A report in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says that the leaders of the Cultural and Entertainment Capital Needs Task Force are calling for a regional tax to support cultural institutions in the area. That is reportedly in the draft of the final report the task force plans to issue.
Such talk underscores what many arts advocates say remains an issue – stabilizing public support with both dollars and otherwise – for arts institutions and education.
That is also the message of Randy Cohen, the Vice President for Research and Policy for Americans for the Arts, a national arts advocacy organization. He spoke with Lake Effect's Mitch Teich about art programs as business models and creativity as a highly sought after skill in every industry.
"Creativity soars to the top five applied skills that business leaders are looking for," according to Cohen. This is because these leaders know that "creativity drives innovation."
As much as innovation is important for a growing city and economy, Cohen stresses the importance of the arts as a foundation for our communities.
"I think all of us appreciate the fundamental benefits we get from the arts. They inspire us, they delight us, they engage us, they entertain us, and really they create the communities that we want to live in."
Cohen is in Wisconsin this week in support of the work of Arts Wisconsin, visiting Milwaukee for Arts Wisconsin’s Arts Day 2015.
