The arts and what the arts economy can do for Wisconsin is the focus of a one day event next week.
The annual "Arts Day" is set for March 9 in Madison. Promoters say it's day set aside for people in the arts and other endeavors who care about Wisconsin's future to gather and also meet with elected officials.
Executive Director Anne Katz from Arts Wisconsin says its a day for people from across Wisconsin to celebrate the arts in their local communities. She says they also will be trying to build momentum to invest in Wisconsin's creative economy...
"...what's happening is people are looking at the assets in their communities and they are saying, 'What can we do with them?, 'How can we make an economy?' 'How can we make our community a place where people want to live, work and play?'..."
The measure is called the Creative Economy Development Initiative. Katz says the arts are a form of economic development...
".....what the state needs to do is invest in that creative economy. This is the 21st century world. This is how people make a living. In the tourism economy, in the creative economy with small business and entrepreneurship being the main components. We are working on getting the state to pay attention to that...."
Among the speakers are Madison Poet Laureate Oscar Mireles and Donna Neuwirth,Director of the Wormfarm Institute in Reedsburg.
Performances will also be held throughout the day. Arts Day is being held March 9 at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center in Madison. More information is available at artswisconsin.org
