Wisconsin Arts Board approves grants, backs governor's per-capita proposal and narrows accessibility definition

The Wisconsin Arts Board oned a series of unanimous votes to approve grant recommendations and discussed the governor's proposed boost to arts funding and federal uncertainties affecting the National Endowment for the Arts.

Board Chair Brian Kelsey Fishcrick said the board must press legislators and constituents while the governor's proposal is still being considered: "But we don't know what's going on at the federal level. So my existential nightmare thought is what if our state only match the NEA, and the NEA is cut dramatically? What does that look like for us?" Fishcrick said during the meeting at the Governor's Conference on Tourism in La Crosse.

The board spent much of its meeting approving grant recommendations (regranting partners, Arts Challenge awards, 50th anniversary awards and the Woodland Indian Arts program) and heard detailed budget and program updates from staff.

Why it matters: The board moved to strengthen its case for increased state support while acknowledging the budget process is only beginning. The governor's budget proposal would, if enacted as proposed, raise the state per-capita arts allocation from $0.18 to $0.68 and would add roughly $2.9 million to the agency's budget, an increase board members said could materially affect artists and organizations statewide.

The governor's proposal and NEA uncertainty George Sugars, arts-board staff, summarized the governor's request and other budget items for the board: "The governor has proposed 4 things in the arts. 1 is the increase through our per capita spend. So we go from 18¢ to 68¢. He's adding 50¢ over $2,900,000 in the budget." Sugars also noted the governor proposed restoration of a film and creative industries office and matching the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) funding in the state budget.

Board mem…