What's Afoot Backstage - March 2025

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It's been a busy March! We traveled to La Crosse, Wisconsin for the Wisconsin Governor's Conference on Tourism (WIGCOT), we delivered to Assembly Represenatatives and Senators over 130 reports visualizing the impact of Wisconsin Arts Board Grants, we conducted site visits across the state, and celebrated Youth Art Month.

WIGCOT

The Arts Board was in La Crosse, WI, from March 9th through the 12th, and we were able to highlight the importance of the arts (and of course, the incredibly large impact of the arts within the Tourism industry). It was a week packed with seminars, networking, and education. We were honored to have been asked by the Department of Tourism to arrange a session focused on the intersection between the arts and the outdoors. The room was PACKED, and our panelists did a wonderful job educating session attendees on the many benefits of outdoor arts, for communities and visitors alike. Thank you again to our speakers, Morgan McArthur (who spoke about the Great Sauk State Trail), Jennifer Vieth (who spoke about the St. Croix Art Bench Trail), and Julie Pangallo (who spoke about Sculpture Eau Claire, and moved the entire audience). We also hosted a dinner for the Wisconsin Arts Board staff and board members to come together with Create Wisconsin's staff and board members. Create Wisconsin is the advocacy group for the arts in the state of Wisconsin, and one of our longest partners in promoting and supporting the arts. 

Site Visits

The Arts Board also conducted site visits across the state, going to an Opera for the Young performance in Madison, World Fest in Marinette, and the 2025 State Youth Art Show.

 "Opera for the Young graciously invited us, the Wisconsin Arts Board to attend their performance last Friday. I attended on behalf of the Arts Board, and it was my first time seeing an OFTY show. As, prior to this, I've only ever attended very formal operas, I found The Magic Flute quite beautiful in its perfectly distilled, yet still iconic and recognizable, format for kids. I spoke to a couple next to me, who told me that their granddaughter was excited to be performing, and how it was "a complete fit for her, but unexpected, because she didn't know what opera was before this". Along with every single audience member, I was engaged and energized by the performance, and it looked like the children in the show genuinely had fun singing and interacting with the cast." - Vivienne

“This week, Marinette, Wisconsin hosted A Moving Sound, an award winning ensemble from Taiwan.  A Moving Sound is the last of six artist groups from around the world that Marinette has hosted over the last three years through Arts Midwest World Fest.

In the beginning, there was some hesitation when the Arts Board – one of the nine state arts agencies in the Arts Midwest region - approached Marinette to ask if they’d like to participate in World Fest.  This was understandable as there was no existing performing arts touring infrastructure at the time.  Kim Brooks, who ultimately became Marinette’s community project leader, knew instinctively that this program would have great value for her community and its young people.  Kim assembled a team of volunteers and sponsors who has made this project a success over the past 3 years.

I was able to attend two events during this residency.  On Tuesday, March 18, I attended a community gathering which was held at the beautifully restored Christian Science Reading Room in Marinette.  A Moving Sound performed, sponsors and volunteers were acknowledged, and delicious local vegetables, cheeses, and meats were enjoyed by all.  Those gathered appreciated the performance and all the project has done for the area over the past three years.

The next morning was a school event at the very-full gymnasium of Marinette Middle School.  Kindergarteners to fourth graders were ready to learn about the people, music, and instruments of Taiwan, which is over 7300 miles away from Marinette.  The kids loved the performance, which you could tell as they listened closely, cheered loudly, and participated when invited by the artists to sing along, ask questions, or make comments.  If the past is any guide, another indication of how the kids enjoyed the performance will be when they go home, tell their parents about the performance, and bring their parents to the community concerts offered later in the residency.

There were many seeds planted during this and previous residencies in Marinette, and in other Wisconsin communities touched by World Fest.  For those who have not/or cannot travel beyond the US, the world came to them, planting seeds of cultural understanding, love of music, joy of bringing people together, and community.

Thanks are due to A Moving Sound, community project leader Kim Brooks, community volunteers and sponsors, and Arts Midwest World Fest.

Arts Midwest supports, informs, and celebrates arts organizations and creative communities in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, the Native Nations that share this geography, and beyond.” - George

"The State Art Show​ was absolutely magnificent. It was magnificent to see the kids buzzing with excitement, pointing out their artworks to their families. It was magnificent to see parents and their children in deep discussions about the art, critiquing, admiring, talking about the different processes of oil paintings and metal engravings alike. It was magnificent to see SO many people in East Towne Mall supporting youths and art, of which both will empower and shape our state's future. It was magnificent to see so many different forms of expression, all unitied by the same passion for art. As Chris Gleason, Department of Public Instruction, put it, 'Learning about, and through, the arts is essential', and the 600+ youth artworks from across Wisconsin stands as a testament to that."​ - Vivienne

Create Wisconsin Day

The Arts Board connected with Arts professionals at Create Wisconsin's Local Arts and Creativity Conference and Create Wisconsin Day. Our Board Member Xela Garcia was invited to speak at Create Wisconsin Day on the importance of the arts, and the power the arts has in supporting communities through social and economic impact. Read her remarks here​.​

Grant Impact Reports

Finally, the Arts Board published and delivered to Assembly Representatives and Senators one page reports visualizing the impact of Wisconsin Arts Board Grants in each Senate and Assembly District, as well as statewide​. Find your districts' impact reports here, or check out the statewide impact report below.​

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