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Is there hope in our near future for the arts in America?

East Bay vocalist Cathi Walkup checks in with word of a new online petition that's gathering steam (and signatures) across the web, asking President-elect Barack Obama to create a new Cabinet-level position for a Secretary of the Arts.

The genesis of the petition comes from a November 14 interview with multi-award winner, music producer and evangelist Quincy Jones on WNYC, in which he told host John Schaefer that the "next conversation I have with President Obama is to beg for a Secretary of Arts."

That plea resonated loud and clear with musician Jaime Austria, who plays bass for the New York City Opera and the American Ballet Theatre Orchestra. Austria took his cue from Q and created an online petition asking to President-elect Obama to create a Secretary of the Arts post.

Since its original online debut in November 2007, the petition now includes more than 50,000 signees. The list includes a number of promintent jazz musicians, among them saxophonists James Moody, Charles Lloyd, Phil Woods, and Branford Marsalis; instrumentalist/composer/arranger Jimmy Heath; and drummer Jack DeJohnette.

Here's a link to the online petition — if you're so inclined, that is — where you can add your name as well.