RALEIGH -- A who's who of the local arts world got together for a media opportunity and pep rally this morning, pledging their support for a "Declaration of Raleigh Arts."

June Guralnick, executive director of the Raleigh Arts Commission, which organized the event in the lobby of the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, described it as "the first volley in Raleigh's arts renaissance."

Forty-five arts groups signed on to the declaration, and representatives from most of the organizations were on hand to read the document aloud, alternating in pairs and together. The declaration is built around 11 optimistic but unspecific words beginning with the letter E -- entertain, educate, enrich, etc. -- that state the importance of the arts in the community's health.

Left unsaid was the very public emergence of the city's arts commission, which has been in the background in some high-profile issues like the proposals for public art on downtown's Fayetteville Street. Today's event signals the commission's re-energized participation in civic affairs.

Mayor Charles Meeker won hearty applause when he told the assembled that he thought Tuesday's election meant more support for the arts from the City Council.

"There's lots of good things happening here but nothing is more important than the arts," Meeker said. "... The arts groups are the heart and soul of our city."

Afterwards, the arts leaders mingled over coffee and pastries. Some of them met for the first time.

Robert Weiss, artistic director of the Carolina Ballet, acknowledged that the value of the event was hard to measure in concrete terms, but he said it was a good idea. "It's one more day that people are talking about the arts than they usually do," he said.

William Jones, executive director and producer of N.C. Theatre, agreed it was partly for show but said it also served the purpose of bringing sometimes competing groups together.

"We can all learn a lot from each other," Jones said. "There's always some competition; that's just our nature. But there's enough to go around for everybody. The arts are huge in this area. I think that's what's fueling downtown."

Get $150+ in coupons in every Sunday N&O. Click here for convenient home delivery.