For the 11^th year, “AmericanStyle” magazine is looking for America’s top arts destinations (and hottest spots for cultural tourism.) The mag identifies three city sizes. Nowhere is going to beat NYC in the Big Cities category. We’re in competition with Pittsburgh, last year’s winner, in the Mid-Sized Cities category.

 

Visit http://www.AmericanStyle.com to cast your vote for Cincinnati. A paper ballot is also available in the December 2007 issue of AmericanStyle, and in the February 2008 issue, on newsstands in December. Voting in this year's poll ends January 31. Enter your vote and you could win a $500 travel gift certificate.

 

Then invite friends and relatives to visit the Queen City – remember, arts tourism is big business, with a 7 to 1 return on investment. (We knew that.) A friend of mine from Cleveland visited last weekend and was blown sideways by everything going on here and our lively downtown.

 

Yeah, we can take down Cleveland in this contest. Pittsburgh will be tougher – it has a major international arts festival, a smashing cultural area downtown, public art at its convention center, sophisticated arts marketing and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust steering a lot of it. On the bright side, Pittsburgh gives us something to aim for (rather than at.)

Poll results and profiles of the highest ranking cities in each category will be featured at http://www.AmericanStyle.com and in the June 2008 issue of AmericanStyle.