In a special article reprinted from the spring 2004 issue of Wisconsin Academy Review, Anne Katz looks at the importance and growing vibrancy of the arts in Wisconsin's small communities. Katz is the executive director of the Wisconsin Assembly for Local Arts, a statewide arts service and advocacy organization.

Katz connects the current expansion in rural arts programs and activities with the Wisconsin Idea. Writes Katz, "Our progressive mindset and the Wisconsin Idea connected civic involvement, public education, access to the newest ideas, and fulfillment of creative potential for all of the state's citizens." The hallmark of rural arts, in Katz's words, is that they provide experiences that are "authentic, personal, and relevant to the communities involved."

Wisconsin Academy Review is published quarterly by the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters, an independent, nonprofit organization founded in 1870. The Wisconsin Academy celebrates the state's thought and culture.

Download a PDF file to read the full article by Anne Katz, "Arts across Wisconsin." (1.0 Mb)

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