Ouch.

Ben Richgruber, Executive Director of the Eau Claire Regional Arts Center (i.e., State Theatre), has written a letter addressing the current “State of the Arts” in Wisconsin. The arts are not in a good state. Governor Walker’s proposed budget cuts, as we’ve mentioned, will defund the Wisconsin Arts Board, eliminating a whopping 73% of its budget. The budget bill actually dissolves the Arts Board and transforms it into a tiny program under the Department of Tourism. To me, this is a thick layer of insult-flavored icing on the crap cake. Increasing tourism is undeniably tied to promoting the arts in any community, but it’s still ranked far below the advancement of artistic activities and recourses for the people who, you know, live here.

Anyway, Richgruber’s letter contains some terrific tidbits, such as ...

... Current Arts Board funding is .013% of the overall state budget.  The proposed funding levels would drop funding to .005% of the overall budget.

Currently, Wisconsin ranks 38 in the nation for arts funding at 43 cents per capita.  If the proposal moves forward, we would fall to number 47, at 14 cents per capita, based on current funding levels.  Did you know that our friends in Minnesota rank first in the nation at $5.69 per capita?

... For the last three years, ECRAC has received roughly $10,000 per year. Compared to the grant we received, nearly three times that amount, was paid back to the state in tax revenue by ECRAC alone in sales, withholding and entertainer taxes.  The arts create tax revenue.

Check out the rest of the letter for more, or course. The 47th national rank really stings.

A lot.