City of Miami -  Mayor Manny Diaz, and President of the United States Conference of Mayors, promoted the U.S. Conference of Mayors national Arts and Culture agenda during a panel discussion of national cultural leaders the Democratic Convention in Denver, Colorado, convened by Americans for the Arts, a national arts advocacy organization. 

Former Secretary of Education and South Carolina Governor Richard Riley moderated the event held at the Museo de las Americas of Denver on Tuesday August 26.  Panelists included Mayor Diaz, Black Entertainment Television founder, educator and philanthropist Sheila Johnson, five- time Grammy Award winning artist John Legend and Congresswoman Louis Slaughter of New York, Co-Chair of the Rules Committee in the House of Representatives and Co-Chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus.  Also attending was Chair of the U.S. House of Representatives Interior Appropriations Subcommittee Norm Dicks of Washington.

The hour-long discussion highlighted the national economic and social impact of the arts and culture industry in America. Each of the panelists shared their personal and professional stories about how the arts has impacted their childhood development as well as the communities in which they live.  Mayor Diaz spoke to the social and economic value of the arts in education and city revitalization and highlighted the fact the United States is one of the few countries in the industrialized world that has not elevated arts and culture to cabinet-level prominence.

The panelists echoed these sentiments also decrying national disinvestment in arts and culture since the early 1980's. Mayor Diaz in particular, emphasized how the arts has increased the quality of life for Miami residents, and why access to the arts is so important for community development as well as education for children.  "Every community should be rich in arts and culture to not only maintain its economic vitality, but also to improve the quality of life for its residents. And every community should provide equal access to arts education for every child."

Nationally, the nonprofit arts and culture industry generates $166.2 billion in economic activity every year--$63.1 billion in spending by organizations and an additional $103.1 billion in event-related spending by their audiences. These statistics were provided by Americans for the Arts.

Also according to Americans for the Arts, children who have access to an arts education score on average, 100 points higher on their SATs, and are 4 times less likely to drop out of high school.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is holding 5 issue forums from August- October to create an agenda that will be delivered to the next President of the United States during his first 100 days of the new Administration. The arts will be one of the five issue forums, to be held in Miami in October.

Mayor Diaz served as the former Chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Committee on Tourism, Arts, Parks, Entertainment and Sports from 2003 to 2006.