Calgary is a beautiful city, but these days, it is hardly thought of as an artistic and cultural beacon. In the last year, the city’s orchestra nearly folded, and the city council nearly refused to assist in its rescue. But a new proposal would see the Cowboy City adopt an official ‘arts policy’ which would commit Calgary to supporting, i real and substantive ways, its own cultural future. “If council approves the recommendation, it will develop a new civic arts policy by April 2004 that will include setting aside a portion of city infrastructure spending specifically for the arts.”