Right now, we need as many voices as possible to speak up for the arts!
True, effective advocacy is a daily activity, and it’s most effective when it comes from the local level and from the heart. Here are six good reasons why YOU must speak up for the arts, arts education and [...]

Arts Wisconsin will present statewide conference calls during the 2011-2013 state budget season on funding for the arts, arts education and creative economy in the budget, the progress of arts advocacy at the State Capitol in Madison and statewide, and how you can and must take action to speak up [...]

One of the most difficult cuts in Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed 2011-2013 state budget is a reduction of 58% to the Wisconsin Arts Board’s budget. This cut will severely reduce the agency’s ability to serve the people of Wisconsin.  This is a move that will not only cut funding for arts and cultural opportunities for [...]

In the past few days, the staff and board of Arts Wisconsin, talking with our very thoughtful constituents, have wrestled with some big questions as we’ve witnessed the dramatic events unfolding at the State Capitol and as we’re getting ready for Arts Day on Thursday, March 3:
Can Arts Day happen with all of the “activity” [...]

Dear Friends,

As we reach the end of one year and look forward to a new one, it’s my job (and my pleasure) as Executive Director of Arts Wisconsin to review and preview developments in Wisconsin’s arts world and the exciting advocacy, service and development work we’ve done this year and will [...]

November 23, 2010, Madison, WI — Rocco Landesman, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, today announced that Arts Wisconsin, Wisconsin’s statewide arts service, advocacy and development organization, has received a grant of $15,000 for its Creative and Cultural Development Program.  Funding will support the organization’s entrepreneurial, leadership and professional development programs and services [...]

Over 200 Wisconsinites from the worlds of the arts, business, education, civic issues, politics, and government rallied at Arts Day 2010, on Wednesday, March 3, 2010, at the Monona Terrace Convention Center and the State Capitol in downtown Madison.
If there ever was a time that Wisconsin needed the arts, it’s now. This is an [...]

The UW Madison Arts Institute brought former chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, and recent transition team leader in Arts and Humanities for the Obama administration, Bill Ivey to Madison last week to talk about arts policy. Bill Ivey was the chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts from 1998 through 2001, [...]

Here are some thoughtful comments about the arts sector, from my colleague Barry Hessenius, former director of the California Arts Council.  He’s an arts advocate extraordinaire and always has a lot of good things to say about the meaning of the arts in our world.   You can find Barry’s Blog at http://www.westaf.org/blog/.
“And the beat goes [...]

Arts Wisconsin is calling for nominations for the first annual Arts in the Community Awards, highlighting and promoting community-based support of the arts in Wisconsin villages, towns and cities, and honor civic leaders who have encouraged and supported innovative approaches to using the arts to build and sustain vibrant, healthy, creative communities.  The award [...]