But there isn't going to be any misunderstanding Cincinnati Experimental Arts later this week. The newly incorporated arts catalyst (they don't make art, they make art possible) makes a bid for attention by staging a 24-hour Artists for Change event on Fountain Square, starting an 11-hour marathon at 11 a.m. Thursday and returning at 11 a.m. Friday for a 13-hour performance stint.

Already booked are music acts including singer/songwriter Tracy Walker, a stand-up Comedy Revolution, bands from as far away as Cleveland, some soap boxing by local creative artists including director/provocateur Michael Burnham and lots of theater, including the return of Columbus experimental theatre troupe BlueForms and a staged reading of a biting piece of one-act political satire by Tony (Angels in America) Kushner.

Experimental Arts co-founder Jason Bruffy calls Artists for Change "an event of information."

Local politicians have been invited to come to Fountain Square and chat among the audience. There will be tables stocked with information from groups such as Citizens to Restore Fairness and the Sierra Club. "We want this to be a real town hall," says Bruffy, "where everyone can voice their position in the ways artists can express themselves best."

It's not likely to be bipartisan, because folks happy with the status quo don't have much reason to sign on, but Bruffy would welcome them if they would, he says. "If 100 percent of America voted against what I want, I'd be fine with that. But only a fraction of Americans vote. We want the rest of the world to have free elections but we don't support our own.

"To not have an opinion, to not go out and vote is the worst thing anyone could do."

At press time, Bruffy said he expected the schedule, which can accommodate more than 40 acts, to be largely filled by today, but that he would continue accepting proposals on performance days. "If there's a spare 15 minutes, this public forum will be available. The only stipulation is that you can't say the four words you can't say on TV. I think we can sacrifice four words to get the issues out there."

E-mail jdemaline@enquirer.com