Art is not a frill, it’s part of the solution:

surviving, thriving and speaking up

in these ‘interesting’ times

Ideas | Resources | Actions

Viroqua, WI | June 9, 2009

Workshop detailsWorkshop details  • About Arts WisconsinAbout Arts Wisconsin• The good news and the bad news facing The good news and the bad news facing

Wisconsin’s arts industryWisconsin’s arts industry• The economy and the arts: by the The economy and the arts: by the

numbersnumbers• ResourcesResources• Eight high-priority strategies to keep Eight high-priority strategies to keep

moving forwardmoving forward• Five things you can do tomorrow to keep Five things you can do tomorrow to keep

moving forwardmoving forward

About Arts WisconsinAbout Arts WisconsinWho we are: Who we are: – Wisconsin’s statewide arts service, Wisconsin’s statewide arts service,

development and advocacy organizationdevelopment and advocacy organizationVision: Vision: – Access to the arts for everyone, everywhere in Access to the arts for everyone, everywhere in

WisconsinWisconsinMission: Mission: – The only independent, non-partisan, non-profit The only independent, non-partisan, non-profit

organization speaking up and working for the organization speaking up and working for the arts, culture, creativity and innovationarts, culture, creativity and innovation

Programs and services: Programs and services: – advocacy, professional development, research advocacy, professional development, research

and information, networks and strategic and information, networks and strategic partnershipspartnerships

The bad newsThe bad news• Fewer jobs overall statewide and nationallyFewer jobs overall statewide and nationally

• Less disposable income Less disposable income • Less individual contributionsLess individual contributions• Less money to spend on tickets, exhibit fees, programsLess money to spend on tickets, exhibit fees, programs

• Anxiety and uncertaintyAnxiety and uncertainty• Declining public revenueDeclining public revenue

• $6.7 deficit for Wisconsin$6.7 deficit for Wisconsin• State deficit will affect personnel, city, county revenuesState deficit will affect personnel, city, county revenues

• Corporate and foundation stock and fund values Corporate and foundation stock and fund values are way downare way down• Less corporate and foundation contributed incomeLess corporate and foundation contributed income

• General feeling – exacerbated in this environment General feeling – exacerbated in this environment - that the arts are “a frill” and funding should go - that the arts are “a frill” and funding should go to basic needsto basic needs

The good newsThe good newsGrowing awareness in Wisconsin and Growing awareness in Wisconsin and globally with business, political and civic globally with business, political and civic leaders that the arts are a viable industry leaders that the arts are a viable industry and occupationand occupationLt. Governor Lawton and State Lt. Governor Lawton and State Superintendent Burmaster led the Superintendent Burmaster led the Wisconsin Task Force on Arts and Wisconsin Task Force on Arts and Creativity in EducationCreativity in EducationLocal and Hollywood film industry is Local and Hollywood film industry is growing in Wisconsin growing in Wisconsin Cities, towns and villages across the state Cities, towns and villages across the state are taking stock of, investing in and are taking stock of, investing in and promoting their arts and creative people, promoting their arts and creative people, organizations and communitiesorganizations and communities

The Economy and the Arts: The Economy and the Arts: By the NumbersBy the Numbers

10,000:10,000: Number of nonprofit arts and cultural organizations Number of nonprofit arts and cultural organizations at risk of closing their doors in 2009.at risk of closing their doors in 2009.

260,000:260,000: Number of jobs lost if that many institutions close Number of jobs lost if that many institutions close this year.this year.

$166.2 billion:$166.2 billion: Economic activity generated annually by Economic activity generated annually by American nonprofit arts groups.American nonprofit arts groups.

5.7 million:5.7 million: Number of full-time jobs supported by the arts. Number of full-time jobs supported by the arts.

$29.6-billion:$29.6-billion: Amount of tax revenue generated by arts Amount of tax revenue generated by arts organizations (including federal, state, and local taxes).organizations (including federal, state, and local taxes).

6%:6%: Unemployment rate for artists at the end of 2008. Unemployment rate for artists at the end of 2008.

129,000:129,000: Number of artists unemployed in the fourth Number of artists unemployed in the fourth quarter of 2008, an increase of 63 percent from 2007.quarter of 2008, an increase of 63 percent from 2007.

Resources - WisconsinResources - Wisconsin

ArtsBuildArtsBuild

Arts WisconsinArts Wisconsin

Wisconsin Arts BoardWisconsin Arts Board

Creative WisconsinCreative Wisconsin

Wisconsin Nonprofits AssociationWisconsin Nonprofits Association

UW Small Business Development CentersUW Small Business Development Centers

UW Center for Community DevelopmentUW Center for Community Development

UW Center for NonprofitsUW Center for Nonprofits

UW Swap ShopUW Swap Shop

Resources - NationalResources - National

Americans for the ArtsAmericans for the ArtsNational Endowment for the ArtsNational Endowment for the ArtsCharity Lobbying in the Public Charity Lobbying in the Public Interest (CLPI)Interest (CLPI)Independent SectorIndependent SectorSpringboard for the ArtsSpringboard for the ArtsFractured AtlasFractured AtlaseTapestryeTapestryTechSoupTechSoup

Resources - OrganizationalResources - Organizational

UW-Madison Division of Continuing Studies - UW-Madison Division of Continuing Studies - Nonprofit Development Training SeriesNonprofit Development Training Series

UW-Madison Grants Information CenterUW-Madison Grants Information Center

Nonprofit Management Center - BoardStarNonprofit Management Center - BoardStar

BoardSourceBoardSource

Chronicle of PhilanthropyChronicle of Philanthropy

The Foundation Center The Foundation Center

Eight high-priority strategies - #1Eight high-priority strategies - #1

Plan, plan, plan:Plan, plan, plan:Embed strategic planning and Embed strategic planning and

thinking, visioning, and capacity thinking, visioning, and capacity building, into the fabric of your building, into the fabric of your

nonprofit.nonprofit.

Eight high-priority strategies - #2Eight high-priority strategies - #2

Strengthen the board and Strengthen the board and your audiences/your audiences/

constituents/customers:constituents/customers: Organizations need engaged, pro-Organizations need engaged, pro-active audiences, or even the best active audiences, or even the best

groups will suffer during a poor groups will suffer during a poor economy.economy.

Eight High-Priority Strategies - #3Eight High-Priority Strategies - #3

Break old habits and make new Break old habits and make new ones:ones:

Find new sources of Find new sources of support, resources and support, resources and

ways of doing thingsways of doing things

Eight High-Priority Strategies - #4Eight High-Priority Strategies - #4

Partner and collaborate: Partner and collaborate:

Join forces with other people, Join forces with other people, organizations, agencies and groups organizations, agencies and groups

to share resources and costs for to share resources and costs for administration, supplies, programs administration, supplies, programs

and/or eventsand/or events

Eight High-Priority Strategies - #5Eight High-Priority Strategies - #5

Make cuts carefully:Make cuts carefully: Your service to the community is at Your service to the community is at

the heart of your purpose and the heart of your purpose and mission. mission.

Do everything possible to avoid Do everything possible to avoid hurting the quality of and access to hurting the quality of and access to

programs.programs.

Eight High-Priority Strategies - #6Eight High-Priority Strategies - #6

Don't lay off the wrong people:Don't lay off the wrong people: As the recession eases, organizations As the recession eases, organizations

that lose their resources will have that lose their resources will have trouble regaining ground quickly.trouble regaining ground quickly.

Eight High-Priority Strategies - #7Eight High-Priority Strategies - #7

Think local:Think local: Commit to local activities to raise the Commit to local activities to raise the

institution's visibility and institution's visibility and demonstrate its role as integral to demonstrate its role as integral to

the fabric and health of your the fabric and health of your community. community.

Eight High-Priority Strategies - #8Eight High-Priority Strategies - #8

Think globally, too:Think globally, too:

Pay attention to and get involved Pay attention to and get involved in regional and state advocacy in regional and state advocacy

efforts, partnerships, mindsets, and efforts, partnerships, mindsets, and problem solving approaches.problem solving approaches.

Eight High Priority Strategies - #9Eight High Priority Strategies - #9

Don’t panic:Don’t panic:

Instead of wringing your hands, roll up Instead of wringing your hands, roll up your sleeves and get to work, and your sleeves and get to work, and vent as often as possible to any vent as often as possible to any sympathetic ear you can find!sympathetic ear you can find!

Call on Call on Arts Wisconsin and ArtsBuildArts Wisconsin and ArtsBuild

Anne KatzAnne Katz

Arts WisconsinArts Wisconsin

608.255.8316608.255.8316akatz@artswisconsin.orgakatz@artswisconsin.org

www.artswisconsin.orgwww.artswisconsin.org

Carole SpelicCarole Spelic

ArtsBuildArtsBuild

608.342.1314 608.342.1314 spelicc@uwplatt.eduspelicc@uwplatt.edu

www.uwplatt.edu/cont_ed/awww.uwplatt.edu/cont_ed/artsbuild/rtsbuild/