When I moved here in 1959, Charlotte was a city of less than 200,000 people. We had some medium-sized businesses, a few parks, good churches and nice neighborhoods. The town was pretty quiet after working hours. For the most part, our little city was a nice place, but a pretty dull place.

Today, all the people of the Charlotte region - more than a million of us - can take credit for having built a great American city. Over the past 50 years, we have worked diligently, planned thoughtfully, invested generously and cheered loudly as we watched Charlotte take its place among the nation's most vibrant, exciting, optimistic places to live.

But there is a downside to how far we've come. That is the temptation to believe that all the hard work has been done. That there is little left of great consequence to do. That we have arrived, and therefore no longer need strong, motivated, inspirational leadership from all sectors of our community to lead us in big pursuits, or in the taking on of great challenges.

This downside risk is, of course, exacerbated by the economic downturn, which by definition puts stress on resources, both human and financial.

The good news is that our community has repeatedly stepped up without hesitation. And yet, there is one sector that is suffering greatly. It is a part of our community that we have built over the past 80 years through great vision, sacrifice, investment and belief in its power to transform lives. I am speaking of our arts community. It is hurting, and at least one major institution, the Charlotte Symphony, is in danger of insolvency. The symphony's new leadership team is creating momentum with programming changes and a major funding initiative - but if significant help does not come soon, the symphony will disappear, taking much of our city's arts community with it.

Protecting cultural investment

Billy Wireman, the late president of Queens University, used to say, "We live in houses we did not build, and reap from fields we did not sow," paraphrasing Joshua. This is true for all of us, in one sense or another, in every generation.

The question at hand is, will this generation of Charlotte's leaders - those now in their 30s, 40s and 50s - tend to and care for and invest in the cultural resources others built up? Or will these institutions and cultural treasures wither, or disappear completely? The symphony, for example, is operating at an annual, structural deficit of about $2 million. The Arts & Science Council's fundraising is about half of what it was at its peak. Dozens of smaller organizations are in similarly dire financial circumstances.

It is important to remember that this is not simply about the arts, or about whether any one individual personally enjoys classical music, or dance, or opera. Support for the arts is as much an economic question as a cultural one. It is a question for everyone who lives here, does business here and wants a vibrant, thriving, forward-looking economy in which to build a business or earn a living.

The future starts now

The bottom line is, we need a new generation of leaders - successful Charlotteans at the peak of their energy and ambition - to come forward, take the reins and figure things out. If you are reading this article, I am very likely referring to you.

We all know this is not the easiest time to launch a campaign to raise funds for the arts. No doubt many of our citizens are suffering, understandably, from "giving fatigue."

But if you believe, as I do, that we are digging our way out of our economic troubles, and that, ultimately, American ingenuity, determination and optimism will once again generate rising prosperity here in Charlotte and around the country, then you understand the wisdom of investing in and preserving the city's cultural resources now. In fact, continuing to invest in vital cultural institutions is one of the most important ways to help drive the economic recovery.

My parents faced difficult economic challenges raising their family in the 1930s. But they believed in a better future, and kept on investing in the things they knew were important for their community and their children. One of those things was the arts.

The arts are critical to the economic vitality of our cities. They are aesthetically appealing and thought provoking. They teach us to understand one another, and they temper our tendency to treat one another with stark brutality. They are a catalyst for learning and appreciating what is beautiful about the human spirit. And they inspire within us compassion and thoughtfulness.

Now is the time for today's generation of successful Charlotteans to step up and ask what role they - I mean, you - want to play in the leadership of our city generally, and in the work of saving the arts community specifically. Put another way, what are you prepared to do to help write the next chapter in the story of our great city?

Call your friends and business partners. Organize a campaign. Communicate urgently. Don't wait for the city fathers - they are going, or gone. The city is calling out for new leadership. What I ask is this: Answer the call. You'll be glad you did - and future generations of Charlotteans will be grateful.