Wisconsin’s Office of Rural Prosperity found that rural towns thrive when residents and tourists connect with the spaces, events, and creative assets that make each community unique.
The verb for developing a community culture around art, landmarks, festivals, etc. is called placemaking.
Office of Rural Prosperity Director Beth Haskovec says these special attributes attract and retain residents. Regardless of where your town is, she says the culture and character of rural Wisconsin are critical to
attracting new residents, supporting local economies, and adding tax revenues.
The Office of Rural Prosperity recommends towns invest strategically in community-driven art and culture. At https://ruralwi.com/, you can get help finding grants, toolkits, and resources to help navigate creative placemaking.
Maybe you can think of a town that already does this. Haskovec uses Rhinelander’s Hodag and New Glarus’ heritage buildings as examples.
