Cincinnati's performing arts presenters and producers say it's business as usual, despite the boycott organized by the Coalition for a Just Cincinnati. But, they acknowledge, the recent cancellations by entertainers Bill Cosby and Smokey Robinson may affect future bookings and sponsorships.

        The boycott “is not going to change what we try to do. We're committed to being more things for more people. Will it affect the outcome? That's entirely possible,” Cincinnati Arts Association executive director Steve Loftin says. CAA manages the Aronoff Center for the Arts, Music Hall and Memorial Hall. The Cosby show was part of CAA's season.

        Plans are moving along for Pepsi Jammin' on Main in May and the Coors Light Festival in July, organizers say. Meanwhile, the coalition is reaching out to the community.

        “We're asking them to not spend their money south of Central Parkway,” coalition action committee chairperson Amanda Mayes says. “We're asking artists not to come to Cincinnati and asking the people of Cincinnati not to break the boycott by buying tickets to artists who do come here.

        “We have an eye on the Aronoff and will be devoting attention to a lot of performers being asked to come to the (Coors Light) festival,” she acknowledges.

        Other potential targets could be Prince, coming to Music Hall on March 5, and an old-school R&B show starring the O'Jays, reportedly planned for Music Hall.

        Mr. Loftin says profits from the Cosby show would have gone into the CAA general fund, which pays for a variety of things including education and outreach.

        He admits there is a possible ripple effect on such a cancellation in wooing event and season sponsors — even for potential rentals.

        “I'll be honest,” he says. “It troubles me. It's going to make it more difficult to succeed.”

        Upcoming CAA events range from Shaolin Warriors to the Chieftains. He is putting together the 2002-03 season.

Smaller jazz fest

        Plans for the Tristate's biggest annual gathering of African-American performers, the Coors Light Festival (often called “the jazz festival”), are going ahead as planned, according to Steve Schildmeyer, a partner in the Santangelo Group, which produces the all-star R&B event.

        Artists will be announced in March.

        Last year's festival reportedly lost $500,000 because of the April riots. It is being scaled back to two nights this year, July 26-27. Last year, the third concert, on Sunday, drew only about 5,000 to Cinergy Field. In 2000, the Sunday attendance was one-third of the Saturday crowd of 32,000.

        It's “still too early” to know whether the boycott will have an impact on this year's Pepsi Jammin' on Main, says Michael C. Smith, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra vice-president for project development.

        “We made our commitment last year,” Mr. Smith says. “We went ahead 10 days after the April unrest. Ticket sales were severly impacted, but we're committed to the neighborhood.”

        No artists have yet been booked for this year's Jammin, scheduled for May 10-11.

        Clear Channel Entertainment, the world's largest concert production company, books acts at Riverbend Music Center, Taft Theatre and some smaller venues.

        “So far, all the other events that are on sale are still on sale and there haven't been any changes at this time,” Clear Channel spokesman Susan Elmore says.

Moving ahead

        Whether or not boycott organizers have the manpower to approach African-American artists less likely to make headlines, resident performing arts companies across the city say short- and long-term planning will not be affected.

        Arts groups believe they are doing the right thing by scheduling programming “oriented to recognizing the make-up of this community,” Cincinnati Ballet artistic director Victoria Morgan says.

        The spring arts calendar lists the Ballet's “Come Together” program and a regional Black Theatre Festival in April. Each May Festival concert will feature a work by an African-American composer.

        Contemporary Dance Theatre will be presenting African-American artists for the remainder of their season at the Aronoff's Jarson-Kaplan Theater.

        “We're going to present what we think should be presented,” CDT artistic director Jefferson James says. ""Ron Brown's work is about racism. I think he wants it to be seen in a place where it's an issue.”

Expanded festival

        This will be the third April that Don Sherman will build on his hope to create a Midwest Regional Black Theatre Festival.

        Mr. Sherman has been working for months to expand the festival's profile, in part in answer to last April's riots.

        For the first time the festival, scheduled April 3-14, plans to extend beyond its Arts Consortium base in the West End to include performances by a handful of out-of-town artists at the Cincinnati Museum Center and the Aronoff Center's Fifth Third Bank Theater.

        Mr. Sherman says the festival's theme, “Bringing It All Together: One Piece at a Time,” is carefully chosen. “We're approaching the one-year anniversary of our city's unfortunate community divide,” he says. “We want this to be a celebration of unity and collaboration.”

        He fears that his hopes could be dashed if the boycott turns its attention toward his fledgling festival.

        Ms. Mayes is adamant. “We are asking everyone from out of town not to come and that includes the Midwest Region Black Theatre Festival.”

        Being a target of the boycott, Mr. Sherman says, could bring financial ruin to what has been a long-term grass-roots effort.

        Enquirer reporter Larry Nager contributed to this report.

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