Advocacy for the Creative Economy:
Creative Conversations about growing Wisconsin creatively Fall - Winter 2024
Zoom link: www.zoom.us/j/4601378823
These are interesting and opportune times, and now is the time to take action! Join Create Wisconsin and local host organizations around the state for a pre-state budget season conversation about advocacy and action, the issues and opportunities ahead, and ways to get involved.
Anne Katz, Director of Create Wisconsin, the state's community cultural development organization, will facilitate the conversation and discuss Create Wisconsin’s 2024-2025 Action Agenda, how to tell your compelling story to decision makers, and tips and guidelines to be an informed, effective advocate. With your partnership in this effort, we have a real chance for success this year.
The 2025-2027 state budget season is approaching. As the state's creative sector advocacy and service organization, Create Wisconsin is already working hard to connect constituents with legislators and members of the Evers Administration, with a robust advocacy agenda that includes a proposal to increase funding to the Wisconsin Arts Board. Wisconsin can and must do better to invest in an industry that strengthens the economy, quality of life, and livable, accessible communities.
Please join us and local hosts throughout the state for a series of workshops on the issues, advocacy, and ways to take action.
Each workshop will feature general advocacy info and info specific to the local host(s) region. All are welcome to attend any of the sessions.
Dates/local hosts so far (schedule will be updated as sessions are scheduled:
Monday, September 9, 7-8 pm | local host: SAGE, Green Bay
Tuesday, September 10, 10-11 am | local host: SAGE, Green Bay
Tuesday, September 24, 7-8 pm | local hosts in the Northwoods: Three Lakes Center for the Arts; Land o' Lakes Arts; Dillman's Bay Resort Art Workshops, Lac du Flambeau; Campanile Center for the Arts, Minocqua; Eagle River Revitalization Program; ArtStart Rhinelander
Wednesday, September 25, 10-11 am | local hosts in the Northwoods: Three Lakes Center for the Arts; Land o' Lakes Arts; Dillman's Bay Resort Art Workshops, Lac du Flambeau; Campanile Center for the Arts, Minocqua; Eagle River Revitalization Program; ArtStart Rhinelander
The workshop features:
What we mean by the "creative economy", including data and research
Why the creative economy is THE clear direction for Wisconsin’s future
Issues, trends, opportunities ahead
Create Wisconsin’s 2025-2027 Legislative Agenda and advocacy actions in the upcoming budget season
Each workshop will feature general advocacy info and info specific to the communities hosting, but all are welcome to attend any workshop. A Zoom link and other info will be sent to you the day before the meeting.
Questions? Contact Anne Katz at Create Wisconsin | akatz@createwisconsin.org.
Context for the discussion:
After Election Day on November 5, the new Legislature will begin its work in early January, and Gov. Evers will introduce his FY2025-2027 budget in February. Create Wisconsin Day is April 1, 2025, at the Overture Center for the Arts in downtown Madison. The budget season will continue until the end of June; the Governor will sign the budget by 6-30-25.
Wisconsin’s overall creative sector contributed $11.9 billion to the state’s economy in 2022 and employed over 89,000 workers – that's more jobs than in the beer, biotech, and papermaking industries. [US Bureau of Economic Advisors/National Endowment for the Arts]. 35 key arts and culture industries were responsible for $1.1 billion of the total value added and 5,176 workers.
And, according to the recent Arts and Economic VI Prosperity report from Americans for the Arts and the Wisconsin Arts Board, Wisconsin’s nonprofit arts sector generated $933.3 MILLION in economic activity in 2022:
$437.1 MILLION spent by arts and culture organizations
$496.2 MILLION in event-related expenditures by audiences, such as accommodations, food and beverage, recreation and retail shopping.
Despite these impressive numbers, in FY24, the Wisconsin Arts Board was appropriated $1,078,000 through the state budget process, or 0.18 cents per capita. By comparison, FY24 per capita spending in Minnesota is $9.62 and Illinois is spending $5.22. Yes, we can and must do better.