Dane County’s Vibrant arts community not only adds to the quality of life but supports local economic development as well.
Dane Arts Buy Local (DABL), organized annually by Dane Arts and held this year over three days at Arts + Literature Laboratory, aims to connect, support and inspire people working in Madison’s most creative sectors.
DABL started in 2015 as a market where artists would set up booths in an office building downtown and sell to bigger-ticket buyers. But patrons did more browsing than buying, and over the years, Dane Arts director Mark Fraire and his team turned the event’s focus toward supporting the artists more directly with practical lessons and business connections.
The two days will feature workshops on a variety of topics like grant writing, accounting, intellectual property law, ergonomics and more. Keynote speakers will include Arts Midwest Executive Director Torrie Allen and Chazen Museum of Art Director Amy Gilman.
The Dane Arts Buy Local 2023 Business of Arts Conference II, which will be held March 30 through April 1, will offer workshops for independent working artists and arts administrators.
“Dane County has a unique community or artists who contribute to our local economy, and we are excited to celebrate and support their careers with these upcoming workshops,” said Dane County Executive Joe Parisi.
Isthmus Picks: DABL’s Pandemic Pivots, Friday, March 5, noon: There's going to be so much pivoting, you're going to be sick and tired of pivoting...to borrow a phrase. The pivot, as we've learned, is the point where desperation meets creativity.