The MARN Artist Book Club will meet on Monday, July 24th starting at 5:30 PM at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB (191 N. Broadway, Milwaukee, WI). 

The MARN Artist Book Club led by MARNmember and local artist, Carley Knight, is a place for like-minded creatives to meet monthly and discuss texts that foster understanding of what it means to be an artist today. Carley will lead a discussion on, ‘Nobody Knows What They are Doing’ by Lee Crutchley. 

This conversation is FREE and open to the public. Please RSVP.

Arrive early and tour the current exhibition, explore the offerings of the MARN MARKETPLACE, and grab a treat from the cafe. 

See you soon bibliophiles!

Donations are always welcome.

RSVP

ABOUT THE BOOK:   ‘Nobody Knows What They’re Doing’ by Lee Crutchley

Nobody Knows What They’re Doing is an honest guide to the creative life for artists of all kinds. Lee Crutchley, author of How to Be Happy (Or At Least Less Sad), skips the platitudes, positive affirmations, and guarantees of success; he’ll never ever tell you to just “Do What You Love”. Instead, Crutchley discusses the things nobody else is talking about – that, frankly, your work sucks (but that’s ok because everyone else’s does, too), that making bad art is worth it, and so much more.In a world desperate for a glimpse of authenticity, Nobody Knows What They’re Doing is a breath of fresh air that reveals the truths hiding between the lines of Instagram-friendly aphorisms and behind the words of the most inspirational TED talks. An honest look at the reality of creativity and the joy and difficulty of crafting good (and bad) art, this book is a must-listen for every exhausted creative, every starry-eyed dreamer, and every artist who is trying to make their way in the world – and keep a roof over their head while they do it.

ABOUT CARLEY:

Carley Knight is an abstract fiber artist living in Milwaukee, WI. Her work explores many themes including: connection, mental health, and tradition.

Carley is also an avid reader. Growing up she would get in trouble for reading books in class. She has long wanted to start a book club for fellow artists where they gather to discuss what it means to be an artist today and the contemporary art world through reading a mix of more philosophical and practical books.

Please also consider supporting the MARNmentorship program by purchasing the artist book, postcard or poster is a donation to the program and a way to preserve its legacy. The book will also be sent out to a handful of libraries across the US that feature artist book collections.

MARN and Genisx are pleased to announce the Genisx Launch Party, on Thursday July 13th, 6-8pm at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB (191 N. Broadway)!

Genisx (pronounced Jeh-Nuh-Suhs) is a revolutionary project created by Donna Lewis that aims to decode generations and shed light on the powerful impact of Gen Z on our world. This event is an incredible opportunity to connect, collaborate, and engage with young adults, fellow creatives and community members who are passionate about making a difference.

Join us for an evening filled with captivating conversations, inspiring individuals, and a vibrant atmosphere, filled with local creatives and talent .

This event is free and open to the public though RSVP is required through our website. While this event is free, donations are recommended. 

We are located at 191 N Broadway Milwaukee, WI 53202. The main entrance does not have automated front doors off the sidewalk of Broadway. However, once entered into our corridor, a wheel chair lift is available.

For more information: admin@marnarts.org

Follow the contributors on Instagram: @genisx_social

More about Donna Lewis, Founder of Genisx: 

Donna “Re’nee” Lewis, is a local musician and entrepreneur, who started a career out of College working at a big four accounting firm. Donna quit her near 80k corporate job on a quest to pursue her purpose, through social entrepreneurship and music. She started Genisx (pronounced genesis), a non profit and social network aimed to advocate for individuals who refuse the status quo and those attempting to find their purpose within it.

“It began in the pandemic,” says Gaetano Marangelli—and it led to critical acclaim, a successful run in Madrid and interest elsewhere around the world. The Milwaukee playwright’s one-person show, The Gardens, was performed outdoors in Milwaukee during the plague-ridden summer of 2020; it was accepted at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and received some 250 performances in English and Spanish in Milwaukee, Buenos Aires and Madrid. Spain’s second largest daily newspaper, El Mundo, called it one of the “plays you should not miss.”

The Gardens is the opening component of Marangelli’s Triptych. Part Two, Four Strangers, will receive its North American debut in Milwaukee this month. Marangelli describes it as a play “for one actor of any color, any gender and any age.” Four Strangers saw its world premiere in Madrid in October 2022 where it was performed as part of Triptych and was subsequently performed in Buenos Aires.

Marangelli directed the Madrid and Buenos Aires performances. The Milwaukee premiere will be directed by Marcella Kearns, associate director of Madison’s Forward Theater. She is well known to local audiences from her tenure as associate director for the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre. Marangelli will be the lone actor at Four Strangers’ Milwaukee debut.

“Four Strangers is about an immigrant’s loss of identity,” he says. “Like each of the plays in Triptych, Four Strangers speaks to themes of authenticity. The play asks us, ‘What does it mean to be yourself?’” It will be staged “simply, minimalistically. It’s one actor without a set or props.” He adds that this year, fully realized performances of Tryptych will be held in Spain, Norway and Northern Ireland.

Read the full article by David Luhrssen here.

The MARN Artist Book Club will meet on Thursday, June 22nd starting at 5:30 PM at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB (191 N. Broadway, Milwaukee, WI). 

The MARN Artist Book Club led by MARNmember and local artist, Carley Knight, is a place for like-minded creatives to meet monthly and discuss texts that foster understanding of what it means to be an artist today.

Carley will lead a discussion on, ‘‘How Creativity Rules the World’ by Maria Brito. This conversation is FREE and open to the public. Please RSVP below.

Arrive early and tour the current exhibition, explore the offerings of the MARN MARKETPLACE, and grab a treat from the cafe. 

See you soon bibliophiles!

This conversation is FREE and open to the public. Please RSVP.

Arrive early and tour the current exhibition, explore the offerings of the MARN MARKETPLACE, and grab a treat from the cafe. 

See you soon bibliophiles!

Donations are always welcome.

RSVP

ABOUT THE BOOK:   ‘How Creativity Rules the World’ by Maria Brito

There has never been a more crucial time than now to develop your creativity and your ability to innovate. Coming up with original ideas of value is today’s most precious skill.

How Creativity Rules the World shows that, despite contrary beliefs, creativity can be taught and learned by anyone. Creativity is an inexhaustible resource that is the key to thriving in the business world and beyond. This timeless guide promises to make the creative process of successful seven-figure artists and billion-dollar entrepreneurs—as well as Maria’s own—accessible and actionable for you to take the power of their ideas to the next level.

BUY A SIGNED COPY

Please also consider supporting the MARNmentorship program and these artists, purchasing the artist book, postcard or poster is a donation to the program and a way to preserve its legacy. The book will also be sent out to a handful of libraries across the US that feature artist book collections.

The book launched in tandem with the exhibition, running April 14 to June 4 2023, showcasing the 16 mentors and 16 mentees artworks in a variety of mediums, including sculpture, movement, printmaking, fiber, painting, video, installation, and photography. There is a slew of programming to come out to and can be found here: Practice in Progress. The artist book is not a catalog of the show rather an expansion of the show and showcases additional works, ideas, and background to each artist. 

Happening soon at the HUB!
MARN is excited to host a film screening of, ‘The Art of Making it,’ on June 16th, 2023 from 6PM-9:00PM. The film will run between 6:15-7:45PM.

Following the film, MARNmentor Maeve Jackson will moderate a round table discussion with fellow mentors about the ins and outs of the art world. Let’s dig into how to make it as an artist, what running a business looks like and how to get your work out there. Hope to see you there! 

From the producer of the Emmy-nominated The Price of Everything, a film about who gets seen and who gets left behind in today’s seductive, secretive and unregulated art world. The film follows a diverse group of compelling young artists on the brink of unimaginable success or failure as they challenge systems, break barriers and risk it all with the goal of making it in an industry where all the rules are currently being rewritten.Learn More about the film: https://mailchi.mp/rocofilms/the_seeds_of_vandana_shiva-1182170?e=0991b67b0

This event is ticketed and open to the public,

$8 to MARN members

$15 to Non MARNmembers

Donations are always welcome.

MARN and the Edessa School of Fashion are excited to host the Milwaukee Fashion Network on Thursday, June 15, 2023 from 6-8PM at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB. The Milwaukee Fashion Network is a professional meet and greet to foster connections among fashion industry players in Southeastern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois.

The Milwaukee Fashion Network meets every third Thursday of the month. 

Also join us on 8/17, 10/19, and 2/15!

Edessa School of Fashion engages talented students to become successful professionals in the global fashion industry.Edessa prepares its students for successful careers in the design industry and serves as a leader in the growing Midwest market through innovation, business partnerships, and community support.Learn more about Edessa Fashion and follow on Instagram @edessaschooloffashion

Join the Milwaukee Fashion Network Group on Facebook

This conversation is FREE and open to the public.

Arrive early and tour the current exhibition, explore the offerings of the MARN MARKETPLACE, and grab a treat from the cafe. 

Donations are always welcome.

Join local artist Cam Will from 4m – 7pm this Friday, 6/2/2023 at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB Conference Center to design and create a stamp! The stamp will be printed on the Futsal Court at Burnham Park along with the Milwaukee Soccer Community on Saturday, 6/3/2023.

Cam Will is an American artist from Milwaukee, WI. Cam Will has shared the same dedication and work ethic that won him a D1 Full-tuition athletic scholarship into his passion for music.  His authentic lyrics, with unexpected melodic undertones, gives a voice to the ambitious ones chasing their dreams. Cam inspires his listeners to grind and grow with him. 

This event is free and open to the public. Participants will be provided with all needed printmaking materials and welcomed to order beverages from the cafe.

This project is funded by the 2022 Creative Communities Grant.

The main entrance does not have automated front doors off the sidewalk of Broadway. However, once entered into our corridor, a wheelchair lift is available. For more information, please contact admin@marnarts.org.

Hear Cam Will https://music.camwillshop.com/wdyw

Follow Cam Will https://instagram.com/_camwill?igshid=udpb63mr3rt8

Watch Cam Will https://www.youtube.com/@camwill

The MARN Artist Book Club will meet on Monday, May 22nd starting at 5:30 PM at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB (191 N. Broadway, Milwaukee, WI). 

The MARN Artist Book Club led by MARNmember and local artist, Carley Knight, is a place for like-minded creatives to meet monthly and discuss texts that foster understanding of what it means to be an artist today.

Carley will lead a discussion on, ‘Make your Art No Matter What’ by Beth Pickens and developing a lasting and meaningful artistic practice in the face of life’s inevitable obstacles and distractions

This conversation is FREE and open to the public. Please RSVP.

Arrive early and tour the current exhibition, explore the offerings of the MARN MARKETPLACE, and grab a treat from the cafe. 

See you soon bibliophiles!

Donations are always welcome.

RSVP

ABOUT THE BOOK:   ‘Make your Art No Matter What’ by Beth Pickens

If you are an artist, you need to make your art. That’s not an overstatement—it’s a fact; if you stop doing your creative work, your quality of life is diminished. But what do you do when life gets in the way? In this down-to-earth handbook, experienced artist coach Beth Pickens offers practical advice for developing a lasting and meaningful artistic practice in the face of life’s inevitable obstacles and distractions. This thoughtful volume suggests creative ways to address the challenges all artists must overcome—from making decisions about time, money, and education, to grappling with isolation, fear, and anxiety. No matter where you are in your art-making journey, this book will motivate and inspire you. Because not only do you need your art—the world needs it, too.

Please consider supporting the MARNmentorship program and these artists, purchasing the artist book, postcard or poster is a donation to the program and a way to preserve its legacy. The book will also be sent out to a handful of libraries across the US that feature artist book collections.

BUY A SIGNED COPY

The book launched in tandem with the exhibition, running April 14 to June 4 2023, showcasing the 16 mentors and 16 mentees artworks in a variety of mediums, including sculpture, movement, printmaking, fiber, painting, video, installation, and photography. There is a slew of programming to come out to and can be found here: Practice in Progress. The artist book is not a catalog of the show rather an expansion of the show and showcases additional works, ideas, and background to each artist. 

Everyone has a body, and everyone has an image of that body built by some combination of our own self-image and the image that society applies to us. For the entire month of April, Radio Milwaukee’s Uniquely Milwaukee podcast explored different aspects of what make up our conception of how our bodies are perceived; from distinct physical traits like hair and height to more complex social paradigms like gender dysphoria and body shaming. 

Join MARN and the hosts of Uniquely Milwaukee podcast Friday, April 28 from 5-8PM at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB for an evening of conversation and self exploration all about body image, inspired by conversations on the podcast. 

The event will include a pop-up exhibition of Uniquely Milwaukee’s Body Image guests’ portraits, and community conversation around all things bodies. Attendees are invited to participate in the project by getting their portrait taken during the event. 

This event is the one-night-only wrap party for Uniquely Milwaukee’s Body Image series which ran during the month of April. Check out the pop-up exhibition in the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB’s Conference Center April 27 to April 30, 2023.

The event is free and open to the public, RSVP recommended.

While visiting the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB, enjoy food and beverage while shopping the offerings of the MARKETPLACE and experiencing MARN’s current exhibition, “Practice in Progress”. 

As a historically operated building, the Lofts on Broadway does not have automated front doors off the sidewalk of Broadway. However, once entered into our corridor, a wheel chair lift is available.For more information: admin@marnarts.org

Follow the contributors on Instagram: radiomilwaukee

MARN was pleased to invite the public to “Practice in Progress” on Friday, April, 14, 5-8pm at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB. 

“Practice in Progress”, is an exhibition celebrating the 32 artists of the 2022-2023 MARNmentorship Program. In its 17th year of the program, 16 mentors and 16 mentees display artworks in a variety of mediums, including sculpture, movement, printmaking, fiber, painting, video, installation, and photo.

At the program’s core belief – potential is not fixed; it can be expanded and developed over time through learning, experimentation, and taking calculated risks. The MARNmentorship program is centered around being in process, ideas taking shape/form, and how an idea comes to be and is then fostered and nurtured and into the development of a lifelong practice. 

414 Day also Happened on Friday April, 14th. 

414 Day celebrates the unique people, places, and spirit of the city of Milwaukee, established in 1846.

The Milwaukee Artist Resource Network (MARN) will reopen its cafe on Milwaukee Day, offering coffee, new food options and a full bar starting this Friday, April 14.

The MARN Art + Culture Hub, located at 191 N. Broadway, in the Historic Third Ward, includes an art gallery, event space, and local handmade arts marketplace. The cafe reopening comes after a brief hiatus following the March departure of Interval.

“With the reopening of our café, we’ve literally doubled the size of our staff, most of which are local artists, and I couldn’t be happier with the transformation of the HUB,” said Mal Montoya, president and CEO of MARN. “We’ve leveled up every aspect of the facility to the benefit of our community.”

The revamped menu will feature a lineup of local vendors including Racine-based Esperanza Coffee Collective and Milwaukee’s own Troublemakers’ Cocina, along with wine, cocktails and beer — including New Barons on tap — from the bar.

Arnie Gonzales and Martin Magaña, the chefs behind Troublemakers’, will bring their signature modern Mexican cuisine to the cafe’s food menu. MARN will be the second permanent location for their fast-growing concept, which also operates at Central Waters Brewing Co. with plans to open a new restaurant, Travieso Latin Fusion, at Clarke Hotel in Waukesha in the coming weeks. Troublemakers’ also regularly hosts pop-ups and dinner collaborations with bars and breweries throughout Milwaukee.

In addition to its new food and beverage program, the art and culture hub is set to debut its newest exhibition, “Practice in Progress, to the public on April 14.

The exhibition, which contains works from members of the MARNmentorship program, will explore “the messy side of potential: where an idea is expanded and developed over time through learning, experimentation, and taking calculated risks,” according to a news release.

The exhibition’s featured artists include Katie Avila Loughmiller, Bryon Cherry and John Kowalczyk. It will be on display at MARN through June 4.

For more information on current and past exhibitions, local art for sale, MARN programming, and cafe hours, visit MARN online or follow MARN on Instagram.

Read the full article by Sophie Bolich here.

We’ll say it: you can never have too much of a good thing. That’s why we’re bringing back FOUR STRANGERS by Gaetano Marangelli for an encore performance at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB.

Whether you’re an experienced thespian or just want to see a cool play, this accessible one-act performance will have you asking: “what does it mean to be yourself?”

FOUR STRANGERS is a one-act play, which will be performed by Gaetano Marangelli of Brigata Theater and directed by Marcella Kearns of Forward Theater Company.  

On Saturday, April 1, join us for a mixer starting at 5 pm, with the performance beginning at 6 pm. A conversation and social hour with the artists will follow the performance.  

Tickets are free!

Donations to MARN are accepted.

–

FOUR STRANGERS is part of TRIPTYCH, a series of plays by Gaetano Marangelli about authenticity. FOUR STRANGERS is the story of an immigrant’s loss of identity. The play asks us to interrogate the aspects of our identity we choose, versus the aspects of our identity that are chosen for us.

The MARN staging of FOUR STRANGERS follows the success of its performances in Madrid, where the daily newspaper El Mundo called it one of the “unmissable plays of the season.” For more about FOUR STRANGERS and TRIPTYCH, go to @BrigataTheater and @TrípticoObra on Instagram and Facebook 

As a historically operated building, we do not have automated front doors off the sidewalk of Broadway. 

However, once entered into our corridor, a wheel chair lift is available.

For more information: admin@marnarts.org

Rosy Petri finishes off book tour by demystifying the publishing process and raising  programming funds to help Milwaukee’s emerging artists

Coming off a “tri-coastal” book tour covering the east, west and “fresh” coasts, Rosy Petri is finishing where she started. In the company of award-winning podcasters-turned-authors Lauren Schiller and Hadley Dynak, she wants to share what she’s learned about the publishing process with her community. 

Through the month of March, Petri has toured with Schiller and Dynak to promote “It’s a Good Day to Change the World,” a collection of 30 stories of feminist change to fire you up without burning you out. With interview-based essays from feminists like Gloria Steinem, Sarah Silverman, Betty Reid Soskin, and Favianna Rodriguez, the book offers ways of imagining a better world and concrete steps for building power. As the book’s illustrator, Petri brings to life the book’s focus on women’s empowerment, solidarity and feminist action with pop art-inspired portraiture.

“The visual aesthetic of the book is rooted in the typographic works of Sr. Corita Kent, a pioneering pop art nun and contemporary of Andy Warhol. Sr. Corita used color and texture to convey hope and inspiration, and that’s what we wanted to convey with the book. The portraiture is meant to emphasize the dynamic nature of each storyteller, while rooting the book in the tradition of joyful resistance,” said Petri.

For Petri, this means giving back to the Milwaukee-based artists working to build their professional practice in our city today. To do this, she’s ending the tour with a trio of special events geared toward preparing creatives to take ideas from podcast to publication. 

On Friday, March 31, Petri will host an Artist Talk and Happy Hour at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB to raise funds for the MARNmentorship program:

• Happy hour, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

• Conversation on the publishing industry, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m, with cash bar

The event is free to attend but donations to support the MARNmentorship program are accepted. You can donate at the event or on our donation page.

MARNmentorship, a program developed by the Milwaukee Artist Resource Network ( MARN), where she cut her teeth as a working artist under mentor Della Wells before being recognized as an Artist-in-Residence at the Pfister Hotel, Nohl Emerging Artist Fellow, Mildred L. Harpole Artist of the Year, and inaugural artist in residence at the bell hooks Center at Berea College.

RSVP to the happy hour includes a copy of “It’s a Good Day to Change the World.” 

You can RSVP here to reserve your spot. See you there. 🙂 

About the book:

Lauren Schiller and Hadley Dynak, the award-winning team behind the nationally syndicated Inflection Point podcast and radio show about women’s power in our modern world, have created an essential guide for action drawn from their interviews with groundbreaking activists, authors, artists, entrepreneurs, and visionaries who have mobilized change and can show us the way. In It’s a Good Day to Change the World, readers learn from established icons and meet new ones, too. From Ijeoma Oluo to Sarah Silverman, each trailblazer’s story features firsthand narratives and vibrant illustrations. The authors highlight key takeaways for change, along with strategies to keep going.

On Thursday, March 30, Petri and the book’s authors will be leading a talk on the book at Boswell Book Company from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. More information and free registration here. 

About Rosy:

Rosy Petri fuses portraiture and storytelling as an act of witness. She’s been an Artist-in-Residence at the bell hooks center and Pfister Hotel, a Nohl Emerging Artist Fellow, and Mildred Harpole Artist of the Year. She illustrated the new book It’s a Good Day to Change the World. Her art and fine craft can be found at www.thisisparadisehome.com.

Everything can come full circle on Sunday at MARN ART + CULTURE HUB. A morning of yoga and HOOPS from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. MKE Yoga Social will guide you through an hour long thematic flow where we create circular shapes and flows in honor of HOOPS. 

The class will be cued as an all-levels flow with options for beginners and seasoned yogis alike, with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages available afterwards. 

Music from Nicole’s original HOOPS playlist will bring this experience full circle.

Hosted on March 19th, April 23rd, & May 21st at MARN ART + CULTURE HUB (191 N Broadway, Milwaukee, WI) 

Register + Purchase your ticket here: As a MARNmember, use PROMO CODE ‘MARN’ for $5 off your ticket. https://app.fitdegree.com/t/dashboard/registrables/1958663

RSVP price includes: Yoga + 1 beverage (choice of champagne, mimosa, or juice). 

Details: Wear HOOPS if possible. Please bring a yoga mat + water bottle. Must be 21+ with valid ID to consume alcohol. 

About MKE Yoga Social

MKE Yoga Social is a local yoga business bridging the gap between the community, yoga, and amazing Milwaukee venues.  Breweries, distilleries, parks, and more; we’ve partnered with over 100 local businesses!

We have a true passion for community and bringing people together. Social time is included to encourage community connection. Mingle with like-minded people while having fun and building your local community.

In addition to our flagship business MKE Yoga Social™, we also have created several affiliate brands, MKE Goat Yoga™, MKE Hot Yoga Collective, and MKE Yoga + Wellness.

Jessica Bio:

Jessica Hope’s love of yoga started after a double cervical fusion in 2012. After trying just about everything, I was lucky to find pain relief through hot yoga. A few years into my practice I was in a life altering car accident that forced me to pause and reflect; ultimately leading to my decision to walk away from a corporate job to pursue yoga teacher training.

After receiving my certification, I began teaching at a hot studio. I quickly realized I needed to figure out a way to get my friends to come to yoga. In 2016 I began teaching in local venues including a series of  “Mind, Body + Mimosas” events at a local music hall… ultimately growing into the city’s first formalized yoga event business and the rest is history!

MKE Yoga Social is my passion. It allows us to share yoga with individuals who may be intimidated by a formal studio setting.

MARNmentorship is pleased to announce “Demystifying the MKE Gallery Scene ”, on Saturday, March 18th 1:30-5:00pm at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB.

Doors Open at 1:30pm. Presentations by Panelists, Moderated Questions, and Q&A start at 2:00pm. Mix & Mingle to follow at 4:30pm

Learn from a panel of gallerists & curators how to work with galleries, apply and connect in gallery landscapes: 

Cynthia Henry – Ayzha Fine Arts Gallery & Boutique
Jacobo Lovo – Latino Arts inc.
Jason S. Yi – Hawthorn Contemporary
Phoenix Brown – Charles Allis and Villa Terrace Art Museums
Samantha Timm – Saint Kate: The Arts Hotel
Riley Niemack – MARN Gallery Director (Moderator) 

Join us!

20 public seat *tickets available for purchase

• $10 for MARNmembers

• $21 for non-members (includes one yearlong CREATIVE level membership in celebration of our 21st anniversary of serving Milwaukee’s creative community)

• FREE for 2022-2023 MARNmentorship Cohort (and affiliated guests)

*All ticket donations benefit the MARNmentorship program. 

Standing room is available.

As a historically operated building, we do not have automated front doors off the sidewalk of Broadway. 

However, once entered into our corridor, a wheel chair lift is available.

For more information: admin@marnarts.org

Follow the contributors on Instagram: @ayzhafinearts, @latinoartsinc @jason_s_yi, @hawthorncontemporary, @phoenixisphoenixisphoenix, @villaterracemuseum, @sarahballallisartmuseum, @samantha_timm, @saintkatearts , @rileyraeniemack.art

#MARNarts #milwaukeeartists #historicthirdwardmke

MARN is excited to present “HOOPS” Community Conversation Wednesday, March 15, 2023 from 5-7PM at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB. 

Donate to help us keep supporting local artists and conversations like this one.

With chairs set up in a circular format (like a hoop earring), community members are invited to listen in and contribute to a facilitated conversation moderated by Symphony Swan and initiated by exhibiting artist Nicole Acosta. The conversation begins at 5:30PM. 

A circle of curated community members will open the dialogue, sharing important insights. These individuals include participants photographed in the HOOPS project, contributors to the HOOPS play at the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, and local art community leaders. 

In observation of Women’s History Month, the 50th Anniversary of Hip-hop, and Nicole Acosta’s Hoops Project on display at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB the discussion will center hoops earrings and how their “stories mark the intersection where culture, art, hair, identity, politics, history, power, home, belonging, love, and liberation meet.”

This event is free & open to the public.

RSVP below | Masks encouraged

This event takes place prior to the 7:30pm showing of “HOOPS” at Milwaukee Chamber Theater, providing historical, cultural, and personal context to the play. Attendees will receive a discount code for a $25.00 single ticket valid 3/15-3/19/23. Get your tickets now here. 

This event is a part of the exhibition programming for MARN’s current exhibition, “HOOPS” by Nicole Acosta, running Feb 4 to April 3, 2023 at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB. Learn more about the exhibition on our Current Exhibition page.

Tickets are free. Donations to MARN are accepted. 

Please follow the link to the event’s calendar listing to RSVP.

“HOOPS”, running February 4 to April 3, 2023, is an exhibition of local multidisciplinary artist Nicole Acota’s ‘HOOPS Project’. The ‘HOOPS Project’ shares the personal stories of Black, Brown, Indigenous, and other individuals of the global majority through portrait photography and video, providing insight into what has become a beloved statement in communities and culture around the world: hoop earrings.

On Wednesday, March 15, 2023 the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB hosted the “HOOPS Community Conversation” led by Symphony Swan. Our guests breathed life into the portraits on our walls by sharing what hoop earrings mean to them. Stories included themes of feeling connected to previous generations, everyday joy, and preserving personal authenticity in white-dominated spaces.

A circle of curated community members opened the dialogue, sharing important insights. These individuals include participants photographed in the HOOPS project, contributors to the HOOPS play at the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, and local art community leaders: Desiree Schocko, Maria Gutierrez, Britney B~Free Freeman Farr, Kyndal Johnson, Lexi Brunson, Lashawndra Vernon, Joshua Liston, Trina Nicole, Katie Avila Loughmiller, Mikal Floyd-Pruitt, and Radaya Ellis. 

In observation of Women’s History Month, the 50th Anniversary of Hip-hop, and Nicole Acosta’s Hoops Project on display at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB the discussion centered hoops earrings and how their “stories mark the intersection where culture, art, hair, identity, politics, history, power, home, belonging, love, and liberation meet.”

HOOPS is coming full circle on Artist Appreciation Night this Friday.

In anticipation of the 7:30pm showing of the HOOPS live play, we’ll be hosting a “HOOPS” Happy Hour from 5pm-7pm at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB, located on 191 N. Broadway.

Come by and experience the “HOOPS” exhibition with a complimentary champagne before walking to the theatre to experience the HOOPS live play at the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre. Friday is Artist Appreciation Night at MCT, starting with SIP Studio at 7pm pre-show 5th floor rehearsal hall. 

This is the perfect opportunity to experience “HOOPS” the way it was born: first as an an exhibition documenting the significance of hoop earrings for over 60 people nationwide, then as a live theatre production that brings these stories to life.

And did we mention free champagne?

To see the play at a special discounted price, you can get your tickets here:  https://cart.broadwaytheatrecenter.com/events

Join us! Learn more about our current exhibition.   

This event is free and open to the public. Donations accepted.  

As a historically operated building, the Lofts on Broadway does not have automated front doors off the sidewalk of Broadway. 

However, once entered into our corridor, a wheel chair lift is available.

Should you have questions email us at admin@marnarts.org

About HOOPS

by Eliana Pipes with original music by B~Free based on The HOOPS Project by Nicole Acosta

Directed by Patrice Amon

Studio Theatre | March 10th – April 2nd, 2023

Part of World Premiere Wisconsin, a statewide festival celebrating new plays and musicals

Dating back nearly 5,000 years, hoop earrings are powerful symbols telling stories of home, love, resistance, protection, and freedom across a multitude of cultures and communities. Based on intimate interviews that bring to life the portrait subjects of Milwaukee artist Nicole Acosta’s internationally acclaimed HOOPS Project–and with a vibe-worthy get-up-and-groove tailor-made score from Milwaukee’s own B~Free–HOOPS celebrates the journey to self-discovery and belonging, identity and culture, and so much more.

About the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre

Milwaukee Chamber Theatre’s mission is to produce intimate, high-quality, professional theatrical works of literary merit that engage and challenge the audience, while employing and nurturing principally local theatre artists. Our unique education programs cultivate the next generation of theatre artists and theatre lovers. Donate to their mission: https://www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/1971491