You are here: Home » Arts Action Center » Creative Economy Week

Creative Economy Week

It’s the fourth annual Creative Economy Week, happening May 11-18, 2019, hosted in partnership by Arts Wisconsin and the League of Wcreativeeconomyweek-logoisconsin Municipalities.  The annual Creative Economy Week focuses on community engagement through the arts, creative opportunities, and the arts and creativity as an investment for Wisconsin.

Creative Economy Week is a great way to celebrate Wisconsin’s growing creative economy through social media and interaction across the state and share the ways in which the arts, culture and creativity play a vital role in our everyday lives.

In 2019, our focus during Creative Economy Week is on Wisconsin’s museums.  Creative Economy Week is happening in conjunction with Wisconsin Museums Week May 11-18, Milwaukee Museum Mile Day on Sunday, March 12, and International Museums Day 2019, Armed Forces Day, and Wisconsin’s annual Downtown Open House on Saturday, May 18.

Ways to celebrate:

Here’s some inspiration for your community’s celebration:

Here’s how we celebrated Creative Economy Weeks 2019 and 2018:

  • Milwaukee Public Library celebrates Creative Economy Week
  • Milwaukee Museum Mile Day – on Sunday, May 12, #MMMDay is a great way to spend Mother’s Day exploring five unique museums on Milwaukee’s historic East Side for free/reduced admission.
  • Editorial:  Creative Economy Week, Neil Heinen and WISC-TV, Madison, 5-14-19
  • The City of Middleton Arts Committee hosted a free, one day Art Walk featuring the works of 28 fine artists in a variety of media at 15 locations, on Saturday, May 18. Click here for more info.
  • Eau Claire celebrated Creative Economy Week with  “ArtFull Eau Claire” and events and activities going on all week!  Click here for more info.
  • 2019 – spotlight on performing arts centers throughout the state.
  • One big statewide proclamation signed by cities and villages across Wisconsin – thanks for the support to our local officials and civic leaders!

Press press coverage, magazine articles, social media – Creative Economy Weeks 2019 and 2018:

Information, action planning, and research on the creative economy

  • Click here for resources, information, data and research about the creative economy in Wisconsin and beyond.
  • Click here for specific ideas on civic engagement through the arts, or, how to answer the question, “what can our community do to grow its creative economy?”
  • Defining the “creative economy” is an evolving process, but the simplest way is to describe it is the intersection of the creative workforce, creative industries and creative communities.  Click here for definitions of the creative economy from around the world. What can you and communities actually DO to grow the creative economy, enhance quality of life, educate our kids, and keep our communities vibrant?”
  • Click here for some great infographics and data from the National Endowment for the Arts on arts participation, civic engagement throughout the arts, and the economic value of the arts.

Highlights of Creative Economy Week 2017:  

Highlights of Creative Economy Week 2016:

  • Communities throughout the state proclaimed Creative Economy Week for their cities, villages and towns.  Click here for Creative Economy Week proclamations and resolutions.
  • We asked Wisconsin’s Poet Laureate, Kimberly Blaeser, and other poets from across the state, to share their poetry about community and communities.  Read the poetry here.
  • Anne Katz of Arts Wisconsin and Gail Sumi of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities spoke about Creative Economy Week on Wisconsin Public Radio’s “Central Time” on April 26.  Listen here!
  • Arts Wisconsin’s social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – highlighted the impact of the creative economy movement and the success it has had across the state and across the nation.
  • Here were ten ways to celebrate Creative Economy Week!

Whether it be in community cultural development, arts education, or tourism, the arts and creativity play a role in in the lives of everyone, everywhere in Wisconsin.   Celebrate!