Cultural folks share their arts dreams and wishes that could make a positive impact on Cincinnati in 2003.

"We need an `arts and culture community development corporation' that would be empowered to do direct, on-the-ground development in those neighborhoods that surround our precious arts and culture institutions," says Terry Grundy, an organizer of the new Urbanists group that took shape this year.

"If we are to keep and build audiences, we're going to have to improve the neighborhoods around them. The Cultural Development Corporation would acquire, renovate, manage and sell properties directly around institutions like Music Hall and Memorial Hall, Museum Center, Playhouse and Cincinnati Art Museum." And Ensemble Theatre, please.

"An arts bus" is on the top of Ed Stern's list. The Playhouse producing artistic director envisions an arts shuttle that would start at Fountain Square (and the new Tickets.com booth) and circle to performing venues at night - including Playhouse and College-Conservatory of Music at University of Cincinnati - and do a museum route by day - including Cincinnati Museum Center and Cincinnati Art Museum).

"Free parking for arts patrons, reduced dinners at area restaurants," muses Mr. Stern. "Let's make the arts a major triggering device for a renewed downtown."

"How about a `First Friday' monthly performance night, like the Final Friday gallery prowl," offers performance artist Sarah Mann. "People could come down to the Main Street galleries and local theaters like Know and Cincinnati Shakespeare to see different short scenes, monologues, dance pieces and performance art."

Lots of good ideas

Gallery owner Linda Schwartz is a longtime cheerleader for an arts council and that remains at the top of her list.

Over-the-Rhine Foundation director Marge Hammelrath would love to see Cincinnati Art Museum host a series of Cincinnati-made films.

Arts educator and Scholastics Art Awards coordinator Jennifer Baldwin shares a personal dream: Art Machine Inc. Phase One will be "the Refrigerator Gallery, a space dedicated to preschool artists and their parents." The Scholastics are based at Crestview Hills Mall, so that's the likely spot for her continued dream.

Ultimately she'd like to see exhibition space for works by children from other countries; adult works on loan from other institutions that complement the work of the children; exhibit for local and regional children's work; and studio space for children to make art with cross-curricular content based on the core curriculum guides for Kentucky and Ohio; a technology and art studio, a teacher resource lab, a virtual gallery of previously exhibited work."

Choreographer, actress and educator Dee Anne Bryll would love for arts to find the way to bring all the young adults who participated in arts in high school back to the arts. And for visual and performing arts to find new, up close and personal ways to connect with high-schoolers now.

Laura Long, who was the point-person for the Newport Aquarium and has since set her sights on Cincinnati as executive director of Cincinnati Business Committee, wants "to position Cincinnati as a leading cultural arts destination" with the purpose of "significant sustainable economic and social growth" for the Queen City.

"Sustainable" is the key word, she says, and promises that a plan is "in the works."

Mother of all marketing plans

Jackie Reau, chief operating officer of Game Day Communications, dreams of a strategic arts-driven marketing plan for the city. It's big and she talks about it at length.

"Sure there are nice campaigns in the works for 2003," says Ms. Reau, "but let's keep the momentum rolling.

"I would love to see Downtown Cincinnati Inc., the Greater Cincinnati Convention and Visitors Bureau, Northern Kentucky Convention and Visitors Bureau and the City of Cincinnati (and anyone else who would like to contribute) fund a multi-million dollar campaign positioning the city as the Midwest culture capital. Let's give Chicago a run.

"Look at Enjoy the Arts' 20/20 Festival where 60 groups came together with a modest base of financial and in-kind support to launch a three-week arts fest in 13 neighborhoods.

"We need to take this type of idea, grow it and make an impact in markets outside of our city.

"It's a perfect time to launch this campaign.

"Money," she continues. "We need to implement a solid and sizzling marketing and PR campaign (think Kmart's Joe Boxer). It can't be a `one and done.' It must have legs with multiyear commitments. It takes time and money to change behavior.

"Leadership: We need one organization to take a lead on this. Note to all: Check your ego at the door for the common good. One that will serve as a liaison between arts leadership, financial contributors and advertising/media. It must be tireless in converting citizens to ambassadors for the arts. (We want to regularly hear water cooler talk like: `Hey, have you seen Frog Princess at ETC, you really should.')

"And they need to hit the road to represent our arts on the national stage.

"Consistency of message," Ms. Reau says. "Embrace our history and celebrate the future.

"We need to re-visit the first causes of our forefathers who developed out incredible arts infrastructure and history. We should keep in mind the work of Nicholas Longworth and Reuben Springer, both ardent supporters of the arts in the 1800s who supported individual artists but also causes such as Music Hall and the Art Museum.

"This campaign would re-position Cincinnati with residents, for whom it would restore pride of place. The arts truly can make us smile. And new positioning would surely draw new business to town, from cultural tourists to the company looking for a new North America headquarters."

Now, here's my list

There's no way to top Ms. Reau, but there are a couple of things I'd love to see start in 2003 and continue from there:

After all the summer hoopla of museum openings, the traditional arts season begins in autumn. Cincinnati could join the bandwagon with other growing arts towns (yes, including Indianapolis, already busily positioning itself as the region's Major Arts City) and plan a killer opening weekend.

Arts are vibrant, creative, bold, colorful - so how about a parade? Schools could partner with arts organizations to create floats. Imagine what artistic minds could bring to it; think about the great community event that could be born.

We're long overdue for creating local Arts and Business Awards. They exist at national and state levels and many cities (yes, including Indianapolis).

We need them here, especially to draw attention - and to say a big public thanks - to the mid-sized and small businesses that find ways to make mid-sized and small arts possible (even if it's just dry cleaning costumes).

This coming year would also be a great time to build groundwork for a big invitation.

Pittsburgh is crowing because the American Symphony Orchestra League, Opera America, Dance USA, Theatre Communications Group, Chamber Music America, the Association of Performing Arts Presenters, Meet the Composers, the American Music Center, the American Composers Forum and the Music Critics Association of North America are all holding conferences there in June 2004. (The American Theatre Critics Association will probably sign on in early 2003.)

What does Pittsburgh have that Cincinnati doesn't?

A big, fat arts vision - and the organizational structure to see it through. (See Ms. Schwartz's wish. )

"It's a big thing for Pittsburgh," Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's Gail Eaton told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "It gives us a chance to show off that we have had for many years one of the most extraordinary clusters of excellent performing venues and groups in the United States."

I've been to Pittsburgh. I like Pittsburgh. But in the performing arts we can more than hold our own against that other river city.

Can you think of a better way to bowl over the arts world than to get it here?

I say Cincinnati in 2006. Which means starting to work on it now.

I thank all of the people quoted above for their enormous and wonderful - and entirely doable - ideas for Cincinnati.

If you have some of your own, please share them with me.

E-mail jdemaline@enquirer.com