Create Wisconsin, the state's community cultural development organization, is leading advocacy efforts to grow Wisconsin creatively through public and private investment in the arts and culture. Right now, during the state FY2025-2027 budget season, Wisconsin has the best opportunity in a long time to expand the state's creative economy investment.
To make that happen, we need you to take action! Please sign below, to ask legislators to support the three creative sector state budget initiatives currently making their way through the legislative budget process. We are also keeping an eye on other initiatives in the budget and will add them to our legislative agenda as needed.
After you sign, send this request to people in your network: - colleagues, supporters, friends, family - really, everyone who cares about Wisconsin's future - and ask them to sign on, as well. The more voices heard from, the better.
Create Wisconsin will deliver the letter to legislators to show statewide support for creative sector investment.
Please sign on by May 5, 2025. Contact Anne Katz, Director, 608 255 8316 | info@createwisconsin.org with comments, questions, and ideas. Many thanks for your good work and your advocacy.
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TO: Members of the Wisconsin State Legislature
FROM: Constituents throughout the state
RE: Support state investment in Wisconsin’s creative sector
Wisconsin has abundant arts and cultural assets which are essential to our local and statewide economies and quality of life. Increased state investment will enable growth in the arts and creative economy work throughout the state, supporting opportunities for all residents and communities committed to developing vibrant creative businesses and experiences, benefitting residents and visitors alike. Investment in the arts , culture, and creativity is investment in an industry that strengthens the economy, enhances quality of life, and builds more livable communities.
Please support expanded state investment in Wisconsin's arts and creative economy sector, through these four FY2025-2027 budget initiatives.
- EXPANDED ARTS AND CULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH INCREASED INVESTMENT IN THE WISCONSIN ARTS BOARD: Increase the Wisconsin Arts Board (WAB) budget by $2.95 million GPR annually. 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. 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 .”
According to a recent report from Americans for the Arts and the Arts Board, in FY 22, the statewide economic impact of nonprofit arts and culture organizations and their audiences totaled $933.3 million; arts and culture organizations spent $437.1 million, while event-related expenditures by audiences provided another $496.2 million in economic activity. In addition, Wisconsin’s creative sector contributed $12.4 BILLION to the state’s economy in 2023 and employed over 95,305 workers, according to the Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account (ACPSA) report released on April 2, 2025, by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) in the US Department of Commerce. Wisconsin’s arts and cultural economic activity for Core Arts and Cultural Industries, including performing arts companies, museums, and independent artists, writers and performers, comprised $2.63 BILLION of the total value added and 15,534 jobs.
- RURAL CREATIVE ECONOMY GRANT PROGRAM: As proposed, the Office of Rural Prosperity in the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation would administer a new Rural Wisconsin Creative Economy Grant Program for economic development organizations and municipal, town, county and tribal governments to increase tourism, enhance visitor experiences and/or bolster community development in rural Wisconsin through the development or promotion of creative enterprise. “Rural area" includes a city, village, or town in this state that has a population of less than 10,000 or a county in this state that has a population of less than 55,000. While Senate Bill 173/Assembly Bill 159, authored by Sen. Romaine Quinn (R-Birchwood) and Rep. Todd Novak (R-Dodgeville), would establish a statutory framework for the competitive grant program, GPR funding for the program would be approved separately by the Joint Committee on Finance.
- STATE FILM OFFICE AND FILM AND TV TAX INCENTIVES
Wisconsin is currently one of only 13 states in the country that does not have film production incentives and only one of four states that does not have a film office or commission. Senators Julian Bradley (R-New Berlin) and Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point) and Representatives Dave Armstrong (R-Barron), Calvin Callahan (R - Tomahawk), and Karen Hurd (R-Withee) are the legislative sponsors of a bill to create this program, which would provide the following incentives:
- 30% tax credit on qualifying production expenditures
- Only money spent on Wisconsin-based businesses and crew wages qualifies
- Qualifying productions include feature and short films, television series, documentaries and advertising
- Minimum spend for feature films: $100,000
- Minimum spend for short films: $50,000
- Annual fund: $10 million (with a maximum of $1 million per project)
Establishing a state film office and offering state tax incentives are lucrative strategies that allow Wisconsin to benefit from increased economic activity. Incentives attract filmmakers and their projects, which contribute to local businesses, job creation, and tourism, boosting the overall economy. Film and TV production creates a ripple effect in a community, benefiting local crew members and independently-owned businesses in the area.
