The arts community in Wisconsin needs support. Time to increase public funding. | Letters

Letters to the Editor
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The recent Wisconsin Policy Forum report highlights the dismal and embarrassing state of public funding for the arts in Wisconsin (“Report: Big, small arts groups are in conflict,” May 4).

It is outrageous that Wisconsin ranks dead last among all 50 states in funding for the arts, averaging 14 cents per capita compared to an 85 cents per capita national average. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra lists the Maryland State Arts Council and the State of Maryland among its top six funders at more than $500,000 each. Good luck finding the state of Wisconsin or the Wisconsin Arts Board anywhere on the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s donor lists.

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It is well past time for civic and political leaders to make a concerted effort to get the governor and the state legislature to significantly increase state government funding for the arts. The philanthropic community has done yeoman’s work in supporting a broad range of arts organizations in Milwaukee and throughout the state, and the organizations themselves have shown incredible resilience and ingenuity in maintaining a high level of quality productions.

But going forward, this is not sustainable without a significant infusion of long overdue public funding.

Jim Marks, Waukesha

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: We need to increase funding for the arts in Wisconsin