Nonprofit Create Waunakee Inc., launched in the fall by artist Natasha Lutes and photographer Rona Neri to bolster Waunakee’s creative economy, is looking to hire additional staff and ultimately create a center to draw artists and innovative businesses to the village, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
The nonprofit represents the culmination of over a decade of work begun in 2011 by local government officials, businesses, artists, organizations, and community members that comprised the Creative Economy Initiative task force. The task force included members of the Waunakee Community School District, the Waunakee Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Waunakee Economic Development Commission as well.
The brick-and-mortar space envisioned by the nonprofit could include an art gallery, space for a makers market, and studios for individual artists to sell their work; however, more fundraising is necessary to make the project a reality.
Create Waunakee Inc. is currently run by five volunteer board members, with Lutes and Neri as president and vice president. A volunteer advisory board and some village officials and community members also provide support. The organization received an anonymous $15,000 matching donation for its first-ever gala, to be held in February at the Waunakee Public Library. It also has sponsorships from local organizations and businesses.
