Events
Holbein Workshop at MARN
Making art that speaks your authentic voice feels like pure joy, but finding that voice is a process! So, how does an artist develop their voice?
Artist and illustrator, Jinjer Markley will share stories from the development of her own artistic process, including the art that she created for the 2025 Milwaukee Film Festival*. She will guide your own creative play with Watercolor, Gouache, and Acryla gouache. Participants will build confidence using these materials and begin developing their artistic voices! Your ticket price includes:
Reserved workshop space
All necessary materials
A $20 MARN Gift Card to be used at the cafe/bar or for merchandise at the MARN Marketplace
Limited to just 16 participants!
Hurry and RSVP your space now for this workshop!
*MARN is a partner of the 2025 Milwaukee Film Festival. Learn more by clicking here.
TangoVida: Milonga Dance Event!
TangoVida Milwaukee in collaboration with MARN invites you to experience a powerful fusion of art forms through Argentine Tango Milonga. Please, join us Saturday, March 29th 3:30-6:00pm at the MARN Art + Culture HUB for the unique opportunity to create the "life art of tango" in this artistic venue!
$15 per person (includes one drink of your choice from wine, tap beer or cider at the MARN Art+Culture Hub Cafe)
We welcome dancers of all skill levels as well as spectators.
SEE MORE ON EVENT/GET TICKETS NOW!
For more information contact cafemanager@marnarts.org.
Friends & Neighbors: A Pop-Up Exhibition
Artists and the creative community excel at bridging gaps, sparking meaningful conversations, and fostering connections. Through compelling stories and memorable experiences, they help businesses and communities build lasting relationships. Collaborating with artists allows small businesses to meet expectations and make impactful contributions, blending innovation, inclusivity, and purpose.
At MARN, we recently experienced the power of friendship and collaboration firsthand. During two recent conversations, our Executive Director, Joe Hausch, and two business neighbors, a renowned master sculptor, Tom Queoff, and our dear friends at Light the Hoan, who are reaching four years of adding incredible sparkle and interest to our fabulous Milwaukee skyline were inspired to work in partnership.
When touring Tom Queoff’s studio, Joe mentioned a small problem that MARN was wrestling with. Tom generously stepped in to offer a solution, demonstrating the kind of relationship spirit that artists so often embody. This encounter didn’t just solve a challenge—it sparked an opportunity for Tom to showcase his sculptures in our gallery, deepening the connection between art and community.
A meeting with Light the Hoan also moved us to showcase the history of the Hoan Bridge and its influence on Milwaukeeans and our artists. As they celebrate their fourth anniversary, this partnership potentially opens exciting new opportunities for MARN's artist members—details we look forward to sharing soon!
Friends & Neighbors transforms our gallery into a vibrant celebration of Milwaukee’s collaborative spirit. Featuring large-scale sculptures and evocative photographs, the exhibition showcases diverse artistic styles united by a shared commitment to our neighborhood.
The exhibition includes Hoan-related photography and sculptures by Tom Queoff that can be purchased. The proceeds support Light the Hoan’s community initiatives, MARN’s programs, and the talented artists who keep Milwaukee’s creative community thriving.
As we approach the holiday season, Friends & Neighbors highlights the power of alliance. Join us in celebrating creativity, connection, and collaboration as we honor the power of art to inspire and uplift. Together, we can continue building a vibrant cultural legacy for our city. This exhibition is open to the public.
Doors Open Milwaukee
Doors Open 2024 will take place on Saturday, September 28 and Sunday, September 29 and MARN is participating in the city wide open house event! This will mark Historic Milwaukee's 14th Doors Open Milwaukee, an annual city-wide event that invites the public to tour more than 130 buildings and locations!
MARN is free and open to the public throughout the Doors Open weekend. The official hours are 10 am - 5 pm both days.
No tickets or reservations required.
Follow the contributors on Instagram: @doorsopenmilwaukee
Music, Art & Mental Health: An Open Event
Join us from 5-7:30pm on Thursday, September 26th for an evening that finds the intersection of music, art, and mental health as a means of coping with the challenges we all face. This safe space will host open and honest discussions, including a panel of experts and guests looking to share their story, with the goal of helping connect others to healing resources.
To RSVP for the event and share songs that have meant a lot to your own mental-health journey, visit the Facebook event.
Follow the contributors on Instagram: @radiomilwaukee
Kaleidoscope Child Fundraiser/“HAPPY” Film Screening
Help raise funds for Kaleidoscope Child, the upcoming film by Michael Patrick McKinley, at this special MARN fundraiser. Enjoy a screening of his documentary HAPPY with $20 tickets, which include two glasses of wine and complimentary popcorn. All proceeds support the production of Kaleidoscope Child. (Movie is not intended for children).
MFN: Milwaukee Pop-Up Garment District Day Two
Join the Milwaukee Fashion Network at MARN for the Milwaukee Pop Up Garment District on September 19-20. Explore exclusive fabrics, expert insights, and essential garment resources tailored for designers, manufacturers, educators, and event planners. This event is your chance to connect with industry leaders and discover the latest trends in fashion and design. Register today to secure your spot!
MFN: Milwaukee Pop-Up Garment District Day One
Join the Milwaukee Fashion Network at MARN for the Milwaukee Pop Up Garment District on September 19-20. Explore exclusive fabrics, expert insights, and essential garment resources tailored for designers, manufacturers, educators, and event planners. This event is your chance to connect with industry leaders and discover the latest trends in fashion and design. Register today to secure your spot!
Ink. Brush. Paper. Art and Cultural Transmission
Mokwon, Subsoo Lim, is an accomplished Korean ink-brush painting artist with a career spanning 35 years before coming to America 8 years ago. Since her arrival, Mokwon has taught Korean ink-brush painting on a regular basis to Americans and Korean-Americans alike, as it has become her passion to share a centuries-old tradition with a new generation of students in a newly adopted home, U.S.
Mokwon started teaching brush painting classes at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design through its Continuing Education Program, but soon expanded her outreach by working with small groups of adult students in a variety of community settings.
In this exhibit, the Korean ink-brush artist Mokwon exhibits her recent work along with the work of her American and Korean students based in Milwaukee and Chicago.
Ink-brush painting is an art form that has been practiced for well over a thousand years in East Asia. In Korea it is a tradition that emphasizes the use of primarily black ink on paper to create images that are simple yet elegant and seem to capture, in their meditative clarity, the inner life of nature.
It isn’t only the unique techniques of painting that the students study; they also learn the kind of Asian aesthetics, culture, and philosophy in which the Korean ink-brush tradition is rooted, such as the formative role of empty space. Korean ink-brush painting draws its power from the irreducible dynamic of its technical finesse and echoes the graceful minimalism that lies at the heart of Buddhism.
For Korean-American students, especially those who left home two or three decades ago, learning ink-brush painting offers a way to remain connected to their cultural roots. As for American students, they learn a set of tools, materials and approaches that are quite different from the Western art tradition. There is also a larger theme at play in this exhibit. The important work of cultural transmission carried on by Mokwon draws attention to key aesthetic differences between Eastern and Western art, which may be an eye opener for many students.
The work of Mokwon as artist and teacher has made a significant contribution to the transferring of ideas, values and attitudes from person to person and from generation to generation. This has been the primary task of Mokwon: teaching art as a way of forging learning communities.
Yes You Can! Leveraging Opportunities, Opening Doors, and Establishing Yourself in the Arts
MARN, MIAD, UWM and ARTservancy present, “Yes You Can! Leveraging Opportunities, Opening Doors, and Establishing Yourself in the Arts,” on Thursday, September 12th from 5:30-8pm at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB. Please join us for networking before and after the panel discussion!
Ink. Brush. Paper Opening Reception
Discover the ancient art of Korean ink-brush painting in this exhibition featuring the work of artist and educator Mokwon, Subsoo Lim, along with her American and Korean-American students. Through her teachings, Mokwon shares the minimalist elegance and cultural traditions of East Asian art, emphasizing the role of empty space and Buddhist philosophy. This exhibit highlights the cultural transmission of Korean art to new generations.
Annual Third Ward Arts Festival
Brought to you by the Historic Third Ward Association, the “Annual Third Ward Art Festival” will be outside MARN’s doors, on Broadway Street from St. Paul to Menomonee on August 31, 2024 10AM-5PM and September 1, 2024 10AM-5PM.
The City of Benedict della Crosse Matinee
MARN and Brigata Theater are pleased to announce a second reading of The City of Benedict della Crosse along with two wine socials on Sunday, August 25th from 2 to 6pm at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB (191 N. Broadway). Doors open at 2pm for a pre-show wine social. Performance begins at 3pm. A second wine social and talkback with the director, actors and playwright follows the performance.
The City of Benedict della Crosse by Gaetano Marangelli and directed by Cody Estle tells the story of an idealistic candidate for Wisconsin State Senate whose campaign for public office leads him to a battle between power and ideals. The reading is open to the public. Donations are accepted.
$15 General Ticket
$40 Ticket and Wine Tasting
$35 MARN Member Ticket and Wine Tasting
(including three specially chosen glasses of wine)
The City of Benedict della Crosse
MARN and Brigata Theater are pleased to announce a reading of The City of Benedict della Crosse along with two wine socials on Saturday, August 24th from 4 to 8 pm at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB (191 N. Broadway). Doors open at 4 pm for a pre-show wine social. Performance begins at 5 pm. A second wine social and talkback with the director, actors and playwright follows the performance.
The City of Benedict della Crosse by Gaetano Marangelli and directed by Cody Estle tells the story of an idealistic candidate for Wisconsin State Senate whose campaign for public office leads him to a battle between power and ideals.
$15 General Ticket
$40 Ticket and Wine Tasting
$35 MARN Member Ticket and Wine Tasting
(including three specially chosen glasses of wine)
Exploring the Power of the Arts to Tell Your Untold Story
MARN ART + CULTURE HUB is excited to host ‘Exploring the Power of the Arts to Tell Your Untold Story’, a panel discussion about humanizing the experiences of survivors of sexual violence and finding strength, community, and justice through the exploration of the arts.
Join us on Thursday, August 1st from 5-8pm for a panel discussion and Q&A. The discussion will give the participating writers, musicians, and student artists the opportunity to share their unique experiences and how the program personally impacted them.
The Next Show
MARN and Tavaris Smith are pleased to announce ‘The Next Show,’ on Saturday, July 27th from 6-8pm at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB. Doors open at 5pm!
Join us!
$18 for General Public
Gallery Night + Day
Join MARN for Gallery Night and Day on Friday, July 19th and Saturday, July 20th!
MARN is pleased to present “Unknown but Unforgettable,” an exhibition that tells the story of the established streetwear brand, Midwest Cowboy, through a selection of the screens, clothing, and ephemera they’ve produced over the past 5 years, with special attention to artifacts produced at their recent LIVE screen printing event at MARN’s ART + CULTURE HUB. We invite the community to experience the show and enjoy food & drink specials featuring Flourchild Pizza and our guest beverage vendor, MobCraft!
Milwaukee Fashion Network
FASHION AND FINANCE!!!
Our next meeting educates fashion entrepreneurs on the ins and outs of financing their businesses. How do you prepare for a loan application? Which loan is best for your business? Which organization is better suited to engage with? This is a one stop shop for small business financing! Come prepared with questions!
MARN Pop-up! at Riverwalk Commons Concert Series
Join us for MARN Pop-up! at Riverwalk Commons Concert Series Tuesday, July 9th, featuring live music from local powerhouse Brecken Miles from 6 to 8:30 p.m.; featuring local food trucks, local drinks and local musicians.
The fun starts at 5 p.m. at Riverwalk Commons (under the 794 freeway) — a scenic spot along the Milwaukee Riverwalk that offers the perfect backdrop for this unique and unforgettable concert experience.
MARNexchange with Siara Berry
Join us for our next MARNexchange which will be moderated by Siara Berry on June 27th, 2024 from 5:30-7pm with a short social beginning at 5 pm!
MARNexchange is open to the public!
Milwaukee Fashion Network - Sustainability
MARN and the Edessa School of Fashion’s Milwaukee Fashion Network are excited to host a fashion industry mixer about Sustainability on Thursday, June 20th, 2024 from 6-8PM at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB. Doors open at 5pm.
Reel - to - Real Screening
MARN and Culture x Design are pleased to announce “Reel-to-Real”, on Tuesday, June 18th from 6-8pm. Doors open at 5pm at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB (191 N Broadway 102)
Our June 18 Reel-to-Real Conversation will feature a short film followed by a small group discussion to connect you with diverse perspectives and a sense of belonging.
Moderated by Tiera Trammell, this Pride Month edition of Reel-to-Real talks frankly about the need to amplify and support Queer communities for individuals of color.
Celebrate Pride 2024 with us, presented by the Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club!
Content Creation for Artists
Join MARN and Adobe on Tuesday, June 18th 12pm - 1:30pm at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB for “Content Creation for Artists”
Easily create on-brand content that makes your work stand out.
Learn about Adobe Express. RSVP HERE: https://event.adobe.com/express/milwaukee
Midwest Cowboy LIVE!
MARN is pleased to present the Midwest Cowboy LIVE! on Saturday, June 15th from 1-6pm at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB (191 N Broadway.)
Join the Milwaukee established streetwear brand for a day of screenprinting, live music performances and special edition retail! Don’t miss this exclusive event!
Join us! This event is free and open to the public! ALL ARE WELCOME
MARNexchange with AP3
Our next MARNexchange will take place on Thursday May 30th, 2024 from 5:30-7:30 pm with a short social beginning at 5 pm here at the HUB! This month’s exchange will be moderated by Rachel Foster and Julia Scheckel from AP3!
MARNexchange is $10 per participant and open to the public!
Anchor Press, Paper & Print (AP3) is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) community-based printmaking studio. AP3’s mission is to advance the fine art printmaking tradition through education, community events, and by providing studio access to printmakers from all walks of life.
Voice Lab #100 with the Milwaukee Opera Theatre
MARN and the Milwaukee Opera Theatre are pleased to host a fundraising event for the, “100th Voice Lab”, on Saturday, May 25th from 6 - 8pm at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB. Doors open at 5pm.
In celebration of 15 years with the Milwaukee Opera, Voice Lab will host a ticketed fundraiser at the HUB~
Tickets starting at $50, seating is limited
Get your tickets here: https://milwaukeeoperatheatre.ludus.com/
The Community’s Correcting the Narrative screening + panel
MARN is excited to host The Community’s Correcting the Narrative screening + panel about creating a justice system more worthy of that name on Wednesday, May 15th from 6-8pm. Doors open at 5pm at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB (191 N Broadway 102)
Join panelists David Carlson, Cherita Rayford-Howard, and Jean Delonget for a discussion moderated by Shannon Ross, Executive Director of the Community.
Milwaukee Wine Academy - Mystery in a Glass: Winter/Spring Blind Tasting
MARN and the Milwaukee Wine Academy are pleased to host a wine tasting, ‘Mystery in a Glass: Winter/Spring Blind Tasting’ on Sunday, May 5th from 2pm - 4pm at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB.
Join us!
Get your tickets here: https://www.mkewineacademy.com/
$25 for MARNmembers
$30 for General Public
Innerconnectivity Conversation with Kenzi Rayelle + Performance featuring Emmitt J. Williams
Join us here at the HUB for an artist talk by 2023-2024 MARNmentee Kenzi Rayelle followed by an artist talk and live performance by Emmitt J. Williams on Friday, May 3rd starting at 5:30 pm with doors opening at 5pm!
Why a Book? 4 Artists on Why and How They Make Artist Books.
MARN is pleased to present a panel, “Why a Book? 4 artists on why and how they make artist books.”, on Thursday, May 2nd from 5:30-7:30pm at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB.
Join MARN Mentor Berel Lutsky for a discussion with local book artists and professionals—Ben Rinehart, Stephanie Copoulus-Selle and Melissa Wagner-Lawler— along with Q&A and social hour.