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If Tucson wants to become a cultural center, which could serve as an economic generator, there must be a coalition of businesses, governments, arts groups and the public willing to pitch in.

That was the conclusion agreed on by participants in a regional public meeting on Wednesday.

The arts and cultural groups must work more closely together to promote their work and value in the region, said Peter Likins, chairman of the Tucson Regional Town Hall, which held the meeting. He also is a former University of Arizona president.

More than 150 people showed up for a two-hour brainstorming session at the Tucson Association of Realtors headquarters on North Tucson Boulevard. The meeting, dubbed a community conversation on arts and culture, was a follow-up to May's larger, multiday conference on Tucson's future direction.

Several speakers from business and arts interests said engaging the two groups has begun, and that will pay dividends if Tucson becomes the state's cultural center.

Mike Jameson, president of Tucson Newspapers Inc., said vibrant arts and cultural activities create an "ambience" that companies and workers look for when considering moving to new cities.

Regional economic development plans have stated that strong arts and cultural activities serve as a magnet to attract businesses to relocate to the Tucson area.

"Supporting our artists is the best investment we can make," said Kathleen Perkins, chief executive officer of OpticsReport, a Tucson online publication.

A recent report by the Tucson Pima Arts Council said arts, cultural organizations and events generate about $125 million a year for the local economy, based on two studies by the Arts Council and the UA.

But the participants acknowledged that funding for the arts is hard to find. Private donors and corporations are few, and those who give are overburdened with requests.

Government subsidies have lagged, and the economic downturn will prevent local governments from increasing arts funding.

Last month the Arts Council asked the Tucson City Council to double its contribution to $1.4 million next year and add $1.5 million more the following year. The city has supported the Arts Council with $691,000 in each of the past six years.

Roberto Bedoya, director of the Tucson Pima Arts Council, said that while funding remains a large obstacle for the arts, Wednesday's session generated good results.

"It's about coalition building and finding strategic alliances," Bedoya said. "It's crucial to find this kind of support."