Local Arts and Creativity Conference

The arts help us retain our sanity in a crazy time, so planning for the future of the arts is also essential work. This conference hosted by Create Wisconsin is full of talks and strategies, including the keynote address, “Advocacy and Action to Grow Wisconsin Creatively,” from longtime arts advocates Anne Katz and Carolyn Nelson-Kavajecz. Afternoon sessions (starting at 2 p.m. and open to all without preregistration) focus on plans for the annual Make Music Day held on the summer solstice all over the world. There will be lots of opportunities for networking and collaboration. Register at createwisconsin.org; the conference is a prelude to the legislative advocacy event Create Wisconsin Day on March 25.

media release: Calling all involved in the arts, creativity, and community: join colleagues and friends at the Wisconsin Local Arts and Creativity Conference! The Conference brings people together to celebrate opportunities, connections, ideas, friends, and inspiration for the state’s creative future.

This year's conference will include a focus on Make Music Day, the global day of music held each year on the summer solstice, June 21. In 2024, 23 Wisconsin communities participated in Make Music Day. We hope to involve even more communities in 2025!

Lunch and materials are included in the $20 Conference registration fee.  Make Music participants are welcome to attend the full conference.  Registration for the Make Music sessions (2-5:30 pm) only is complimentary. 

Learn more about the Local Arts and Creativity Conference. And, be sure to join us the day after for Create Wisconsin Day!

Local Arts and Creativity Conference Agenda

Draft, subject to change.

Local Arts and Creativity Conference sessions:

11:00 am — Doors open

11:30 am — Lunch

12:00 pm — Welcome: Arts + Literature Lab and Create Wisconsin

12:45 pm — Advocacy and Action to Grow Wisconsin Creatively with Anne Katz and Carolyn Nelson-Kavajecz, Create Wisconsin

1:15 pm — Resources and Partnerships panel

Joint LACC and Make Music Mini-Conference sessions:

2:00 pm — Introduction to Make Music Day and Make Music Alliance’s 2025 national projects with Aaron Friedman, President, Make Music Alliance

2:30 pm — Community and Creativity panel

3:30 pm — LAAC closing discussion and remarks

4:00 pm — Post-2024 and pre-2025 Make Music Alliance chapter reviews and reports

5:30 pm — Adjourn

ALSO:

Create Wisconsin is Wisconsin's independent community cultural development organization, a statewide catalyst and coalition activating and strengthening Wisconsin as a vibrant, equitable, creative powerhouse locally and globally.

Everyone involved in the arts, creativity, and community - which means everyone who cares about Wisconsin’s future - should attend Create Wisconsin Day to advocate for investment in the arts, culture, and creativity.

Tuesday, March 25, 2025, at the Overture Center for the Arts in downtown Madison.

WHAT/WHY:

Create Wisconsin Day will feature the  Create Wisconsin Day Legislative Breakfast and:

• Speakers, panel discussions, and roundtables
• Constituent visits with legislators
• Presentation by the City of Madison’s Youth Poet Laureate, Justin Festge Russell
• Networking, idea-sharing, and artmaking
• Conference Artist-in-Residence  
• Performances, exhibits, and more!  

Create Wisconsin Day brings together leaders involved in the arts, business, economic development, education, government, and politics, to call for investment in Wisconsin's creative people, organizations, businesses, and communities. This 21st century development strategy benefits everyone, everywhere in the state!

Check out Create Wisconsin’s Legislative Action Center and 2025 Legislative Agenda:

• Increase investment in Wisconsin’s arts and creative sector infrastructure, and access to the arts for everyone, everywhere in the state, through the Wisconsin Arts Board.
• Establish the Rural Creative Economy Development Program, to encourage growth in Wisconsin’s rural creative sector.
• Creating film & television production incentives and a state film office, working in partnership with Action Wisconsin.

The Create Wisconsin Day Legislative Breakfast, lunch, and materials are included in the $50 (and $25 student) registration fee.

Create Wisconsin Day 2025 Agenda

For information on Create Wisconsin’s 2025 Legislative agenda, visit the Legislative Action Center

8:00 am — Doors open, continental breakfast available

9:00 am — Legislative Breakfast, speakers at 9:15

Welcome and Create Wisconsin Day overview with Carolyn Nelson-Kavajecz, Board President, Create Wisconsin 

Poetry Reading with City of Madison Youth Poet Laureate Justin Festge Russell

Create Wisconsin Legislative Agenda with Anne Katz, Director, Create Wisconsin

Other speakers and performers TBA

10:00 am - 12:30 pm — Legislative visits at the State Capitol 

10:30 am - 12:30 pm —  Roundtable discussions and panels

12:30 pm - 1:30 pm — Lunch