By Jennifer Berbower
OK, this might not sound like a show-stopping moment, but highlight of the "For Arts' Sake" celebration at Sacramento State University this week came when 400 audience members tore open their newspapers.
They weren't just any newspapers. They were action plans for moving Sacramento onward and upward with the arts.
The paper, generously printed by The Sacramento Bee, reviewed the past 12 months and looked ahead to the next three years of Mayor Kevin Johnson's arts initiative.
So there we were, cozy inside a crowded theater, celebrating one year's worth of hard work by artists from across the region. Suddenly, the newspapers were handed out and audience members grabbed their copies and began scanning the headlines, all in unison.
The "For Arts' Sake" action plan was just part of the celebration.
The crowd heard three songs from renowned Sacramento folk rocker Jackie Green. There was an energized performance by David Garibaldi, resulting in the creation of two paintings right on stage. Keeping the pace moving was Emcee Mark S. Allen, star of "Good Day Sacramento" on CW31.
The spirit was in keeping with Mayor Johnson's promise to make Sacramento "a very cool city."
Arts are the expression of a cool city, and that's the driving force behind "For Arts' Sake."
Begun last May, the arts initiative brought together painters, dancers, sculptors, singers, teachers, musicians and actors, plus crafts people behind the scenes who allow our region to express its cultural uniqueness through the arts.
The initiative will seek way to improve funding and facilities and arts education across the region. There's still lots of work to be done.
This week, however, was all about the celebration. As David Garibaldi said, "The arts are alive in Sacramento."
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