways their cities can participate in this event which will occur on Memorial Day, May 29 at 3pm local time.

Faces of the Fallen, an arts exhibition honoring soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan was presented by the exhibition’s executive director Ruth Riddick who encouraged the mayors to see the exhibit, which can be seen at their website www.FacesoftheFallen.org. and think about bringing it to their communities.

Aaron Koch, Director of the Mayors Institute on City Design gave the mayors a preview of the 2006 Mayors Institute on City Design program and invited mayors to attend an upcoming session.