Lawton speaking in Eau Claire in 2009.

Leaders in Madison have caught wind of what’s been happening with arts and creativity in the Chippewa Valley in recent years, and they’re coming to investigate for themselves.

On Friday and Saturday, September 16-17, the members of the Wisconsin Arts Board – comprised of 15 leaders from all around the state in the industries of business, arts/music/theater, economic development, education, and politics – will be touring a number of organizations and facilities in Eau Claire. Among them will be former two-term Lt. Governor of Wisconsin, Barbara Lawton. Also on the board, representing Western Wisconsin, is Volume One’s editor/publisher Nick Meyer. The Arts Board is the official state agency working to cultivate creativity around the state in the arts, education, and economic development.

Every September, the group and a handful of Arts Board staff spend two days touring a different part of Wisconsin to meet artists, business leaders, and others to explore the role of creativity in our regional culture and economy. Recent years have seen the board visit Green Bay, Wausau, and Mineral Point. The last time they were in our region was 2004.

While here, the board will meet with and tour a number of local arts organizations and businesses including Realityworks, Mayo Clinic Health Systems, Banbury Place, The Eau Claire Regional Arts Center, The Eau Claire Children’s Theater, UW-Eau Claire, and more. They’ll also hear about the new Sculpture Tour, meet with City Manager Mike Huggins and leaders at Visit Eau Claire, hold a reception Friday evening at Houligan’s, and even visit International Fall Festival on Barstow Street Saturday. You can see their full local agenda at VolumeOne.org/artsboard.

The quarterly board meeting is open to the public and will be held on Saturday, September 17th at the Chippewa Valley Museum starting at 9:30am.