A DOCUMENTARY PROJECT
This Is Wisconsin
A statewide storytelling project by Tamara Saviano.
This Is Wisconsin is a multimedia storytelling project consisting of a YouTube series and a companion book that together will create a contemporary portrait of Wisconsin. Inspired by Robert E. Gard’s 1969 oral history This Is Wisconsin, the project will travel across the state to document communities through interviews, oral histories, on-location storytelling, local history, and cultural observation. At its heart, This Is Wisconsin is a love letter to Wisconsin.
PROJECT SCOPE
I will travel all over Wisconsin to gather stories about the people and places that shape the state today.
The project will include:
On-location filming across Wisconsin
Interviews with residents, historians, artists, community leaders, and cultural voices
Stories of local identity, heritage, hospitality, and place
Visits to iconic destinations as well as hidden gems and overlooked communities
A first season focused on love in its many forms: love of place, community, land, the arts, family, friendship, and belonging
“ This project is rooted in connection, heritage, place, and understanding who we are. ”
WHY THIS MATTERS
More than a documentary — a living portrait.
This Is Wisconsin is rooted in connection, heritage, place and understanding of who we are, what we care about, and how we love this state and each other in 2026.
The goal is to create a project that is:
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Uplifting
Community-centered
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Historically meaningful
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Artistically driven
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Created with deep respect for every story shared
WHY I AM DOING THIS
One of the deepest reasons I am doing this project is personal. I have been away from Wisconsin for a long time, and this journey is my way of immersing myself again in the people, places, culture, and character of my home state. I have not simply returned to Wisconsin—I want to know it more deeply, more fully, and more meaningfully than ever before.
I was raised in St. Francis on the shores of Lake Michigan, and my family also had a second home on Pioneer Lake in Conover, in the heart of the Nicolet National Forest. Those landscapes shaped my sense of beauty, belonging, and home. After many years away building my life and career elsewhere, I have returned to my home state with fresh eyes and a full heart. Wisconsin will be my home forever now that I am back, and This Is Wisconsin is both a creative project and a personal homecoming.
Every town has a story.
Every voice matters.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
This is a project built together
Because the project involves extensive statewide travel, I am seeking support in the form of introductions to:
Destination organizations and community partners
Museums and historical societies
Local and regional tourism stakeholders
Artists, authors, musicians, and storytellers in communities across the state
Unique places, landmarks, art exhibits, and cultural recommendations
Hotels, inns, B&Bs, resorts, and other gathering places
Restaurants, bakeries, breweries, pubs, cheesemakers, and other culinary destinations
College and high school programs interested in storytelling and production
Potential financial partners and in-kind support to help offset travel and production expenses
ABOUT ME
I am an award-winning filmmaker, author, Grammy-winning producer, and host of The Traveling Kind, an Americana music radio show on WVMO in Monona, Wisconsin. My work is rooted in storytelling, artistry, and cultural depth, and I care deeply about creating projects that are emotionally resonant, well-crafted, and respectful of the communities they portray.
GET INVOLVED
Know a story worth sharing?
This Is Wisconsin is rooted in connection, heritage, place and understanding of who we are, what we care about, and how we love this state and each other in 2026.