Create Wisconsin announce three initiatives in partnership with the League of Wisconsin Municipalities at the League’s 2025 Annual Conference
Create Wisconsin announce three initiatives
in partnership with the League of Wisconsin Municipalities at the League’s 2025 Annual Conference:
2025 Creative Community Champion Award to Ald. Milele A. Coggs
Annual Conference Artist-in-Residence Ahmari Benton
Conference panel on investment in Wisconsin’s creative economy
September 17-19, 2025 | Milwaukee, WI
Create Wisconsin announces three important initiatives in partnership with the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, at the League’s 127th Annual Conference, taking place at the Baird Center in Milwaukee, September 17-19, 2025.
2025 Creative Community Champion Award to Ald. Milele A. Coggs
127th Annual Conference Artist-in-Residence Ahmari Benton
Conference session on investment in Wisconsin’s creative economy
2025 Creative Community Champion Award to Ald. Milele A. Coggs: The annual Creative Community Champion Awards are presented by Create Wisconsin in partnership with the League of Wisconsin Municipalities. These awards honor civic leaders as champions and communities in Wisconsin focused on creativity as integral to economic, educational, and community vitality. Create Wisconsin has presented these awards to these champions - individuals, organizations, businesses, and local government agencies - since 2009. In 2025, the award will be presented to City of Milwaukee Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs, for her outstanding advocacy and support of arts and cultural investment, engagement and access for all Milwaukeeans.
Annual Conference Artist-in-Residence Ahmari Benton: Ahmari Benton of Milwaukee will present a community-engaged, hands-on, participatory practice, bringing the gathered community into the creative process and incorporating the 2025 Conference Theme, “You are the Key.” Ms. Benton’s Conference experience will center on fostering connection, reflection, and pride through participatory visual art projects that allow for both individual expression and collaborative creation. The two-day residency will include a "Keys of Change" community key making workshop. These projects will provide opportunities for both brief and more in depth participation, accessible during the networking exposition. This is the second year of the League Artist in Residence program made possible by the historic and enduring partnership between the League and Create Wisconsin.
Conference session on investment in Wisconsin’s creative economy: The Conference will include a session on investment in Wisconsin’s creative economy, taking place at the Baird Center in Milwaukee, 11 am, September 18, 2025. Presented by Create Wisconsin and the City of Milwaukee Arts Board, this timely and important conversation will explore strategic investment in the arts and creative economy as a driver of civic and economic well-being, fosters community connections and opportunities, and positions municipalities of all sizes as vibrant cultural hubs.
The League’s 127th Annual Fall Conference is a place for municipal staff and elected officials to find encouragement in a community of local government enthusiasts, share experiences, and together create the future. The 2025 conference will uplift stories of excellent community service, inspirational ideas, and practical solutions, and the building blocks to create better organizations and communities, and attendees will walk away with inspiring, creative ideas and opportunities.
The League of Wisconsin Municipalities, established in 1898, is Wisconsin’s advocacy and service organization for all Wisconsin cities and villages. Create Wisconsin is the state’s community cultural development organization, founded in 1992, providing advocacy, service, and development for a vibrant, creative Wisconsin.
Learn more and contact Create Wisconsin at 608 255 8316 | info@createwisconsin.org | www.createwisconsin.org for more information.
