ARTSblog

I’d like to take this opportunity to brag about a very exciting creative economy effort in Wisconsin, in the Milwaukee region. National arts and culture leaders from around the country experienced Milwaukee’s vibrant arts and culture sector at the 2006 Americans for the Arts conference. Now southeast Wisconsin is leading the way in assessing, strengthening and sustaining the regional creative economy for the 21st century.

The Cultural Alliance of Greater Milwaukee, the regional cultural development/service and advocacy organization, has recently received a $146,250 grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) for “Creative Works!”, a visionary project to turn cultural and creative vision into action and results.

This support of infrastructure development of the artistic and creative economy is a first for the EDA, and a sign that the economic development infrastructure has begun to recognize investment in the arts as a 21st century strategy for stability and sustainability.

I know we will see more of this kind of support from economic development institutions, on all levels, as the creative economy develops globally. For now this groundbreaking grant from a national economic development institution is something for Wisconsin to brag about.

The Cultural Alliance, Milwaukee Artist Resource Network, the regional organization working with individual artists and creative entrepreneurs, and Greater Milwaukee Committee (GMC), the premier organization for business in the region, are working as a “Creative Coalition” to oversee and guide the ongoing development process. The mission of the Coalition is to integrate the region’s individual creatives, for profit creative businesses, and nonprofit arts and culture groups into a creative economy sector that furthers the distinctiveness and growth of the region.

Mt. Auburn Associates of Cambridge, MA are leading the planning process.  More information about the Cultural Alliance is at www.culturalalliancemke.org.  More information about Milwaukee’s Creative Coalition is at www.creativecoalitionmke.com.

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