Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Door County Arts Mean Business by Dave Maier


"Must be a pretty cushy gig in the winter, eh?" I've given up trying to convince folks I'm not the Maytag Repair Man of the nonprofit world come November. Truth is, during the performance season, it's all routine and reaction and putting out fires.
Administratively speaking, winter is our creative season - full of planning (short and long term), marketing, scheduling, designing, grant writing, fundraising, lobbying and "sharpening the saw," so to speak. The off-season is the only time we have to really connect with other arts professionals to learn and bring home the latest best practices for running the place. And we also work to keep AFT and what we do in the public eye. You caught me on my soapbox this month.

Tina Quigley (executive director of Mosaic Arts in Green Bay) and I were recently invited by Arts Wisconsin to give testimony together in support of increased funding for the arts to the Joint Finance Committee in reaction to the proposed 2013-2015 budget for the State of Wisconsin. Here are some excerpts.

Wisconsin is home to 12,953 arts-related businesses that employ 49,526 people with full-time jobs. These organizations comprise a $535 million annual industry, providing nearly $65 million in local and state tax revenues. These businesses play an important role in building and sustaining economic vitality in our communities.

And yet, Wisconsin ranks 46th in the nation in per-capita funding for the arts - behind Alabama and Mississippi. Our neighbor to the northwest, Minnesota, ranks #1.


Opening of Paruch's Remodeled Studio
Bonnie Paruch announces the grand opening of her newly remodeled studio in Sister Bay will a celebration today through Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm. The grand opening begins a season-long celebration of her 20th year of creating masterful oil and pastel paintings in Door County.

Paruch also introduces her first book, A Brush with Life, which shows more than 80 of her paintings alongside her personal commentary.  
Click here for more information.