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The New York venue for this gathering was no accident. Inherent in the creation of the Festival was the desire to recognize and so celebrate this great city as a world center for cultural and artistic enterprise. It was obvious that, with its vast cultural plant and its creative generative forces, New York's $9 billion-a-year art industry must tool up to flourish and compete amidst the rapidly changing electronic world.
It was our hope in the informal setting provided by the Museum of Television and Radio that these meetings---unpublicized and off-the-record---would provide the beginnings of constructive dialogue among these participants of different callings who could use their expertise to propel new initiatives in the world of the arts as well as new incentive s for commercial and scientific endeavors.
The give-and-take over the three-day period was marked by candor and small surprises: the scientists and technicians baring uncommon knowledge and appreciation of music, arts and literature; cultural institution heads demonstrating a high degree of sophistication about the promises of technology; and the artists revealing inner fears about the fat e of creativity as it is swept up in today's electronic avalanche. All raised questions to which there were no ready answers. Realistically, the participants understood that no three days of discussion could possibly provide answers to current and future developments and problems. They all recognized that these discussions were a needed beginning. We can hope, however, that these preliminary explorations have begun to sensitize the scientists to an ever greater appreciation of some of the unique, creative requirements of the arts and have emboldened the artists to meet the realities of technological change with less trepidation.
The early returns are in. We feel rewarded that some of the seeds planted in the late fall are already blossoming into real new relationships. There have been new proposals and undertakings reported among a number of participants which augur new ventures to expand, enrich and create new opportunities for our arts and cultural institutions.
Equally significant was the quality of discussion on subjects which most of the conferees felt needed fuller exploration. High on that list were unanswered questions relating to a variety of legal and educational challenges in the arts vis-a-vis the complex and rapidly changing technological environment. While a few present had counselled to let t he market forces dictate what will happen, others argued strongly the need to bring these issues and problems into finer focus---perhaps mindful of the old adage: "opportunity comes to those who prepare for it." At this juncture, the New York International Festival of the Arts is studying future possibilities.
What does become clear as we look back to November 1993 is that some sparks were kindled, some relationships were forged and some new areas of exploration were charted. Whether these seminars become a basic thrust for many ongoing partnerships between the arts and the new technologies, or merely the onset of a fascinating meeting of minds, the fact remains that we have engaged in a colloquy that will continue and grow in importance and demand answers and actions as we close in on the twenty-first century and an exciting new era in the arts.