By Cliff Peale
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The Fine Arts Fund became the largest united arts fund-raiser in the country this year, raising $10.4 million in its annual pledge campaign.

That's 4 percent more than last year, faster growth than 59 similar regional campaigns in cities such as Milwaukee, Charlotte and Louisville that also raise money for a number of arts organizations at once.

The Cincinnati campaign will help fund 17 arts groups and help operate the Fund's Arts Services office, which supports smaller organizations. Supporters announced the results Monday night at Playhouse in the Park.

With the Taft Museum set to reopen soon and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center opening scheduled for August, arts and cultural institutions will be in the spotlight again this year. That follows a banner year in 2003, when the fund topped $10 million for the first time amid openings at the Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art and the Cincinnati wing of the Cincinnati Art Museum.

"There is a buzz," said Mary McCullough-Hudson, Fine Arts Fund president. "It's all about product. Amazingly, we're in sort of a growth industry."

But though arts groups here are drawing national attention and larger audiences, many of the city's biggest arts institutions are under financial pressure from higher operating costs and lower endowment values. The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, for example, will raise ticket prices about 25 percent for this year's season.

The CSO received the largest Fine Arts Fund allocation last year at almost $3 million. The Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra received the smallest allocation at $26,175. This year's allocations will be announced in June.

Jack Louiso, artistic director of the Children's Theatre, said the money gives his group credibility in competing for other funds and enables it to provide affordable tickets for schoolchildren.

"It's tough to maintain that kind of value, but they enable us to do that," he said.

Campaign chairman Jim Orr, chairman and CEO of Convergys Corp., said there was no last-second push to meet the $10.3 million goal this year.

"I didn't have to write a check yesterday, didn't have to pull anything out of midair," he said.

Procter & Gamble Co. was the biggest contributor of the 430 employee campaigns at $1.7 million, with $878,000 from employees and a corporate donation of $820,000. Following on the top-companies list were GE Aircraft Engines, Fifth Third Bancorp and Federated Department Stores.

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E-mail cpeale@enquirer.com