The third monthly "For Art's Sake" meeting held Wednesday morning at Capitol Public Radio had a big announcement. Over 100 people stuffed into CPR's conference room to hear the news that $100,000 had been raised for the For Art's Sake initiative.

In addition to the financial support, Mayor Kevin Johnson announced a more active web presence. The initiative has a live Facebook page, and a website is in the works to be launched in the next month, Johnson said.

Familiar faces filled the audience which included the likes of Sacramento Ballet artistic director Ron Cunningham and Sacramento's poet laureate Bob Stanley, as well as new faces such as Keith Ochwat of the Documentary Foundation and Kevin Santos-Coy of Bridge to Art.

Also announced in the meeting were the committee leaders for five subgroups. Dennis Mangers was named funding leader, Steve Winlock facilities chair, Garry Maisel marketing chair, Don Roth film chair (this committee will market Sacramento as a film location) and Ruth Rosenberg education chair.

With 10 months of meetings left, the goal of the initiative is to "craft a city and regional vision for the arts," Johnson said. "There are people dying to support the arts."

He drew this conclusion after each of the first four groups he asked for funds all agreed to donate $25,000, putting an end to the group's fundraising efforts in a mere seven days. In doing so, Johnson fulfilled his promise to raise $100,000 to hire interns, graphic designers and consultants to help with the group's logistics.

Those four donors — Western Health Advantage, AT&T, Wells Fargo and Sacramento Regional Community Foundation — all brought representatives. Each said they were honored to support the group.

"It's no surprise that these four stepped forward, because they've been supporting the arts in Sacramento for a long time," Mangers said. He also introduced the four donors to the audience.

"It's your initiative," Johnson said to the audience. "But they're helping us weather the storm."

Several other guests spoke including Michael Fahn of Fahn & Co., who presented Johnson with a piano key signed by jazz legend Dave Brubeck. Brubeck will be playing a concert in Sacramento next month at the Radisson Hotel.

Darrell Ayers, vice president of the Kennedy Center for Education, a national group, was also on hand to speak to the audience. He said that the Kennedy Center's Any Given Child program will help look at Sacramento's resources to develop a long-range education plan if the group wants to work with the center.

Before closing the meeting, Johnson recognized the courage of the "Lion of the Senate," Ted Kennedy, who passed away Aug. 25. He recalled that Kennedy had a great sense of humor and that it was a joy to have met him.

Each of the 10 remaining For Art's Sake meetings has a different location in an arts-related facility; the next will be Sept. 23 at 10 a.m. at The Sacramento Ballet's studio. Those who want to join the group should contact Arts Liaison Sharon Gerber at sharongerber@sixdegreez.net.