Washington, DC
May 12, 2011

In Chicago, April 27 to 29, we had the biggest national summit on City Design ever before. The event brought 300 of the best and brightest mayors, designers, planners and architects in one body focusing on the design of American cities now and in the future. The occasion was the 50th Mayors Institute on City Design, celebrating 25 years of The U.S. Conference of Mayors partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and our cooperator the American Architectural Foundation.

While we celebrated the success of almost 900 mayoral graduates of the Mayors Institute of City Design, we worked on the future agenda of our nation. No doubt design is now defined in a way that transportation policy comes in to play in a big way. Delegates in Chicago at this summit went beyond the traditional parameters of design and were bold in raising issues with federal policy that needs to be altered.

We ended our summit with a very strong luncheon honoring Chicago Mayor Daley. Mayors and delegates saluted him for his leadership and legendary success in arts and design for Chicago over the past 22 years of his incredible leadership as mayor.

Rocco Landesman, NEA Chair and champion, continues to bring new meaning to arts and design for the federal government and our cities. His words at our summit and his actions every day as he leads the federal government to good design in all departments is needed. We are thankful to have him as an advocate within the Obama Administration and to the public and private sector and, above all, we are thankful in that he recognizes that mayors of the USA are the future for cities that are human, livable, and productive for all.

In New Orleans, President Kautz and TAPES Committee Chair Mayor Mitch Landrieu presided over a forum where we heard from New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu telling all the mayors assembled that they too can develop their festivals and events into larger and grander events. Mayor Landrieu gave us a history of how he worked at the state level as Lieutenant Governor to promote arts and culture for Louisiana and especially New Orleans.

Mayor Landrieu brought forth the directors of The Essence Festival, The French Quarter Festival, The Bayou Country Music Festival of Tiger Stadium, and of course the New Orleans Jazz Fest, now 41 years old.

While all of us know about the music, culture and the food of festivals, Mayor Landrieu focused on the economics stating that the Jazz Fest alone is a $350 million, which does so much for the economy of his region.

This meeting was another great meeting where mayors came to learn, to share, and to take home new ideas for making their cities better and more profitable.

We thank Mayor Daley for arranging and we thank Mayor-elect Emanuel for being with us during our recent dinner and special time in Chicago.

President Kautz, Vice President Villaraigosa, and I will be there for Mayor-elect Emanuel’s inauguration on May 16 and Mayor Rahm Emanuel will be with us in Baltimore for our Annual Meeting next month.

President Elizabeth Kautz, Vice President Antonio Villaraigosa, Second Vice President Michael Nutter, and our host Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake all welcome you to our 79th Annual Conference of Mayors in Baltimore June 17 to 21.

As mayors, this is the place you should be as we gather to give a strong voice in these challenging times. We need you now more than ever.

Please register now at usmayors.org/registration or call Carol Edwards at 202-293-7330.

See you in Baltimore!