Yesterday, Alliance for Audience published comments from the 2 candidates for Mayor of the City of Phoenix.  Unfortunately, we’ve heard that the e-mail distribution for those posts may not have come through. 

Please click their names for the link to their comments here:

• Wes Gullett
• Greg Stanton 

or simply visit:  http://notes.allianceforaudience.org/ 

# # #

Alliance for Audience is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization established to help Arizona’s arts & cultural organizations work together to achieve critical audience development objectives that are beyond the capability of any organization to achieve alone.

As an organization we are non-partisan and do not endorse any candidate or position.

We have, however, invited the two candidates for Mayor of the City of Phoenix to respond to 5 questions relating to arts & culture in our community with the hope that their answers will help inform those of us who work, volunteer and participate in the sector. 

This is the candidate’s complete and un-edited response:

Greg Stanton

1. Given the many fiscal challenges facing the City of Phoenix, what do you consider to be the specific OPPORTUNITIES to advance the role of arts & culture in our community during the next 2-4 years.

I have long believed that Phoenix should fund citywide arts grants at $1 per capita annually, and that this is a sound and sensible goal which can be achieved over 3 to 4 budget cycles. The mayor needs to use the “bully pulpit” of the office to make the case to the people of Phoenix about how we can better capitalize on Phoenix’s world-class arts and cultural events, programs, facilities and the expertise of arts professionals, and leverage them for their utmost collective benefits. We must continue offering strong support for the city’s percent-for-the-arts programs, which has funded more than 150 arts projects since 1986.

Another opportunity includes reviewing the city building codes and permitting processes to remove unnecessarily prohibitive rules that apply to creative sector entrepreneurs and cultural businesses and organizations. City government should work with the arts and cultural community to expand its presence, not hinder it with burdensome rules and regulation.

2. Why is it important to you that Phoenix have a vibrant arts & cultural community?

 A vibrant arts and cultural community is key to ensuring Phoenix’s ability to compete in a 21st- century global economy.

Investment in the arts and cultural community is vital to Phoenix’s continued economic development. Entrepreneurs view arts and culture as an important factor when choosing where to locate their companies, as highly-qualified workers want to live in communities where they can access diverse recreational opportunities for their families. For these reasons, we must ensure that Phoenix places a focus on its creative sector resources, to encourage more business growth overall.

Additionally, a vibrant arts community is critical to our efforts to strengthen Phoenix’s schools and after school programs. Students who have access to quality opportunities to participate in the arts demonstrate improved performance in math, science, and technology – thus better equipping them to compete in a global workforce. And for kids with disabilities, or kids experiencing familial or social challenges, access to arts programs can provide safe outlets for expression. For them, participating in the arts helps develop self-esteem, resiliency and an ability to collaborate, motivating them stay in school and make better choices outside of school.

Overall, I believe that by making smart investments in a vibrant arts and cultural community today, Phoenix can create a brighter future for tomorrow.

3. What leadership role, if any, should the City of Phoenix play on matters of arts & cultural policy either on a Greater Phoenix regional or statewide basis?

 The City of Phoenix should provide arts and cultural policy leadership at city, state and regional levels. In developing solutions to the problems we face, we cannot be limited by geography, we must work collaboratively: galvanizing city, state and regional resources, employing the best and most creative ideas, to achieve the most effective, 21st-century solutions for our city.  Residents of Phoenix and the surrounding region are creative and diverse. Phoenix’s arts and cultural policy should reflect the ingenuity and diversity of its residents, and support the entire Phoenix area’s continued development and success.

 4. Do you support the principle of public funding of arts & culture? Please explain why – or why not?

 Yes. In my nine years on the city council, I was a consistent supporter of arts and culture, including service as chair of the city council’s Arts and Culture Subcommittee. I strongly believe that quality economic development and a vibrant arts and culture community go hand in hand. Thus, restoring funding to arts programs (capital funding and arts grants) is critical as soon as the budget allows.

5. What is an investment in arts & culture that City of Phoenix should consider making today that would be significant to the City’s vitality for years to come?

On my first day as Mayor I will launch a Creative Sector Working Group to ensure the comprehensive integration of arts and cultural programs into city policy. Creating a group such as this one, to support innovation and the sustainability of Phoenix’s arts and culture community, will help that community to thrive and provide its myriad benefits to city residents for years to come.

 # # # 

Alliance for Audience is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization established to help Arizona’s arts & cultural organizations work together to achieve critical audience development objectives that are beyond the capability of any organization to achieve alone.

As an organization we are non-partisan and do not endorse any candidate or position.

We have, however, invited the two candidates for Mayor of the City of Phoenix to respond to 5 questions relating to arts & culture in our community with the hope that their answers will help inform those of us who work, volunteer and participate in the sector. 

This is the candidate’s complete and un-edited response:

 Wes Gullett

1.      Given the many fiscal challenges facing the City of Phoenix, what do you consider to be the specific OPPORTUNITIES to advance the role of arts & culture in our community during the next 2-4 years.

If I am elected Mayor and implement my comprehensive government reform plan – which will reign in pension abuses, align employee benefits and compensation with neighboring cities, cut fees and costs, and repeal the food tax – I will work to restore funds for after school programs, for youth at risk, public safety infrastructure and economic development tools, which in my view, include funding for the arts.

What didn’t help to advance the role of arts and culture in our community was a cynical and broadsided attack by my opponent, Greg Stanton, last month of the statewide economic development initiative, Creative Economy. While we ultimately didn’t move ahead with this initiative for various reasons, his continue attacks and distortions of it are demeaning to the good work of hundreds of arts and economic development advocates – and all for Greg’s own crass political gain.

2.      Why is it important to you that Phoenix have a vibrant arts & cultural community

Every robust and thriving big city in American has a vibrant arts and culture community. They have used strategically driven private and public investments to realize real economic development returns on investment; expanding tourism, creative industries, and attracting highly educated creative people who are creating the jobs of the future. Thinking boldly and planning strategically about Phoenix’ future has been a consistent theme of my campaign and is a necessity during the economic crash that is a hallmark of Stanton’s time on the City Council.

3.      What leadership role, if any, should the City of Phoenix play on matters of arts & cultural policy either on a Greater Phoenix regional or statewide basis?

It is the first role of a Mayor to lead a community discussion about what we want our city to look like economically and from a quality of life stand point 10 and 20 years into the future. To not lead this important discussion is nothing short of a dereliction of your duty as a Mayor or a Councilmember. We need to strategically and boldly plan for the future of our city.

We must look at initiatives that are working in other cities like Denver, Salt Lake City and Seattle. We must also challenge the status quo by being willing to embrace public/private partnerships that take advantage of existing community assets to advance arts and culture.

4.      Do you support the principle of public funding of arts & culture? Please explain why – or why not?

I support the principle of public-private partnerships to fund bold economic development projects. To repeat: these kinds of strategically driven private and public investments realize real economic development returns on investment; expanding tourism, creative industries, and attracting highly educated creative people who are creating the jobs of the future. In today’s economic climate, such an investment is not viable.

5.      What is an investment in arts & culture that City of Phoenix should consider making today that would be significant to the City’s vitality for years to come?

The most important investment in arts and culture we could make today is to get the City of Phoenix fiscal house in order to get people working again. By leveraging our resources, buying locally, getting government out of the way of small business, cutting the cost of permits, reducing red tape, and assisting businesses instead of fighting them, we can bring back the jobs we’ve lost and get our economy moving. Once we’ve do that we’ll be ready for bold economic development ideas to make Phoenix thriving and vibrant community it can be.

# # #