OLYMPICS AND THE ARTS

I've never made any excuses for the fact that I'm a political junkie. It's a character flaw but I am powerless to stop it. So, this morning I was reading the Chicago Tribune and came across an article in the Arts section that raised the issue of where the arts would fit in with the Olympic plans for the City of Chicago. My devious mind immediately began to calculate where the visual arts - and printmaking specifically - could fit into the equation.

Chicago, as you may know, is the U.S. choice for hosting the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, but it's never too early to begin planning for such a monumental event. There is, quite obviously, a very active, vibrant art community in the Chicago area. We have outstanding educational institutions, art academies, workshops and individual studios, but this set of circumstances calls for a more global approach.

Should Chicago actually host the 2016 Games, I look forward to the Fine Arts being a strong partner in the endeavor. We, as members of the art community, need to become actively involved - not waiting for Olympic officials to come to us. While I have a few ideas on how to kick start an effort like this, I'm looking for input from you, the artists, on how we become a player on the world scene, reminding people of the role the arts play in the human experience