Action Alert 3-2-25: State budget 2025-2027 info and updates

Stay connected, speak out, and show up during the 2025-2027 state budget season​. There are no guarantees, and a lot of hard work ahead, but we have the best opportunity in a long time to increase public investment in the arts throughout the state.  Below are more info and action steps.  ​ Hope to see you at Create Wisconsin Day on Tuesday, March 25.  ​ Call on Create Wisconsin as a resource and feel free to get in touch anytime with questions, comments, ideas. ​

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

​State budget season is upon us.  Gov. Evers released his 2025-2027 budget on February 18.  The governor’s budget includes these investments in the arts and creative economy:

• Increased funding for arts and cultural programs and experiences through the Wisconsin Arts Board, with an appropriation of $2.95 million annually, providing a total $0.68 per capita state support for nonprofit arts organizations. The Arts Board would also receive the funds needed to draw down all available federal funds that require a state match. Nonprofit arts and culture organizations and their audiences generated $933.3 million in economic activity in Wisconsin in 2022 - $437.1 million in spending by the organizations, which leveraged an additional $496.2 million in event-related spending by their audiences.

• An appropriation of $1 million over the biennium for a new Rural Wisconsin Creative Economy Grant Program, which is similar to a Create Wisconsin-backed proposal from Sen. Romaine Quinn (R-Cameron) and Rep. Todd Novak (R-Dodgeville). Sen. Quinn and Rep. Novak have introduced legislation to establish the
  Rural Wisconsin Creative Economy Grant Program (LRB -1623/P3). Ask your legislators to sign on as co-sponsors, using Create Wisconsin’s Action Alert and template message.

• Expenditure and position authority to establish the Office of Film and Creative Industries, which will offer centralized support to, and enhance economic development in, Wisconsin's film and creative sectors.  Go to ActionWI! for the latest news and updated action steps.

​Create Wisconsin is sending thanks to Gov. Evers and advocating for these three issues with the Legislature as the budget season continues. Here are suggested action steps (always updated​ in Create Wisconsin’s Legislative Action Center):

Advocacy actions:

• Thank Gov. Evers for making budget investments in the arts and creative economy.

• Click here for more info and a template message that will go directly to your elected officials.  You can cut any of the information in the template message, and, please personalize your message with information about your work and your community.

• Go to Action WI! to get involved in advocacy for film incentives and a state film office.

• Stay informed through Create Wisconsin’s Legislative Action Center and social media about meetings, hearings, and actions coming up in the next few months.  The budget season is a fluid process and it’s important to be involved.  ​

• Dates to note:

• Monday, March 24: Register for the Local Arts and Creativity Conference in Madison - a networking and learning pre-conference to Create Wisconsin Day

• Tuesday, March 25:  Register for Create Wisconsin Day in Madison - Wisconsin’s most important day for the arts and creative economy, and you don’t want to miss it

• April:  Joint Finance Committee hearings on the budget (schedule TBA)

• April-May:  Legislature reviews and votes on the budget

• By June 30:  Gov. Evers signs the budget into law.

• Keep in touch with Create Wisconsin with questions, comments, and ideas.