Woven into the Fabric of Every Strong Economy Is a Vibrant Arts Community

Here at the office, we’re in the midst of our fourth annual office fund-raiser for the United Performing Arts Fund.

We kicked off our fund-raiser last week with a tour of the Broadway Theatre Center in Milwaukee, home to Skylight Opera Theater and other companies. Photos at left, courtesy Elizabeth Franczyk, show the costume shop. Thanks to Diana Aliota and Jim Ferrell for a fun and fascinating look at all the passion, ingenuity and hard work that goes into every show.

UPAF—kind of like the United Way, but for artistic organizations—is clearly a big reason our hometown boasts a lively arts scene. Less obvious, perhaps, is that it’s also a key driver of our region’s economic resilience.

A strong arts community helps attract and retain the talented, creative professionals who are essential to our ongoing economic evolution and growth. That’s what makes increasing collaboration among creative organizations and businesses—such as the Creative Alliance Milwaukee and its Creative Hub—so important.

Meanwhile, our collective support of the arts is becoming even more crucial, at a time when the state budget is tight and legislators are finding it necessary to slash public funding for the arts.

So get involved. Give to UPAF. Connect with the Creative Hub. And help us keep southeastern Wisconsin’s economy strong for many years to come.