Forum President Rob Henken receiving award from Kriss Sjoblom, Vice President of the Washington Research Council.

 

The Public Policy Forum's reports exploring the needs and funding options for Milwaukee's cultural and entertainment assets received national recognition in August from the Governmental Research Association (GRA) at its annual policy conference in Washington, D.C. The reports - "Pulling Back the Curtain" and "The Show Must Go On?"- received GRA's "Most Effective Education" award for a regional issue.

 

"These reports were designed to ensure that the debate on enhanced public funding for our major cultural and entertainment assets would be grounded in impartial analysis of their financial and physical needs, and of the options available to address those needs," said Forum President Rob Henken. "We are honored that our peer organizations from across the country recognized the quality and objectivity of our research and public education efforts."

 

In submitting a nomination for the reports in the "most effective education" category, the Forum emphasized the role its research had played in promoting fact-based discussion about the region's major cultural and entertainment assets.

 

"Obviously, the public policy debate about whether and how to address the needs of those assets will be grounded in policymakers' and citizens' views on the appropriate role of government in supporting culture and entertainment," said Henken.  "We are exceedingly proud, however, that our research has laid the groundwork for government and civic leaders to discuss policy options, and not whether there is a problem to be addressed in the first place." 

 

The Forum's research was disseminated widely through a variety of media reports and public speaking appearances, including a live blog involving Henken and editorial board leaders on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel website and multiple presentations to the MMAC's Cultural and Entertainment Capital Needs Task Force.

 

The GRA was founded in 1914 as the national organization of individuals involved in government research. GRA's annual awards competition is conducted to "recognize exceptional research on state and local governmental issues performed by staff members of governmental research agencies." The GRA media release announcing the 2014 award winners can be accessed here.

  

At its awards dinner on August 5, the GRA membership also voted to install Henken as the organization's President for the next two years (see President's Message for more on this topic).