The Role of the Arts in the Healing Process : Culture: A coalition of ‘artists of color’ gathering in L.A. is seeking to ‘provide fresh new vistas of reality.’

Cultural diversity in the arts will be the theme of the Assn. of American Cultures’ biennial conference, beginning today at the Westin Bonaventure. While the event was planned far in advance of the recent riots, organizers call the decision to hold the four-day conference in Los Angeles during its heightened awareness of racial tension “almost prophetic.”

The 9-year-old, Washington-based group, a national coalition of “artists of color,” has played a major role in promoting multiculturalism. Many of the conference sessions will address the role of the arts in healing urban problems, said Emma Gee, an association board member and chairman of the Los Angeles-based Pacific Asian American Women Writers West. “We feel that what has happened in Los Angeles--and may be happening nationally--calls for a dialogue among artists, and among arts professionals and arts supporters,” Gee said. “I think we need to look to artists to provide fresh new vistas of reality.”

William Strickland, chairman of the association and executive director of the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild in Pittsburgh, said the group had been focusing on the rising tensions between cultures in urban areas long before the riots broke out. “We knew it before it happened,” said Strickland, who is also a member of the National Council on the Arts, the advisory body to the National Endowment for the Arts.

“We are holding the conference in L.A. because we are very excited about the opportunity to come to a community or city that is truly multiethnic, or multicultural,” he continued. “It gives us a wonderful opportunity to share experiences, and mutually encourage one another.”

According to Los Angeles cultural affairs manager Al Nodal, who has been involved in planning the conference: “I think the importance of this organization is that it’s the one true national association of people of color in the arts. It has the potential for . . . developing multicultural policy on a national level. The issue is more acute here, but it is a big issue on the national level as well.

“I hope (the conference) will help the city to try to dispel the new lack of confidence in multiculturalism that is rising in the city. There are a lot of issues that we are not going to give up on. This will help get this discussion back on track, both in the city and from a national perspective.”

California Arts Council executive director Joanne Kozberg said that the conference would not only focus on multiculturalism, but on finding ways to improve Los Angeles’ image and repairing the damage to the tourism industry. “The arts are part of the solution to the community’s problems,” she said. “We’re responding to the tourism issue, and creating economic incentive--’economic development’ is the new buzzword.”

Unlike Nodal, Kozberg does not see a rising skepticism about multicultural arts policies. I don’t think there’s a backlash--I sense that there is a renewed commitment to the issue of creating the strong sense of American cultures,” she said. “I think (the riots) were an all-too-painful reminder that we have deep-rooted issues that must be addressed.”

Panel topics include “Survival Today: Rebellion to Multiculturalism,” “World Reordering and the Resurgence of Bigotry and Racism” and “Ecology, Economy and Homelessness: The Arts in Global Concerns.” The event is co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, the California Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts and other organizations. The public may register for the four-day conference at the Westin Bonaventure, 404 S. Figueroa St. For non-members, the fee is $450 for the entire conference, or $125 for single days.