[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6087482,"mediaKeyId","2889837-cb21fe595fe5b5c00c3aef9165403c46","parentId",2889837,"title","Wisconsin Arts Board approves Creation grant recommendations after multi‑panel review; board follows conflict‑of‑interest process","audioSeconds",1109,"startMs",4104000,"endMs",5213000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2889837-cb21fe595fe5b5c00c3aef9165403c46&start=4104&end=5213","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2889837-cb21fe595fe5b5c00c3aef9165403c46/thumbnail_4104000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6087482/Wisconsin/Wisconsin-Arts-Board-approves-Creation-grant-recommendations-after-multipanel-review-board-follows-conflictofinterest-process","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6087482-bd1c06c31eb704098e02f865ce2cbaa9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770990685&Signature=iruS4w1AC8dnHBYtYb0Gv1aKWLrmzw5YSY2502P8z7j~cMzl~otTbo9el8MZb0nRCS-rOo780zkYyaAeFvmjIFN9pwaM6K1ZcbaubbHSVquD2YVZo0fINutA-INMiMkPjwbC2p-hEb7TZDBY094Soi28CaO5lo1RNUVTamULa0yhhjgzcJPpd1UWBDZlicMJVwuVk3GTKJu37NKQyn7kxksayvKfG-JduPu6YzlHqSuVbedbOryeQjXTOIzqVk1z-IITnOn7GZS9BntyqI9CJBEk-GHbj7TfJtqykQk8PlY8OzOXhJ-wq5CLl97z4l5D34J5OR5C5m3Y-PSzPdHf5w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Wisconsin Arts Board","date","2025-04-07T06:38:10.12Z","article","After multi‑week panel review and in‑meeting conflict disclosures, the Wisconsin Arts Board approved the Creation program grant recommendations for both full‑year and new‑applicant rounds.

Panel process and timing: Board members heard a summary that the full‑year panel met on November 21 for a long review day and that a smaller new‑applicant panel reviewed incoming organizations in a shorter session. Panelists emphasized that applications would be improved with clearer budgets, fewer unexplained acronyms, stronger community impact documentation and more explicit evaluation plans. Staff said they are experimenting with panel formats to reduce fatigue while preserving the educational benefit for applicants.

Conflict of interest and procedure: Board staff led a roll call of conflicts; members with perceived or direct conflicts were asked to leave the meeting or abstain when their organization’s recommendation was considered. The meeting included multiple instances where individual members left the virtual room, the board discussed the remaining quorum, and the board voted on blocks of recommendations.

Motions and outcomes: The board passed a sequence of motions to approve grant recommendations as presented by staff and panels. The meeting record shows multiple grouped motions that approved recommended awards for a broad set of organizations across disciplines. The board used voice votes for each motion and recorded that motions carried.

Votes at a glance (approved organizations; list compiled from the meeting record):
Afar/General list (examples drawn from packet pages discussed): Joy Engine; Strollers Theater; Black Arts MKE (Black Arts); Wisconsin Academy of Science, Arts & Letters; Woodland Pattern; Wisconsin Museum of Quilts & Fiber Arts; Milwaukee Art Museum; Folklore Village; Latino Arts; La Farge? (La Familia de Arte); John Michael Kohler Arts Center; Arts at Large; Quasi Mundo; Linden Sculpture Garden; Early Music groups; Hagerty Museum of Art; Ex Fabula (Expatriate/Expatty Love); Next Act; Milwaukee Art Museum programs; Milwaukee Symphony-related organizations; Madison Symphony Orchestra; Madison Youth Choirs; Festival Choir; Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra; Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra; Forward Theater; Milwaukee Repertory Theater; Skylight Music Theatre; Peninsula Players; American Players Theatre; Children’s Theatre of Madison; Northern Sky Theatre; Present Music; Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra; and many others discussed in the packet.

How approvals were made: In most instances the board voted to approve recommendations in grouped batches (for example, a motion approving all recommended grants except a named subset), then took separate motions on organizations tied to disclosed conflicts. On those conflict items, the conflicted members left the discussion, the remaining quorum voted and board staff recorded the outcome as “motion carries.”

What the grants mean: Staff said the approved awards reflect panel scoring and available funding; the process included attention to organizational budgets, matching numbers and documentation of community impact. Panel feedback will be available to applicants as technical assistance.

No dollar amounts or final tally counts were announced in the public portion of the meeting notes presented; votes were voice votes and recorded in the minutes as carried motions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","December 2024 Quarterly Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Following in‑depth panel review, the Wisconsin Arts Board approved the panel recommendations for full‑year and new‑applicant Creation grants; board members disclosed and managed conflicts of interest and the board voted on grouped recommendations by motion.","taxTitle","Wisconsin Arts Board, State Agencies, Executive, Wisconsin","taxId",29155,"location","Wisconsin","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6087486,"Ruth Arts tells Wisconsin Arts Board about Artist’s Choice grants, Milwaukee project space and plans to seek IRS approval to fund individuals",949,1293000,2242000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2889837-cb21fe595fe5b5c00c3aef9165403c46&start=1293&end=2242","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2889837-cb21fe595fe5b5c00c3aef9165403c46/thumbnail_1293000.jpg","/articles/6087486/Wisconsin/Ruth-Arts-tells-Wisconsin-Arts-Board-about-Artists-Choice-grants-Milwaukee-project-space-and-plans-to-seek-IRS-approval-to-fund-individuals","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6087486-48f9bdfe4fb01eb5ab38caa76a7235b6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770990685&Signature=SFjHh70j3f8nhVu750DdnAQbs-PfQW8-v2PcAXxc5GLAG6aKu3y~n6FbVGUr1nPCC4jlyWps6RIqsZAAdfusSMyh5lS0vlKS1IwfL7Vs7xRb0dN5iCO9lvEMSNqFHmrpolND4sUM7jl13JPhgAhKThyByH1GkzcQeNwYM5Cvew5H5EsI~P0jfSBBa8mVaCRAbo5J5cXyoiGAJgkFVTdmsRzimdHSX3dN74XHSxZIe-SsQypp61RqP7NWVysRSI4-YL6lKrooNRgBBKihoy88OhD3eOoC4ugyU4KxyWbD4a0bUzAGYnSHL738nza1ch4Bkrp8N4NNmIxjNszB4Kc-CA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Karen, executive director of Ruth Arts, gave the Wisconsin Arts Board a 30‑minute presentation on the foundation’s history, grant programs and the new public space the foundation opened in Milwaukee’s Walkers Point neighborhood.

Ruth Arts traces its roots to the RDK Foundation and the career of Ruth (born 1941), a long‑time director at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center. Karen said the foundation launched in 2022 and that its flagship, Artist’s Choice, is a nomination program in which artists invite organizations to receive unrestricted operational grants. She said the program “surprises” winners with unrestricted support and that winners have moved into the foundation’s larger pool of core grants.

Karen described several program strands: Artist’s Choice (a nomination‑based unrestricted award), a core operating grant program for organizations with budgets under $2,000,000, multi‑year grants called Thought Leaders/Sites & Stewardship/Future Studies, and regranting partnerships in Milwaukee that funnel funds to individual artists through local partners. She said the foundation has awarded 187 grants spanning 35 states and that the foundation’s annual distribution is “about $15,000,000,” as of the figures she presented to the board.

On the question of individual artist funding, Karen said Ruth Arts is a private trust foundation and currently does not have IRS authorization to make grants directly to individuals; the foundation has applied to the IRS to develop that capacity and is waiting for a determination. In the meantime, she said, Ruth Arts uses regranting partners (for example, MIAD, the Open Fund, and Linden Sculpture Garden) to get funds to artists in Milwaukee.

Karen described the Walkers Point project space as flexible and built to host exhibitions, workshops and artist residencies. The foundation’s inaugural show highlighted the estate archive of artist Benny Andrews and included community programming such as risograph workshops and student presentations.

Grantee and audience focus: Karen said the foundation emphasizes unrestricted operational support to better surface organizational needs and to help grantees attract other funders. She said the Artist’s Choice process centers artists’ perspectives by changing the nominating artist each year and that the program’s surprise element has helped draw new attention to winners.

Questions from board members covered Ruth Arts’ geographic reach, staff capacity and the foundation’s approach to supporting youth and regranting. Karen said the foundation’s staff is six people and that the organization is “firmly planted in Milwaukee” while running national programs; she reiterated that direct awards to individuals depend on final IRS approval.

“Artist’s Choice is a participatory grant program in the sense that we don't dictate who those organizations are,” Karen said. “We firmly believe that artists can speak and should speak for their community.”

Karen invited board members to visit the Walkers Point space and highlighted convenings the foundation has hosted in Marfa, Atlanta and Milwaukee.","Karen, executive director of Ruth Arts, described the foundation’s Artist’s Choice nomination grants, core grant pipeline, Milwaukee project space and a pending IRS application that would allow the foundation to make awards directly to individual artists.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6087491,"Wisconsin Arts Board external relations committee unveils one‑pager for legislators, aims for January digital release",369,30000,399000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2889837-cb21fe595fe5b5c00c3aef9165403c46&start=30&end=399","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2889837-cb21fe595fe5b5c00c3aef9165403c46/thumbnail_30000.jpg","/articles/6087491/Wisconsin/Wisconsin-Arts-Board-external-relations-committee-unveils-onepager-for-legislators-aims-for-January-digital-release","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6087491-1d21ea37afe11803c4455cb99dd63352/orig.mp4?Expires=1770990685&Signature=Xki6CqaeIzFF5cTpFPc~kdDQGcGHkpc7KZ2kNpJHgfUd3~GarA9qR2fvET-DiHBTxjg5xHpDWzQHdAK63uy91pzT2pYDzi-vZ0zJBJMtWiNEO6LUUROabVoyxbVn9U5tMvZ2W~ZLlsgm0juhTepSlF5jwmKZO917VJVt68F58zWDyBN~D9STIOzsG-mmdR6v~s6p99xOGVogoEKxids1m7B6tqrzB~hf4Ysx7fhh8PCEpBa6lCc1kmUYxah3JfYXVumeBTqWSykwoLVgg5FsFo0KeV-ZUAL0bF-Q3Qt2OgO-F8E3KrGko2g2aRB29ki19hIFuiwTgxe6z4FOAWm~Nw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Wisconsin Arts Board’s external relations committee on Friday presented a draft one‑page summary designed to give legislators and the public a concise view of the sector’s economic and community impact and said it plans a digital release in January 2025.

The one‑pager will personalize data by congressional and legislative district, using five years of staff reporting (fiscal 2020 through fiscal 2024) and economic figures drawn from the Arts & Economic Prosperity study’s most recent data. The committee said the document will emphasize job creation and the arts’ state contribution alongside national comparisons.

“One of the main functions of the external relations committee is being able to communicate the story of impact from the Wisconsin Arts Board,” Cielo, a member of the external relations committee, said during the presentation. She told board members the piece is intended both to “analyze the story of the Wisconsin arts” and to give legislators community‑level talking points.

The committee showed a mockup and asked for board feedback on data points and visuals. Kathy Lang, who has supported the committee on design, was thanked for work on making the visuals “easily digestible.” Committee members said staff will prepare district‑level math so each board member can receive a packet listing legislators to contact; outreach will be led by board members rather than by staff.

George, a staff member who answered process questions, said staff will serve as the central contact for legislators who have follow‑up questions about the one‑pager. A representative from Create Wisconsin described ongoing advocacy and training for the governor’s budget hearings and urged board members to assume three‑minute testimony slots for the hearings unless otherwise advised.

The committee described outreach as a mix of digital distribution, a legislative letter to newly seated lawmakers and coordinated “phone‑touch” follow up by board members. The proposed timeline calls for a January 2025 digital launch, followed by distribution to legislators and a coordinated outreach push during the governor’s budget hearing season.

Committee leaders asked board members to review the draft and recommended messaging so the design team can finalize the product.

The board did not take any formal vote on the one‑pager during the meeting; staff and committee members will return with a revised draft after gathering feedback.","The board’s external relations committee presented a draft one‑page brief intended for state legislators and the public that highlights arts economic impact at state and district levels, drawing on recent national data and a five‑year reporting window.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Wisconsin Arts Board approves Creation grant recommendations after multi‑panel review; board follows conflict‑of‑interest process

Ruth Arts tells Wisconsin Arts Board about Artist’s Choice grants, Milwaukee project space and plans to seek IRS approval to fund individuals

Wisconsin Arts Board external relations committee unveils one‑pager for legislators, aims for January digital release