Creative MKE

Summerfest and Henry Maier Festival Park  In this episode of Creative MKE, Elisabeth speaks with Kevin Canady, Vice President of Sales & Business Development, and Scott Ziel, Vice President of Entertainment, at Milwaukee World Festival, Inc., the organization that manages and hosts Summerfest, and books a variety of festivals and other events on the grounds throughout the year. The group reflects on how Milwaukee World Music Festival Inc stewards the unique cultural asset that is the Henry Maier Festival Park, 75 acres located on the lakefront in downtown Milwaukee. Ziel and Canady speak to the nature of Milwaukee’s festival culture, the history of Summerfest, and how the organization helps regional companies to retain and attract talent, while creating a variety of paid opportunities for local talent. Each year, Summerfest relies on hundreds of creative contractors and vendors—from professional jugglers, to sound engineers, to photographers and restauranters to make the festival all that it is.  Canady and Ziel shed light on the process of building Summerfest (hint: the planning begins just as soon as each festival ends). Despite changes in the music industry especially in the wake of the pandemic, Canady and Ziel and the whole team remain focused on producing and attracting events that showcase the best of Milwaukee, responding to the needs and tastes of attendees, and delivering on creative ways that an event of such enormous scale can positively impact the Milwaukee community beyond presenting affordable world-class music and entertainment.Milwaukee World Festival, Inc: Summerfest Henry Meier Festival Park Northwestern Mutual Community Park Hunger Task Force United Way Mary Lou’s Closet Initiative Let the Music Play Grant  BMO EMpower  Generac: Power Up with a Purpose American Red Cross Summerfest Tech American Family Insurance Ampitheatre Pridefest Milwaukee Irishfest Mexican Fiesta German Fest  PolishFest Black Arts Fest  Kevin...

In this second portion of this discussion about the Vel R. Phillips Plaza public art commission, Elisabeth and guests City of Milwaukee Commissioner of City Development Lafayette Crump and arts leader Marilu Knode reflect on the wider context of the project.  Crump and Knode discuss the relevance of public art and the presence of artists to the city’s 2040 downtown plan, the power of the arts on individuals’ lives, as well as the collective power of Milwaukee’s creative industry. Knode shares specific suggestions of how the city can continue to turn the tide towards a more robust and supported creative sector: A dedicated arts office within the city; a 1% Law: Art for All, and increased public support for the arts. To that, Crump adds on the need for more affordable housing for artists, so that they can live, work and contribute to Milwaukee’s culture, long-term. To listen back to the first part of the conversation, stream it wherever you stream podcasts, or visit Imagine MKE on the web.  Milwaukee Department of City Development: Milwaukee Arts Board City of Milwaukee Artist in Residence  Ranking of Per Capita Arts Invesment Milwaukee High School of the Arts Genre: Urban Arts America’s Black Holocaust Museum 

The Vel R. Phillips Plaza Art Commission In part one of this special two-part episode, Elisabeth speaks with City of Milwaukee Commissioner of City Development Lafayette Crump and arts leader Marilu Knode to discuss the plans for the Vel R. Phillips plaza. It’s a development project for which Crump and Knode are both serving on the art committee to select an original sculpture installation concept that, once completed, will memorialize and animate the legacy of Phillips, a trailblazing Black woman, attorney, politician, jurist, and civil rights activist, who served as an alderperson and judge in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and as secretary of state of Wisconsin.The group reflects on how the arts are a special ingredient to development—that art can help  our city to stand apart and also function as an economic engine. Crump shares how investing in the arts is often a “less obvious” aspect of infrastructure to decision makers, but an incredibly important ingredient to a city that can retain and attract diverse residents and visitors. With a new generation of leadership in place in Milwaukee under Mayor Cavalier Johnson, the city has made a one-time investment in public art through this $600,000 commission. But the plaza and the artwork will not just be about aesthetic beauty: it will have activations, spaces for vendors, food and beverage offerings and programming to encourage people to linger, engage and learn about Vel Phillips.  In her life, Phillips was a boundary pushing figure, and, as Knode reflects, “she forecast the direction the country would be going in with her leadership.” The intention is that the plaza installation and the social and artistic activations it invites will build upon this legacy. “Often people think public art is always “man on horse” or “woman in fountain.” Vel Phillips had a different form of leadership,” reflects Knode. “Let’s use this an opportunity to reformulate how we think about leadership.”  But should artists have to be activists? Knode suggests that in this day and age, everything is political. According to her, “going into the arts itself” is political. At the heart of this commission plan is the acknowledgement that artists are often the ones who drive social change in society. “A lot of creativity or boundary pushing that does come out of city government... somewhere you will find an artist pushing on us to do that,” says Crump.  Vel R. Phillips Plaza will be constructed by July 2024, and the public art installation is estimated to be completed in 2025. Learn more about the project.References and resources  Brad Pruitt  America’s Black Holocaust Museum The Mountaintop, presented by Milwaukee Chamber Theatre Lexi Brunson CopyWrite Magazine Mike Phillips Downtown Bid #21 Westown Association  a...

“When we invest in the arts, those dollars aren’t just disappearing down some black hole of goodness. It’s giving back to the community and government to help pay for its needed services. There’s undercapitalization happening here. It’s just hard to imagine how much more arts and culture activity and impact and benefit to local businesses would be happening with greater investment.” -Randy Cohen, Vice President of Research at Americans for the Arts.  In this episode of Creative MKE, Elisabeth and Adam speak with Randy Cohen from Americans for the Arts about the Arts and Economic Prosperity 6 Study. Last year, Imagine MKE collaborated with Americans for the Arts to conduct this audience intercept survey in Milwaukee to learn about their induced and direct spending in relationship to arts and culture nonprofit events. Additionally, another survey was shared with hundreds of arts nonprofit organizations—large and small—to learn about their own economic activity, including employment figures. Nearly 100 arts orgs participated, and the results showed Milwaukee to be massively benefiting from jobs, spending, and tax revenue generated through the work of art nonprofits. A sampling of the findings:  $334.6 million generated in economic activity  4,550 jobs supported  $7.1 million in Milwaukee county and city tax revenue  The group discuss how this hallmark arts and economic study has changed over the years to become much more inclusive and to center diverse communities, the dire lack of investment for the arts in Milwaukee and in Wisconsin, and the qualitative and quantitive impact of the arts on individuals and communities.  Learn more about the groundbreaking sixth iteration of the Arts and Economic Prosperity study. Study conducted by Americans for the Arts and Imagine MKE.  Support for the AEP6 Study from: First Stage The Milwaukee Rep Theatre & United Performing Arts Fund - UPAF 

It all begins with a visit. If you ask the leadership of VISIT Milwaukee, they believe that in order to attract people to live, work, and play somewhere, they have to first experience and connect to the culture of that place on a deeper level.The attraction of the outside world to Milwaukee is not an accident, and is, in large part due to the work of VISIT Milwaukee—lead by Peggy Williams Smith, President & CEO, Joshua Albrecht, VP of Marketing & Communications and Claire Koenig, Senior Director of Communications and Public Affairs—who champion and lift up the city’s culture every day through their work and entice media representatives to visit and learn more about what Milwaukee has to offer. At the same time, Milwaukee continues to struggle with population decline and a loss of talent, particularly within diverse communities.The attraction of the outside world to Milwaukee is not an accident, and is, in large part due to the work of VISIT Milwaukee—Peggy Williams Smith, Joshua Albrecht, and Claire Koenig—who champion and lift up the city’s culture every day through their work and entice media representatives to visit and learn more about what Milwaukee has to offer. At the same time, Milwaukee continues to struggle with population decline and a loss of talent, particularly within diverse communities.Elisabeth, along with Imagine MKE’s Executive Director Adam Braatz, discuss with the VISIT Milwaukee team how the arts and culture of Milwaukee is one of its chief assets, and a powerful economic driver. The group discuss how intrinsic the arts are to tourism, and how Imagine MKE and VISIT Milwaukee are both working to amplify the region’s creative economy and shape the narrative about Milwaukee. If the narrative shifts, and our arts sector can be better supported and broadcast for all its brilliance, it all adds up to Milwaukee stepping into its greatness as, in Albrecht’s words, as a new “arts and culture society." They see a future where Milwaukee is known as an innovative place that embraces, supports, and celebrates all that is creative and expressive, and where talent and lovers of culture will see themselves, feel a sense of belonging, and want to build their lives.Learn more about the work of VISIT Milwaukee, and follow them on Instagram.Additional ResourcesMKE Theater Districta...

The arts. Sports. Oftentimes, they are thought of as in opposition to each other, but the pursuit of arts and sports have a lot of overlap. One remarkable local "artist" in the field of soccer and coaching was the late Jimmy Banks. Banks was a trailblazing Milwaukeean who was discovered in his young teens, playing pick-up soccer outside the Westlawn housing project where he grew up. He went on to play professionally for the Milwaukee Wave, and then for the U.S. Men’s Soccer team—where he was a starting player in the 1990 World Cup. His ascendant career was followed by a whole other career—as a leader, coach, and mentor in the Milwaukee community to young players of diverse backgrounds, including the MSOE Men’s soccer team and leading the Simba Soccer Club. Banks passed away in 2019, but his impactful legacy lives on. To commemorate his work, values, and spirit, Milwaukee Public School’s Custer Stadium, where he played as a school kid, has been renamed the Jimmy Banks Memorial Stadium.  Now, a mural celebrating Jimmy Banks will be added to the facility. Community artist, Tia Richardson, who will be leading the artistic arm of the project, and Banks’ son Jordan Banks—who is himself a soccer player, coach, and educator—joined Elisabeth for a conversation about the mural project, which is seeking support.  In the conversation, they speak about the importance of representation for young Black kids growing up in Milwaukee, youth development, and the value of creativity, public art, and the many rich connections that exist between art making and sports—which both foster self-exploration, collaboration, relationship-building, and skill development. Richardson and Banks hope that the spirit of the mural will inspire youth who play on the Jimmy Banks Memorial Stadium field for generations will see the mural, think of Banks and what he accomplished, and expand their own concepts of themselves and the positive impact they can have within their communities.  You can support the work and learn more at Friends of Jimmy Banks Memorial Stadium’s website. Check out Tia Richardson’s artwork and follow her on Instagram at Cosmic Butterfly Design. Jimmy BanksAbout Jimmy Banks Memorial Stadium Pelé Al Jarreau Jordan Banks’ Peak of Artful Soccer—World Cup Final 2022 Lil Kickers Milwaukee Milwaukee Simbas Sports Club 

In this episode of Creative MKE, Elisabeth speaks with D Kirschling, a board member and the volunteer coordinator at the non- profit organization Girls Rock & Ladies Rock MKE. Participants of Girls & Ladies Rock MKE attend camps and workshops where they experiment and learn music in a safe space, working on traditional elements of a rock band including voice, instrumentation on guitar, drums, bass and keyboard, and song composition and performance.Despite the name, Girls & Ladies Rock MKE programs are inclusive: they are open to all on the gender spectrum, and are designed to empower participants through collaboration, expression and exploration of technical skills.  Guided by volunteers who are often local musicians, participants are encouraged to lean in to the process of self-reflection and self-expression through creativity. It’s a process that Kirschling and organizers hope sparks rockers to challenge themselves—and maybe even change their perception of who they are and what they can accomplish. Kirschling shares how Ladies Rock—an offshoot of Girls Rock MKE-- emerged from the interest of parents of kids who were part of Girls Rock camps, and saw the benefits it had for them. Ladies Rock became an answer to the question of how adults who had interest in music but little experience could find space within Milwaukee’s music scene, and rock music itself, which is often experienced as a “boys club” by marginalized artists.  Ultimately, the mission of both programs is to move the Milwaukee music scene forward to become a more equitable place, and to enrich the lives of individuals.  “We want to create healthy and balanced people. The arts are part of a healthy and balanced life,” said Kirschling. In the conversation, Kirschling also reflects on how arts organizations, including Girls Rock, as so focused on basic survival that they struggle to expand on their programming and their footprint in the community. She imagines that with more support, individual artists in Milwaukee would live healthier, more fulfilled lives—which would in turn make our community a healthier place.  You can find Girls and Ladies Rock on Instagram: Girls Rock MKE, and Ladies Rock MKE.   Support Girls Rock at the upcoming Backyard BBQ from WMSE!  Negative/Positive Camp Board of Directors and Co-Founders Mary Joy Hickey’s Founding of Ladies Rock Reyna 

Michael Lagerman recently joined Imagine MKE as Development Coordinator, but he’s also an accomplished artist, collaborator, and programmer within Milwaukee's art scene. Lagerman has a background in photography and infused his “thinking about images” with a study of philosophy in college. He went on to obtain his MFA at UWM’s Peck School of the Arts, which provided catalyzing opportunities for professionalizing his artistic practice, including running the photo documentation lab. In his studies at PSOA, he noticed how filmmakers’ application of theory to moving images was in alignment with his artistic interests, and Milwaukee's vibrant community of filmmakers drew him in. But Lagerman is wary of the limitations of categorization within his practice. In his decade plus living in Milwaukee, he's built a sense of belonging within the film and art communities, experienced working in several different studio spaces, put on solo and group exhibitions of his work and contributed to diverse arts programming. With a sense of dedication, Lagerman has translated his artistic impulses into a multidisciplinary creative practice that has earned him residencies—including a current residency at the Charles Allis Art Museum—and grants, including a recent gener8tor X Sherman Phoenix grant.  In the conversation, Lagerman delights in the “creative sandbox” of Milwaukee—a place where artists can dream and build.  He speaks about Underscore, his experimental, collaborative artist run space, co-run with artist Grace Mitchell. Together, they’ve built a high degree of trust at a level that Lagerman describes as "telepathic." Through Underscore, they seek to invite artists to reset and “do something that they haven’t done before.”  Lagerman also reflects on the liminal space between emergent and established artist. He has experienced a requirement to self-identify his career stage, as well as his medium: an external pressure that he feels “leads to a kind of homogeny.”  Today as an artist, he wrestles with how to best express his ethos and inspiration within these structures. As Lagerman says “It can be strange to know your own ambition... and what you might be capable of...” in relation to how organizations might label you.  To him, Milwaukee feels like it’s in a state of perpetual renaissance, always pushing forward, but not quite resulting in shared returns on creatives’ efforts. But he sees potential in an artist-empowered future. From DIY arts spaces, to a new wave of community arts resources—he sees the scene building to a brighter, more diverse cityscape, one that includes an art market that supports more artists, and results in more public art and events to energize the whole community.  Learn more about Michael Lagerman’s artistic practice, and Underscore.  The Alice Wilds Winnepeg Underground Film Festival  a...

When Carl Brown’s late father was dying, he challenged his son to think about putting others "before" himself. Brown, a retired advertising executive, was always a jazz lover—like his late father—often traveling far and wide to experience contemporary jazz performances with his wife. One day, while experiencing a jazz festival, his wife posed the idea of launching a jazz festival in their home city of Milwaukee with the proceeds going to charity.  Now in its fifth season, the Fresh Coast Jazz Festival has been delighting Milwaukee audiences and attracting travelers from all over the world to experience the joy and creativity of jazz music from some of the most preeminent jazz musicians. But it’s also “a party with a purpose.” At the heart of the festival model is a philanthropic focus. The festival supports college scholarships, grants to support music programs in area schools, as well as financial literacy and healthcare initiatives benefiting Milwaukee youth. In the conversation, Brown touches on the power of music “to lift, to move, to guide...”and to bring diverse communities together. Brown talks about the impact of COVID on the jazz music scene, jazz as a “group sport,” and the changes that have come about within the musical landscape since lockdown. He also touches on the history and present of jazz music in Milwaukee, and how this festival is helping to put Milwaukee on the map globally for contemporary Jazz and contributing to Milwaukee's creative economy.  Learn more about Fresh Coast Jazz Festival, including the artists who will be performing, the organizations it supports, and purchase tickets at their website.  Kirk Whalum Dizzy Gillespie Manty Ellis  Milwaukee Jazz by Joey Grihalva Wisconsin Conservatory of Music Milwaukee Jazz Institute  Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts  Club Gibraltar Cosmic Endeavors 

Milwaukee Pride + Cross-Culturalization w/ John Riepenhoff Artist, gallerist, and curator John Riepenhoff has built an art world enterprise over the last two decades and change. Throughout his career, he has been representing Milwaukee on a global stage-- a responsibility that he takes deep pride in. Fueled by a belief in how special Milwaukee culture is, Riepenhoff has represented Milwaukee through professional art opportunities in Tokyo, London, Basel and beyond. As a young artist, he was originally inspired to open a gallery in order to platform the talent of his community and create more opportunities for local artists. His practices grew from problem solving, saying yes to opportunities, and in the process, he’s increased access to art for the public and built spaces for artists to intentionally connect and exchange ideas, often across cultures and nationalities. In the conversation, Riepenhoff discusses the unique qualities of the Milwaukee art scene that he has helped to build and shape. Despite Milwaukee artists enjoying the freedom of creating in a place that’s not driven by the same art market as places like New York, Milwaukee artists are still driven by a desire to be in conversation with international cities.  “In a void of asks of artists, there can be a really creative output that’s not fulfilling the needs of client, market or grants. There’s value in artists not solving problems but discovering or making problems,” said Riepenhoff. Riepenhoff discusses his recent curatorial work through Sculpture Milwaukee, now in its seventh year, which highlighted for him just how much the Milwaukee community seems to value the presence of public art. The exhibition entitled “Actual Fractals: Act I” is a reflection of the diverse voices of the artists, and, at the same time, a nod to patterning, and ways of thinking of universal subjects at different scales. Other sources of inspiration for Riepenhoff include the culinary arts, the natural world, sensory stimulation, and “ephemeral experiences that bring us together.” Through his work, he’s been a steady advocate and architect of a diverse range of artistic projects, and in the process has elevated many Milwaukeeans, as well as Milwaukee’s reputation worldwide as a special cultural hub. John RiepenhoffThe Green Gallery Nicholas Frank Milwaukeeists  Milwaukee International Art Fair (2008) Sculpture Milwaukee Pao Houa Her 

Geraud Blanks has always been willing to push boundaries. From his early days at UWM leading the student organization SCOPE—to his work as Chief Innovation Officer at MKE Film, Blanks has been driven by desire to act as a storyteller, to bring communities together around meaningful programs, with a taste for going “big.” Brought on to the team at MKE Film in 2014 to co-launch the Black Lens Series, Blanks brought with him a deep love of film, music, and poetry, and a vision for how MKE Film’s programming could expand.  Over the years, Blanks’ risk-taking for the sake of stirring “good trouble” has paid off. Milwaukee Film’s Black Lens program has blossomed and expanded, and the scope of Blanks’ role has too. He now curates the annual Cultures and Communities Festival, with its fifth iteration coming up this October. It’s a series of film screenings and events all over the city held at diverse venues centered on “health, wellness, joy, art, culture and ultimately, community.” Though there have been times over the years when certain programs didn’t go the way he anticipated—Blanks’ innovative, boundary-pushing programming continues to be a labor of love, and a way of pressing the whole Milwaukee community forward. Blanks sees Milwaukee’s future as bright. With increased support of local and state government, he thinks Milwaukee can become a film town on the level of Atlanta: a place where the film industry can thrive and infuse our local economy with diverse revenue streams in and around film productions, in hospitality and craft services, for example. Blanks wants MKE Film to lead and support the advocacy for film incentives, and continue to innovate and uplift emerging talent along the way. Ultimately, as Blanks reflects, “culture is life.” He’s proud of the ways that the team at MKE Film is shaping Milwaukee—and he’s hopeful about the ways MKE Film and support for the arts including filmmaking may shape the community’s future as city that is renowned for its culture and opportunities in the arts.  Karate Kid Love Jones Donte McFadden, PhD Maya Angelou Corry Joe Biddle Social X’s Ranell Washington Gee’s Clippers Dr. Eve Hall Greater Milwaukee Urban League Heidi Moore  John Ridley 

It all started with deciding to employ a different social media approach: dreaming up engaging content first and finding ways to tell stories about the eclectic offerings of the Milwaukee Public Library system through that content. As the team of employees across different departments embarked down this path to try to drive reengagement with Milwaukee libraries after pandemic lockdown, they were encouraged by leadership to think outside the box, to lean in to their creativity and the collaborative process.Today, the MPL boasts over a 100,000 social media followers on Instagram, and has many videos with millions of views and likes. The productions are spearheaded by Fawn Siemsen-Fuchs and Evan Syzmkowski, but they are a team effort.Together, library staffers across many areas ideate, work, plan and create. They act as prop people, performers, videographers (using iPhone cameras) and directors. Drawing on topical trends on social media, the staffers capitalize on their talents and the popularity of themes and use them to leverage and showcase aspects of the library system.The goal of these videos is to, in City Librarian Joan Johnson’s words, “to elevate all libraries” and broadcast them as vibrant cultural spaces. But the MPL’s creativity doesn’t end with social media. In fact, it’s just the tip of an iceberg. Milwaukee Zinefest, presented in partnership with the Bindery, makerspaces for artists, and regular exhibitions of art created by community members; these are just a few of the successful artistic programs that the libraries host. Today, MPL even has a secondary Instagram dedicated entirely to creativity — MPLCreates.In the conversation, host Elisabeth Gasparka and MPL's Joan Johnson, Fawn Siemsen-Fuchs and Evan Syzmkowski discuss the fact that, though Milwaukee may not be known worldwide (yet) for its arts scene, those who live here understand that Milwaukee is a community brimming with an abundance of creative energy and output. The endless supply of music, murals, artists of many disciplines in this community together provide natural fodder to support the work of MPL. But, the library still needs the public to engage beyond social media as the future of its funding hangs in the balance.You can help! Share feedback about the Milwaukee Public Library system through their Get Loud for Libraries Campaign.Additional resourcesMilwaukee’s Muralsa...

This week, Elisabeth spoke with Jazmine Holifield, a multi-hypenate Milwaukee creative who is a creative director within her own company, and also works at the Operations Coordinator at Imagine MKE.  Holifield is one-half of C&B Creative, a local creative consulting company, which she founded in 2012 with longtime friend and business partner, Kayla Green. Together, they produce creative arts events, support dozens of artists and creatives (local and across the country) and provide several services such as creative brand consulting, set design and staging, event planning, project management, and more. As  Operations Coordinator for Imagine MKE, she’s been leading on Imagine’s Arts and Economic Prosperity Study from Americans for the Arts, and also spearheads programs and events for IMKE. Jazmine Holifield was born and raised in Milwaukee. After a few years living in Dallas and Los Angeles, she returned home to Milwaukee three years ago during the pandemic, and was pleasantly surprised the find herself back in the midst of a creative community that had been building momentum since she left six year prior— stumbling into what she calls “Milwaukee’s creative renaissance.” Holifield is motivated by bringing a sense of purpose to her role inside and outside of Imagine MKE, with the hopes of encouraging and supporting other creatives on their journeys. She also values the reflections from the Milwaukee creatives she works alongside, who have been building since she started her C&B Creative Brand. Finding herself today in more of a mentorship role, Holifield is encouraged by seeing the growth she’s seen in her fellow creatives, and is also motivated to keep going on her own journey by seeing the impact she’s had within the ecosystem in Milwaukee’s creative sector.  She shares words of wisdom for Milwaukee creatives who are just getting started-- urging them to "start where they are."“There’s so many different shades of greatness, here.” says Holifield. In the future, she wishes to see Milwaukee’s diverse creative scene flourish. If that were to happen, to her it would mean more color, more public art, more collaboration. A place that is more outwardly artistic, with a central arts district, where laughter is abundant and the culture can be a refuge from challenges and "the news". A place where artists and art are valued and respected at all levels. Holifield also hopes that when this new creative day dawns, that the professional creative opportunities that arise here will first and foremost be abundant for the native Milwaukeeans who created the conditions for flourishing with their talenta and persistance.C&B Creative  High Rollers Club Jade Charon’s “Gold” Liv DJ Gemini Gilly  TRP (The Roses Prevail)The Brick Layers Club Jungle Gems Transitional song is an excerpt from a...

In this episode, Elisabeth speaks with Adam Braatz, Imagine MKE’s new Executive Director, who stepped into the role in March. With a background in jazz and classical piano, Adam has carved a unique arc in his career, working as a professional musician on Carnival Cruise Lines, followed by enlistment in the Air Force as a musician and Basic Training Instructor, and, more recently, in communications and leadership capacities in the non-profit sector. Outside of his formal roles, Adam has also hosted and produced a podcast, and written a bestselling book.  During his time in the military, a pivotal deployment to the Middle East changed his perspective on music making forever... as well as his professional trajectory. During and after the performances for dignitaries and young children, Braatz witnessed the power of music to dissolve tensions, defy barriers and create powerful goodwill. The experience helped him to realize his overarching purpose. In the years following, he recognized a calling to work in service of an arts organization that advocates for and amplifies the work of creatives, in his home state of Wisconsin. In the conversation, Braatz touches on some of the current priorities of the organization of Imagine MKE, including advocacy at the state and city level through Action! Wisconsin, Wisconsin’s Creative Economy Coalition, contributing to creative workforce development, the Arts and Economic Prosperity 6 Survey which captures data about the economic impact of the arts, neighborhood activations, meaningful storytelling about the power of the arts in the greater Milwaukee area, and professional development opportunities for creatives to expand their competitiveness. Braatz highlights ways in which the new strategic focus of the organization is a continuation of its original premise, but built for the the post-pandemic era.  In the conversation, Braatz says "golly" earnestly at least twice, and makes good on his last name (pronounced “Brats,” as in the signature sausages one associates with Milwaukee culture)when he attempts to employ a kooky (and, honestly, questionable) metaphor about the creative sector in Milwaukee.  As the leader of Imagine MKE, Braatz hopes to empower and uplift a new set of arts leaders within our city, and aims to “show not tell” Imagine MKE’s priorities through demonstrating our values in the work that we accomplish in the days to come.  Follow Adam Braatz on Instagram on LinkedIn and on Twitter. United States Air Force Bands Americans for the Arts  Arts and Economic Prosperity 6 Survey  George Filmmaking Incentives Milwaukee’s "Brain Drain" a...

In this episode, Elisabeth speaks with Sonya Thompson, and Kumasi Allen, the Artistic Director and Musical Director of Milwaukee’s Ko-Thi Dance Company, which has been presenting, interpreting and celebrating traditions of African diasporic dance and music in Milwaukee for over 50 years.Throughout the conversation, Allen and Thompson speak about their own artistic and professional trajectories; how they encountered Ko-Thi early in their development, were struck by the beauty of other young people being together in celebration of, in Allen's words, “being authentically Black.” In young adulthood, Allen and Thompson both traveled and sought opportunities outside this community, but eventually came back to the area after the pull of the “Milwaukee Vortex” did its work. Coming back, in part, stemmed from a desire to give back the opportunity for confidence-building and of identity exploration to another generation of Black Milwaukee youth — cultivating a safe space where they can be free to learn about their culture and history.  In the discussion, Thompson and Allen both reflect on their experience being called in and supported by the Executive Director, Founder and the matriarch of Ko-Thi Dance Company, Ferne “Mama” Caulker Bronson. As a mentor, teacher, friend, and boss, Caulker Bronson has touched each of their lives through empowering and challenging them with opportunities for development within the company – and offering deep, insightful support, and pushing them, and countless students and performers who’ve worked within Ko-Thi, to reach their full potential.  In their leadership roles within Ko-Thi, both Allen and Thompson are continuously inspired by the students they teach. They've learned many lessons, including to follow what they love in order to find happiness, and to seek stillness. Thompson and Allen each hold the perspective of valuing lifelong learning, embracing failure and vulnerability as mechanisms for growth, deepening self-knowledge and connecting to others.  Follow Ko Thi Dance Company on Facebook or Instagram.  Ko-Thi is about to turn 54! They will be hosting Maji Dance and Drum Conference —where they will be celebrating and sharing love of music and dance and community over the weekend of May 5-7.  Learn about the founder and Executive Director, Ferne Caulker-Bronson.  Milwaukee’s High School of the Arts Djembe Drum Marilynn Douglas Amaniyea Payne T. Ayo Alston Lucky Diop Afrique Aya Dance Company a...

In this episode of Creative MKE, Elisabeth speaks with Brit Nicole, the poet behind the poem “Chosen” which is at the center of this year’s 414 Day Video. Nicole describes herself as a "spoken word artist, community healer, performer, musician, and facilitator based out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin." In their wide-ranging discussion, Nicole reflects on her own "purpose living" and journey as an artist — from her early days within her college community’s art scene — to acting as a facilitator of events within the Milwaukee community.  In the conversation, Nicole reflects on the experience of writing “Chosen,” — how the poem almost seemed to write itself, and was a natural continuation of conversations that she’s been having with artistic cohorts in Milwaukee for some time. In an awesome moment of synchronicity, she shares that she finished writing the first draft of the poem and looked at the clock to see that it was at 4:14 a.m.  Nicole drops many pearls of wisdom while reflecting on her creative journey and experiences of community cultivation, including sharing her belief that the things that are meant for you won’t pass you by if you remain authentic, her notion of operating as a “human ice breaker” — and going out of her way to cultivate comfort and a sense of belonging for others who are stepping into the world of performance and sharing their gifts. In her day job at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center, Nicole also acts as a facilitator of creative growth and self-actualization through arts experiences for the young Milwaukeeans who study and practice music and theatre there.  Throughout the conversation, Nicole speaks about how artists can tend to their own "light," support one another and find a way to shine, and sustain and support their work. She reflects on how Milwaukee creatives need to and deserve to value themselves more – remembering that they are assets to this community in a myriad of ways.  Follow Brit Nicole on Facebook and Instagram, or email her at: britnicolethepoet@gmail.comMoods, Melanin, and Magic: A ManifestoNocturnal ButterflyPoetry UNplugged Blu Haz3Lyrical Sanctuary Dasha Kelly Hamilton Def Poetry Jam Still Waters Collective and PENtasticMilwaukee Opera Theatre Public Allies Nile X Nile a...

In this episode of the podcast, Elisabeth speaks with Jovanny Hernandez Caballero, a photographer and photojournalist from the south side of Milwaukee. Hernandez Caballero is an Art and Design major with an emphasis in Photography and Imaging at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, currently completing his BFA. As the son of immigrants from Oaxaca, Mexico, Jovanny’s work explores themes of his cultural heritage and identity. Through his art practice, he documents the rich and positive stories of life in his community on Milwaukee’s South Side, and conducts a kind of “reverse anthropology” to explore and document his own roots and his family in his family's native land of Oaxaca, Mexico.  In the conversation, they cover his early influences, including the extensive mural artworks of Milwaukee, that speak to his identity and culture, as well as the power of attending May Day marches in Milwaukee on inspiring his interest in design. He reflects on the early transformative opportunity to participate in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards at the Milwaukee Art Museum. This year, Hernandez Caballero served as a judge in the Milwaukee branch of the competition. He reflects, too, on the influence of growing up and coming into his own art practice within the tight knit creative community of Milwaukee, where artists ban together to support one another, and organizations like the Walkers Point Center for the Art help empower artists by connecting them with opportunities and mentorship. A focus on community and identity is at the heart of Hernandez Caballero’s art work, and also drives the work that he does in photojournalism: as a photojournalist for the Journal Sentinel, he focuses on telling positive community stories about, in particular, Milwaukee’s South Side. From his perspective, photography has an “innate truth” and often is regarded as proof or a cultural remnant. This has influenced his both photojournalistic and art practices — in documenting his family in Oaxaca, Mexico, and in Milwaukee, to make sure he is capturing the nuance, beauty and positivity in underrepresented communities that are often his subjects.  You can follow Jovanny’s work on Instagram at @Jovanny.11.  Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Milwaukee Murals Oaxaca, Mexico Day of the Kings Grilled Cheese Grant UWM BFA Thesis Show Creating Milwaukee Walkers Point Center for the Arts 

In this episode of the podcast, Elisabeth speaks with Monica Miller, the Manager of MIAD’s new Gallery at the Ave, a new gallery and exhibition space dedicated to showcasing the work of MIAD alumni and students, located next to Third Street Market Hall. The space opens to the public on April 6, with an exhibition of work by MIAD alumni called From This Point Forward, which features works by artists who attended MIAD over the course of the last 5 decades, reaching all the way back to MIAD’s predecessor, the Layton School of Art. The art works range from functional design pieces, to photographs, to paintings, to prints and 3D works. Gallery at the Ave also features a section dedicated to craft, jewelry and other objects for sale on consignment. In the conversation, Miller speaks about her own trajectory shifting from a student at MIAD, to an arts professional reckoning with a need for engaging with audiences, while exploring business development in an arts context and engaging in work in service of the Milwaukee community within local arts organizations including MARN and INOVA before coming to work at MIAD.  Throughout the conversation, Elisabeth and Monica discuss the unique resourcefulness and entrepreneurial spirit of the MIAD community— which has only been augmented over time, with the institution's infusion of strategic investments in new arts and media technologies through the Lubar Emerging Technology Center. Miller attributes this unique creative character to the continuity of the MIAD community’s orientation towards the wider creative community in Milwaukee. In her own experience, MIAD not only fostered a supportive, non-competitive environment but encouraged an engagement with the wider Milwaukee community. From Miller’s perspective, though the leadership and the generation of students have changed over time, the school maintains its hallmark “gritty” energy — and now offers even more robust technologies, resources, and channels for students to find professional opportunities than ever before. Some opportunities are even available for alumni, including use of laser printers other technology resources.  In the conversation, they also discuss how MIAD contributes powerfully to Milwaukee’s creative economy in many ways— from employing creatives, to producing entrepreneurial thinkers, and giving creatives and students professional opportunities within the fields of art, marketing and more, and how the Gallery at the Ave represents a meaningful expansion of all these initiatives.  Learn more about MIAD’s Gallery at the Ave (@miadgalleryattheave) and be sure to check out the inaugural exhibition which opens April 6.  Monica Miller Lynden Sculpture Garden Wild Space Dance MARN Third Street Market Hall a...

In this episode, Elisabeth speaks with Imani Jalil, Program Director and Dance Director at Bembé Drum + Dance. Since 2015, Bembé has been giving school children and adults in the Milwaukee area opportunities for exploring Afro-Latino culture through music and dance traditions offered through artist residencies, workshops, school programming and events. Through their programming, people of all ages and backgrounds are invited to explore music – specifically percussion-- and dance, and to experience joy, be in community, and learn about the rich cultures that make up the Afro-Latino cultures, and the African Diaspora.  Jalil reflects in the conversation about how the work of Bembé is a unique within the landscape of Milwaukee’s arts and culture, because of the blend of cultures that the organization teaches about: many languages, nations, religions and ethnic groups are represented within the Afro-Latino cultural lens. In addition to presenting workshops and events, Bembé brings resident artists into the Milwaukee community from outside the region to teach their craft, and to be immersed in the Milwaukee community in a kind of cultural teaching exchange which they call “Learning from the Masters”. In the conversation, Jalil shares about her own trajectory as a dancer and a dance student, and wonders about how the presence of an organization that represented her own mixed identity like Bembé might have been a very empowering form of representation to experience as a younger person on her own journey. Follow Bembé on Facebook and Instagram— and, purchase tickets for the Carnavale event on March 19! Cantos de las Américas MPS Escuela Verde Eden’s Crush Alberto “Beto” Torrens 

In this episode, Elisabeth interviews Mark Davis, the founder and artistic director of Milwaukee Jazz Institute. MJI is a local nonprofit organization which was founded in 2019, which has several adult and youth ensembles, regularly programs Jazz performances with touring and local acts, holds improv sessions, offers classes and workshops, and generally promotes the musical form of Jazz in the greater Milwaukee area. Even though Milwaukee has been known as a Blues music hub, it also has a deep history with Jazz music. Davis ignited his love of Jazz through a mentorship with teacher Dave Hazeltine when he was a teen. After taking lessons with Dave, he was thrust into a live jam session at the Jazz Oasis — a now defunct Jazz club on Holton Ave in Milwaukee. MJI the organization is not only focused on building audiences and musical knowledge, but creating opportunities for Jazz musicians to explore interaction and performance with other players. Davis sees the benefits of this kind of practice, play and cultivation of deep listening – for everyone, not just professional musicians.  Davis welcomes and invites the community to explore MJI’s performances throughout the community, explore the resources they offer, and support their mission.  Milwaukee Jazz Institute David Hazeltine Gerald Cannon History of Jazz in Milwaukee Bar Centro Melvin Rhyne Manty Ellis, Milwaukee’s “Godfather of Jazz” Wes Montgomery Paul Silbergleit Elvin Jones Roy Hargrove SAINT Kate Peter Bernstein Larry Goldings Bill Stewart  Matt Wilson  Brian Lynch