Goals for arts and culture for 2005? I could fill an encyclopedia, but with only 480 or so more words in my allowance, here goes:

Charley and Frances and Ivan, oh, my -- After people are fed and housed and employed, I hope elected officials and funders will address the $1 million-plus impact of hurricanes on Central Florida's cultural community. Orlando Ballet's dry-cleaning bill alone was more than $150,000. Little winds can blow fragile, undercapitalized arts groups over, and we were hit by a pummeling series of big winds. After the disastrous state budget cuts two years ago, the cultural community is feeling a little bit under the weather.

Crotty & Culture -- United Arts trustees gleefully elected The Honorable Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty to chair their merry band. May his leadership broaden and deepen understanding for arts and culture throughout the kingdoms of his fellow county and Orlando "honorables." A renewed push for business investors and launch of an over-the-top advertising campaign for culture will complement his efforts. May hotel billings explode so that culture's slice of Orange County's tourist-tax pie can be restored to its pre-9-11 promise.

Stabilize, stabilize, stabilize -- We've built some community assets, and they need protection. The numbers are clear: Attendance, fund-raising, operating effectiveness -- in every area save ONE, Orlando Science Center compares favorably with science centers in similarly sized markets across the country. The one exception? Government support. Make 2005 the year that the government powers that be hammer out a long-term agreement that provides a stable operational platform for exhibitions and educational programs. A Band-Aid won't work, and the loss of community benefits and pride that the Science Center provides would leave a huge psychic scar on our hallucination of ourselves as a progressive community.

Give us a home where the ballet can roam and the cello and divas can play. As the only city in Florida with the professional "big three" -- opera, ballet and philharmonic, make 2005 the year Orlando succeeds at creating an operationally sound plan for a new performing arts center. As Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Crotty and others expressed at the press launch, it's good for the arts, good for business and good for people. With two failed attempts behind us, may the third time be the charm. (Hey, a girl's gotta dream doesn't she?)

Sandbox 101 -- My goal is to do my part for 2005 to be the year we check our guns, egos (ids, too) and jurisdictional maps at the door and work together to create an attractive place to visit and a great place to live. It's pretty simple: When people get left out, their feelings get hurt. Women cry. Men get angry. Women who have learned it's not cool to cry get angry. When people are feeling, they can't think. And we need top-notch thinkers to solve community problems.

Only through regional cooperation (myregion.org is a great model) can we keep our eyes on the community prizes of excellent schools, healthy families, affordable housing, efficient transportation, a strong economy, winning professional basketball teams, safe streets and, my personal favorite, a vibrant cultural life that creates a sense of excitement, wonder and place.