Washington, DC
December 14, 2012

ROCCO

Rocco Landesman, Broadway producer, racehorse owner, lottery ticket winner, avid baseball and country music fan came to Washington in 2009 as President Obama’s new National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chair.

From the time I first met him, along with Tom McClimon, in his office at The Old Post Office Building, I knew he was a different kind of NEA Chair. I knew I liked him. I knew he gets it with mayors, cities and the arts. And I knew he would make a difference. And he proved me right. He did.

“Rocco” as we call him came to this town as a showman who loved horse racing and he showed he was a workhorse for arts for American cities and our mayors.

We don’t have a minister of culture in this country. Jacqueline Kennedy called for one during her 1,000 days in The White House with President Kennedy and afterwards in New York City as a strong arts advocate. As Chair of our Conference of Mayors Arts Committee, former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz led our effort for our mayors’ organization to demand that the federal government establish a cabinet post for Secretary for Arts and Tourism. Other nations around the world, such as France, Italy and Latin nations have Ministers of Culture; we don’t. When the history is written, it will show that Rocco Landesman was our first Secretary for Arts and Tourism here in America in the years 2009-2012.

He’s made a difference in so many ways and here’s why: Rocco visited and through his personal persuasion got commitments from key federal departments and cabinet officers such as Transportation, Agriculture, HUD, Health and Human Services and others to commit a substantial amount of funding for arts. He has succeeded in imbedding the arts in federal agencies all over town.

Commenting on his open conspiracy with the federal agencies here in Washington, Rocco said at out first ever National Mayors Summit on City Design in 2011, “The cuckoo bird lays its eggs in other bird’s nest and I like to think of the arts as eggs that I am leaving in nests all over town that hopefully the cabinet secretaries will start caring for their own.”

The Chicago National Mayors Summon City Design, conceived by us, was supported strongly by Rocco Landesman and Jason Schupbach, and was a defining moment for The United States Conference of Mayors. I was inspired and energized because of Rocco and his team. As we say when it comes to mayors and the arts, “They get it.”

Like the lyrics of the song, “June” from Rogers and Hammerstein musical Carousel, in 2012, in this nation thanks to Rocco – arts, design and tourism with strong mayoral leadership is “bustin’ out all over.” And we must continue supporting this great energy and transformation of our cities

Let it be said. Let it be known that in the years 2009 to 2012, when Washington was divided, bitter and mean across the board on so many issues, there was one guy who came to town, went about his business focused on his mission who inspired us all and we have made a difference.

Thanks Rocco from me, our staff, and all our mayors of The United States Conference of Mayors for your guts and leadership. We will continue to push the arts forward now more than ever. The path has been given. And we will build upon it. And I know wherever you are you will be there helping us.

The 81st Winter Meeting January 17-19 is already breaking records for pre-registration. Yesterday, Ed Somers and I visited with President Nutter in Philadelphia to work on the program. You need to be here! Contact Carol Edwards now at 202-293-7330 or cedwards@usmayors.org or go to usmayors.org/registration to register. We are making sure it’s going to be a blockbuster.

As you know, our meeting rolls right into the festivities and ceremonies of The Presidential Inauguration – Thursday through Saturday evening.

Meantime, to all mayors and staff, I, along with my great staff, wish you best for the Holiday Season with your families and loved ones. May you have peace and rest because you are at it 24/7 morning, noon and nighttime, too. Please take a break! You deserve it.

I look forward so much to seeing all of you next month. Because of you, and the magic of USA mayors when we come together, 2013 will be better for America. We are coming out of this recession. Let’s keep rolling. God Bless all of you, our cities and our people.