Madison, WI — Recently, after significant delays by the committee’s Republican members, the Joint Committee on Finance approved the Wisconsin Arts Board’s 13.10 request for $109,200 GPR, which in turn unlocks another $109,200 in federal match funds from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
Rep. Beth Meyers (D-Bayfield) released the following statement:
“The Wisconsin Arts Board originally submitted their request for $109,200 back in November of 2021, and since then, my colleagues across the aisle have continued to delay this relatively small amount of funding, leaving grant awards and distributions to arts organizations across Wisconsin in jeopardy despite formal requests from me and my Democratic colleagues.
“Prior to the pandemic, Wisconsin’s creative industry provided an economic impact of $10.9 billion in revenue, and over 96,000 jobs, making a big impact on Wisconsin communities.
“This funding is pertinent to helping businesses across Wisconsin bounce back and continue to serve their communities both economically and civically. While I am happy to say the committee has finally voted to release the funds, I want to reiterate that there was no reason to delay this long.
“I will continue to be an advocate for the arts while I serve on the Joint Committee on Finance and throughout the remainder of my time in the Wisconsin State Legislature.”
