A very thorough and informative article on the Arts levy hypothesis by Carolyn Jack in the Plain Dealer (11/13/03) that, nevertheless, focuses entirely on the rather high-end level of a political process, one that is laying track for the Arts & Culture train in Cleveland. If well-written and useful pieces of journalism are small yet important stations of public contemplation for this important journey, could we then possibly suggest another small but useful stop? Perhaps the public, including individual artists and arts advocates as well need to hear a different part of the story; one that maps out some of the discussions, political as well as personal, of those who are really the ball bearings and small moving parts of this cultural steam engine: the artists, the small organizations, the groups, the activists, the galleries, the bloggers, the entrepreneurs, the collectors, the art enthusiasts, and many others. What are they doing? How are they coping and how are they spinning the political wheels? Free Times presented several heart-felt and interesting stories but they too focused on another part, mostly that of an economic and entrepreneurial side of art-business.

Well what about art and politics, or even the politics of art? Now that's an interesting story and a stop worth taking! Important questions like: Why is there no Cleveland Arts council? Why do artists have no sense of unity and no serious representation? No assistance to set up their own studios and work places? No help to set up basic health care plans and retirement funds? Why aren't more local artists embraced for their skills and ideas or utilized for their work and vision, in order to improve the vast number of desolate urban landscapes and buildings left behind from a prolonged post-industrial tide?

Crumbs and leftovers of public competitions and projects are left for the local boys and girls, embroiled in bureaucracy and hi-fi politics while all the good offers go to out-of-towners. Profound art like the stoke-d, be-headed Venus with a price tag of $808,000: enough do(ola!)ritos to feed dozens and dozens of talented, yet starving local artists and small galleries for years to come--while the highly appreciative creator of this cultural abomination on a classical scale, reminded us upon his closing commentary in an official ceremony: "I want to thank everyone in Cleveland, even the people who don't like Venus. Because I have to tell you, it's not going anywhere." (!!)

Well yes! It's the ...Venus stupid! That's the key that points to our frail, boring, non-engaging arts debate, political or not! Where is the outrage and the mourning, oh great Zeus?! No artists cringed or creative individuals took up a stand against such cynical and condescending, cultural shock and awe!

Perhaps some did "small talk," and there might even be some secret plan to avenge the disgrace of an ex...goddess! Though most of us are willing to bet that if Cleveland's cool artists and funky entrepreneurs could lead the way and get more involved in the process, then this city would be a better place to live, and it would definitely have all the art and culture to prove it!

• Quote by artist Jim Dine and pocket change amount of dolaritos from Angle Magazine, Issue 09, page 5, article titled: "you had to be there'...

Oh! I wish I was and I wish wasn't! -PP from Cool Cleveland contributor Niko Angelis

 (:divend:)