Candidate for Mayor: Wes Gullett

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.

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