State budget 2025-2027 - Creative Economy Legislative Agenda and Talking Points

Create Wisconsin is calling for these investments in the 2025-2027 state budget:

- Invest in Wisconsin’s creative assets to benefit all Wisconsinites, by increasing funding for grants awarded on a competitive basis by the Wisconsin Arts Board.  Located in the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, the WAB administers competitive grant programs directed toward nonprofit artistic and cultural organizations to support for a variety of purposes, ranging from general operations to specific art experiences.  

The Wisconsin Arts Board encourages creative development and oversees grants to cultural organizations and individual creative workers that support access to arts experiences.

In fiscal year 2024-25, the WAB state budget appropriation totaled $1,083,000 GPR. An additional $2.95 million annual investment would increase the state’s per capita support from $0.18 to $0.68 and its national rank from 49 th  to 39 th, according to the National Association of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) “Raise Your Ranking .”

- Rural Creative Economy Development Program:  we call for legislation to provide much needed state support to economic development and promotional organizations and local government agencies for the purpose of cultural planning and creative economic development programs. Eligible projects will serve the rural creative economy and creative industries through hob and business creation and capacity-building, workforce training and development, community and sector planning, development and engagement, and products or services with artistic, cultural, creative, or aesthetic qualities.   Sen. Romaine Quinn (R-Birchwood) and Rep. Todd Novak (R-Dodgeville) are co-sponsors of a bill to establish this program in the WEDC Office of Rural Prosperity.

- Establishment of an 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.

Talking points: Wisconsin’s arts and cultural assets are more important than ever to revitalize the economy, develop a 21st century workforce, and incubate, attract and retain talent, provide opportunities for all, and help our communities, large and small, thrive.  Investment in the creative sector helps grow and stabilize Wisconsin’s economy, workforce, and communities. 

- Importance of investing in the creative sector 

• Investing in the creative sector helps grow and stabilize the state's economy, workforce, and communities, and help Wisconsin compete in the regional and global economies.

• Arts and culture strengthens the visitor economy and drives commerce to local businesses.

  • One-third of attendees travel from outside the county in which the art and cultural activity takes place, according to Americans for the Arts, Arts & Economic Prosperity 6.

  • When local attendees to nonprofit arts and culture events were asked what they would have done if the event where they were surveyed had not been available, 51% said they would have “travelled to a different community to attend a similar arts or cultural activity,” according to Americans for the Arts, Arts & Economic Prosperity 6

  • When people attend a cultural event they often make an outing of it - dining at a restaurant or shopping at retail establishments.  

  • In 2022, nonprofit arts and culture organizations and their audiences generated $933.3 million in economic activity in Wisconsin - $437.1 million in spending by the organizations, which leveraged an additional $496.2 million in event-related spending by their audiences, as shown below.

- Making the arts available and accessible 

• Increasing investment in arts programs makes the arts accessible for all.

• Investment in creativity helps attract visitors and residents, and strengthens Wisconsin’s brand as a creative and artistic state.

- Supporting the creative economy statewide

• Investing in programs and services that grow Wisconsin equitably and creatively benefits everyone, everywhere in the state. 

• Creating film and television production incentives and a state film office can support the creative economy. 

• Investing in integrated arts and creative education provides opportunities for all Wisconsin students.