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We're excited to introduce the Creative Careers in Wisconsin poster and website! Below the screenshot of the website's homepage, you'll find some information on why this project exists. But first, a little bit about the project's beginning...
The Creative Careers in Wisconsin poster was inspired by Arts South Dakota's Careers in the Arts poster.
This resource was created by the Wisconsin Partners for Arts Education, a collaborative network committed to advancing high-quality, inclusive, and equitable arts education for all Wisconsin students. Bringing together leaders in music, visual art, dance, theatre, media art, arts advocacy, and public education, the Partners work collectively to champion the essential role of the arts in a well-rounded education and in the cultural, social, and economic vitality of Wisconsin.
Through collaboration, advocacy, professional learning, and resource sharing, the Partners support arts educators, strengthen connections among schools and communities, and promote meaningful opportunities for every student to create, perform, express, explore, and connect through the arts. Together, they champion the arts as essential disciplines that foster creativity, critical thinking, cultural understanding, personal growth, and lifelong learning—empowering students to contribute to their communities and shape Wisconsin’s future.
A massive thank you to artist Kate Kasper (through the MIAD Lubar Innovation Center) for creating the Creative Careers in Wisconsin poster.
Click on the image below, or visit www.wiartspartners.org, to learn more about the project and download the poster!
About This Project
The Challenge: A Limited View of Creative Careers
Creative thinking and artistic skills contribute to an extraordinary range of careers across Wisconsin’s economy. The arts and culture sector is a major economic and social driver in Wisconsin, generating over $11.9 billion in total economic value, supporting roughly 89,000 jobs, and contributing $933.3 million specifically through the nonprofit arts and culture industry (Bureau of Economic Analysis, AEP 6).
Yet not every student has the resources to see the full picture.
Limited visibility: The career exploration resources commonly used in schools may not fully represent the breadth and diversity of careers in and through the arts, leaving students unaware of the many ways their interests and talents can translate into future opportunities.
A need for better guidance: Educators, school counselors, families, and others who support students’ academic and career decisions may lack accessible resources to help them explore the many possibilities within the creative economy.
Limited pathways to explore: Opportunities for students to develop creative skills, explore related careers, and connect their learning to real-world applications can be difficult to identify or access.
When students cannot see these possibilities, it becomes harder for them to imagine themselves in these careers—and harder for schools and communities to recognize the learning opportunities that can help them get there.
The Response: A Creative Approach to Career Exploration
The Creative Careers in Wisconsin poster and companion website were developed to help change that picture. By making the breadth of creative careers more visible and providing a starting point for further exploration, this project invites students and those who support them to see new possibilities and consider new pathways.
The poster is designed to be more than a display. Placed in classrooms, school counseling offices, libraries, businesses, and community spaces, it can spark conversations, challenge assumptions, and encourage students to explore how their interests connect to future opportunities. The companion website extends that exploration by connecting users to resources that support deeper learning about creative careers.
Together, these tools aim to:
INSPIRE students to consider careers that resonate with their interests, talents, and aspirations within and through the arts.
ILLUMINATE the breadth, depth, and interconnectedness of career opportunities across the diverse creative ecosystem.
IGNITE conversations about the learning experiences, educational pathways, and community partnerships needed to help students explore and prepare for these opportunities.
Why A Poster And Website?
Sometimes, the first step towards something is first seeing that it exists.
A poster makes creative careers visible in the places where students learn, explore, and make decisions. Its accessible, visual format encourages curiosity and helps students see that creative careers extend far beyond the roles they may already know. The companion website provides a bridge from awareness to action, offering resources to explore careers in greater depth.
By combining a highly visible, shareable resource with opportunities for further exploration, the project helps connect what students love, what they learn, and what they might become. It also invites educators, families, schools, and communities to consider how they can expand opportunities for students to develop and apply skills.
The goal is not simply to help students choose a career. It is to help them imagine possibilities, discover connections, and recognize the many ways the arts can shape their futures.