MATC INVITES ARTISTS TO DEVELOP WORKS FOR DISPLAY AT DOWNTOWN MILWAUKEE CAMPUS

Ginny Gnadt, gnadtv@matc.edu, 414-297-6770

November 16, 2020

MILWAUKEE (Nov. 16, 2020) -- Milwaukee Area Technical College is soliciting original works of art, including outdoor sculptures, to be created and displayed in the Downtown Milwaukee Campus, 700 W. State St. The campus has recently undergone many renovations. The artwork created by students, alumni and community members will decorate new spaces and celebrate the college’s history and diversity. 

Proposals will be accepted until Dec. 1, 2020 for new artwork or work already created in 2019-2020. Up to 20 works of art will be selected. Artists may submit multiple pieces to fit a variety of available spaces. Final artwork must be completed and delivered by Aug. 1, 2021.

Preference may be given to student and alumni artists from the MATC district, and four-year transfer partner colleges including Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Mount Mary University, Alverno College and others. In addition, preference may be given to work that focuses on manufacturing, transportation, construction, community and human services, creative arts, design and media, social justice issues in Milwaukee and the U.S., or to any visual interpretation of MATC’s mission or vision. 

In addition to acquiring art through this RFP process, the MATC Community Arts Committee is also engaged in discussions with the Milwaukee Art Museum and the Black Houlocaust Museum around arts-based programming, including: access to arts activities for students and their families, digital or physical access to the museum's artwork, and opportunities for students to have reduced or free attendance at the museums. These partnerships emphasize the strategic priorities of cultural competency, diversity, equity and inclusion for all parties involved.

“We are pleased to offer artists, particularly those with connections to  MATC and its partners, this opportunity to help beautify and contribute their vision to the Downtown Milwaukee Campus,” said Dr. Vicki J. Martin, MATC president. “This is another way to connect to the community we serve.”

To learn more about this opportunity, visit the Community Art RFP at this link.

Wisconsin’s largest technical college and one of the most diverse two-year institutions in the Midwest, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a key driver of southeastern Wisconsin’s economy and has provided innovative education in the region since 1912. Nearly 35,000 students per year attend the college’s four campuses and community-based sites or learn online. MATC offers affordable and accessible education and training opportunities that empower and transform lives in the community. The college offers more than 150 academic programs; and transfer options leading to bachelor’s degrees with more than 35 four-year colleges and universities. Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.