Fiscal Note
No City appropriation required.
Title
Honoring the 50th Anniversary of the Madison Arts Commission
Body
WHEREAS, on January 8, 1974, the Common Council passed Resolution #25-838, File ID #5324-73, providing for a Cultural Affairs Committee to coordinate and advise the Common Council in matters relating to cultural affairs in the City of Madison; and,
WHEREAS, in 2024, the Madison Arts Commission (MAC)-- formerly called the Madison Cultural Affairs Committee, Madison Committee for the Arts, and CitiArts -- celebrates 50 years of integrating, supporting, and advancing arts and culture as an essential part of life in Madison; and,
WHEREAS, through MAC, the City helps sustain our creative sector by providing funding and other resources to support thousands of artists and arts organizations who provide the art, music, cultural programs, events, and arts education that make Madison distinct; and,
WHEREAS, over the last five decades MAC has served as the City’s cultural representative for community initiatives and entities wishing to advance cultural goals, such as the creation of the Civic Center and subsequent Overture Center, the Madison Public Library’s effort to establish the Bubbler program, and partnering with Madison Metropolitan School District and others to create Any Given Child Madison (AGCM); and,
WHEREAS, in 1977, Madison became one of the first municipalities to have a Poet Laureate in the United States and, in 2008, the Madison Arts Commission assumed responsibility for the Poet Laureate Program, broadening its impact through programs such as Bus Lines, Poetry in Sidewalks, and the Youth Poet Laureate Program; and,
WHEREAS, the establishment of Art in Public Places (AIPP) in 1990 formalized the City’s public art program and affirmed the City’s commitment to consult with residents to develop site-specific public art projects Citywide throughout every Madison neighborhood; and,
WHEREAS, in 2001, the City created a “Public Art Framework and Field Guide for Madison, Wisconsin”, which outlined the communal values and guiding principles of how public art should foster civic experiences and positive affect change in our City; and,
WHEREAS, in 2013, the City’s first Cultural Plan outlined 51 recommendations to advance Madison’s position as a center for creativity and innovation, and over the last decade action has been taken to complete or advance every recommendation listed therein; and,
WHEREAS, since adopting the Cultural Plan, many City departments and divisions are utilizing the arts and artists as creative strategists to address a host of civic issues that directly relate to the health and well-being of our community, and,
WHEREAS, in 2019, the Percent for Art Ordinance created a designated funding mechanism to further the City’s commitment to embed public art and placemaking as part of the city-building process, thus enriching the experience of living in or visiting Madison; and,
WHEREAS, in July of 2014, the Madison Arts Commission authored a music equity report raising strong concerns related to audience and artist access to Hip-Hop and requested that the City establish a Task Force on Equity in Music and Entertainment to develop a plan to address inequities in our music sector; and,
WHEREAS, the work of the Task Force on Equity in Music and Entertainment, accepted by the Common Council in November of 2018, has evolved into a broad collective impact project called Greater Madison Music City, which continues to champion equity in music and entertainment; and,
WHEREAS, 50 years of consistent commitment from the Madison Arts Commission has enriched the lives of all our citizens by increasing access to arts education, funding cultural experiences, facilitating artistic experiences, promoting our city as a cultural tourism destination, and bolstering the local economy through our vibrant creative sector; and,
WHEREAS, in 2022, Americans for the Arts conducted Arts & Economic Impact 6, a study of the economic impact of arts and non-profit arts and culture industry sector, and estimated Wisconsin’s non-profit art sector generated $933.3 million in economic activity, with over a third of that economic power generated in Dane County; and,
WHEREAS, Madison enjoys a national reputation as a center for arts, culture, and creative innovation, attracting residents, tourists, and businesses to our city, due, in part, to the work of MAC and its partners, and,
WHEREAS, the Madison Arts Commission continues to make arts and culture accessible to all and champions policies of cultural equity by encouraging, supporting, and sponsoring diverse artistic activities by emerging and professional artists and arts organizations;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor and the Common Council recognize the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Madison Arts Commission.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor and the Common Council recognize the work of the many individuals, including staff, members of MAC, and other volunteers, for their dedication and community service in developing the City’s arts program over time.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor and the Common Council acknowledge the creative sector for advancing arts and culture as an essential part of life in Madison.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the Mayor and the Common Council hereby renew our commitment to support arts and culture in Madison through the work of the Madison Arts Commission for the next 50 years and beyond.