By Tom McClimon
September 15, 2008

Conference of Mayors President Miami Mayor Manny Diaz was featured on a national arts panel held during the Democratic National Convention in Denver. The panel was convened by Americans for the Arts Action Fund and the National Association of Music Merchants.

Diaz was joined on the panel, which discussed the importance of the arts in America, by five-time Grammy award winning musician and artist John Legend; former Secretary of Education and Governor of South Carolina Richard Riley; philanthropist and businesswoman Sheila Johnson; and New York Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, Chair of the House Rules Committee in Congress and Founder of the Congressional Arts Caucus. Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper welcomed the panel and audience to the Museo de las Americas by proclaiming, “If you have more music and arts in a community, I guarantee you that your economy will grow.”

Each of the panelists shared their personal and professional stories about how the arts had impacted their childhood development as well as the communities in which they live. Diaz emphasized how the arts have increased the quality of life for Miami residents, and why access to the arts is so important for community development as well as education for children. “Every community should be rich in arts and culture to not only maintain its economic vitality, but also to improve the quality of life for its residents. And every community should provide equal access to arts education for every child,” stated Diaz. “To emphasis the importance of the arts, we need for the next President to establish a cabinet level department of culture and tourism.”

Slaughter recognized the role that the mayors played in saving the National Endowment for the Arts a few years ago when its existence was threatened. “The mayors rallied to the cause,” stated Slaughter, a co-chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus. She stressed the importance of arts education by stating, “I believe that a child that creates will not destroy.”

Legend said he is living proof of the importance of music education and music school programs. Participating in school musicals and the choir helped him to connect to a large community. “I can’t imagine life without music,” he said.

Diaz is holding five national mayors forums to create an agenda that will be delivered to the next President during his first 100 days of the new Administration. The arts forum will be held October 3 in Palm Beach.