Art brings cities to life. They weave a magnificent tapestry that gives a city character, a personality that locals use to identify themselves and visitors look to with awe and inspiration. They are the lifeblood of the city’s culture and an economic driver, drawing millions each year to experience Milwaukee’s arts scene, from the stunning exhibitions housed in the Milwaukee Art Museum to the up-and-coming bands playing Turner Hall Ballroom.
Milwaukee’s performing arts and entertainment industry generates $225 million in economic impact each year, supporting thousands of jobs throughout our community. But the true value of the arts cannot be measured in dollars and cents. The true value of the arts exists in the millions of memories that bring us together, the thoughts and conversations they provoke, and the awe that they inspire.
So, in celebration of National Travel and Tourism Week, let’s shine the spotlight on our city’s top-flight performing arts community, give you a sneak preview of what’s coming soon and give you a way to support the arts in our community.
Museums and Galleries
Just one look at the city’s skyline will tell you that the arts shine here in the Cream City. The Milwaukee Art Museum, a building so ubiquitous with Milwaukee that it has served as a symbol of the city for many years, is also home to over 32,000 works, including artists with names like Picasso, Warhol, Rembrandt, O’Keeffe and more, all inside a stunning architectural marvel that “flaps” its wings three times daily.
But beyond the Milwaukee Art Museum, you’ll find tons and tons of art galleries, showcasing work in every discipline, era and style, just waiting for you to admire them. From the contemporary art of Gallery 218 to decorative arts inside an Italian villa at the Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum, massive works to uncover as you roam the Lynden Sculpture Garden, to the most comprehensive collection dedicated to the evolution of work at the Grohmann Museum and everything in between, there’s a gallery sure to inspire you too.
Don’t miss out on Gallery Night! Once a quarter, these events keep the galleries open late for you to explore the art, the area, the food and the very best that Milwaukee has to offer.
Public Art
If all the world’s a stage, then all the world is also a blank canvas on which artists can make their mark on the community.
Murals
Milwaukee’s murals add a splash of color to the surrounding cityscape that really brings out our personality and puts some of our talented artists on display, with immaculate, larger-than-life works. Whether it’s the profile of Giannis Antetokounmpo gracing the entire side of a building or a whole alley dedicated to public works at Black Cat Alley, smaller paintings on electrical boxes or the crosswalks of Cathedral Square Park, there’s a splash of artistic flair in just about every detail around Milwaukee. All you have to do is look for it.
Sculpture Milwaukee
Welcome to one of the country’s largest outdoor galleries. Starting with installations around the Milwaukee Art Museum, you can follow Sculpture Milwaukee's trail across the downtown and to at least six neighborhoods around the city to see these public works in a variety of disciplines and styles. On a walk between Baird Center and the art museum alone, you can take in 16 different pieces, spanning each of the project’s three seasons, along with a few permanent installations along the way. You can also whizz past one as you bike along the Hank Aaron Trail, admire a few on your way to your next theater show or map your Milwaukee itinerary around these works for an artistic walking tour that you’re sure to love.
Milwaukee Theater District
Lighting the marquee, meanwhile, the city’s most entertaining district has more theater seats per capita than anywhere in the country. Yes, more than New York. We checked. Twice. This collection of performing arts and live entertainment organizations is located in a walkable cluster in the heart of Milwaukee and hosts over 2,000 shows annually, boasting everything from rock shows to Broadway plays.
These include the palatial and historic Pabst Theater Group venues, including the Pabst and Riverside theaters, Turner Hall Ballroom and the Miller High Life Theatre. For those looking to catch some up-and-coming artists, just outside the district, you’ll find small venues with big personalities like Vivarium, Club Garibaldi, Cactus Club, Mad Planet, Shank Hall, The Miramar Theatre and tons of bars that host live music every weekend.
And then there are dramatic performances that’ll leave you breathless. Boasting a slate of well-loved plays and musicals to daring and innovative new works, you’ll find a show that’ll keep you glued to the edge of your seat from the opening salvo at Next Act Theatre, Marcus Performing Arts Center, Broadway Theatre Center, the Milwaukee Ballet and so, so many more. It’s always showtime in the Milwaukee Theater District.
Milwaukee Film Fest
The Milwaukee Film Festival, an annual showcase of over 200 films from local and internationally renowned filmmakers alike, wraps up this year’s fest this week, on May 8. Taking place this year at the Downer and Oriental theatres, the annual spring festival staple features everything from documentaries to dramas, shorts to comedies, creating a cinematic celebration unlike any other. Catch it while you can!
Coming Soon
Milwaukee’s artistic scene continues to flourish with a couple of new developments opening their doors later this year. Bringing a dynamic new dimension to the city’s performing arts offerings, these additions will continue to cement the city as a regional hub for top-tier entertainment.
FPC Live Deer District Venue
Well underway in Deer District Plaza, the new FPC Live venue adds yet another concert hall to the mix of Milwaukee venues. Expected to be completed in early 2026, this 4,500-capacity general admission venue will host between 50 and 75 events each year, bringing in nationally recognized headliners from all over the country to perform in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee Rep’s New Home
The Milwaukee Rep is about to drop the curtain on renovations to two of the venue’s three stages. These upgrades include the 708-seat Ellen & Joe Checota Powerhouse Theater, the Rep’s flagship theater and the Herro-Franke Studio Theater, a black box venue that has the flexibility to adjust its 200-person space to suit the production. But beyond the beautiful renovations to these two theaters, the Rep is focused on improving the visitor experience, with an expanded three-level lobby, additional restrooms and plenty of seating.
Encore: More Art Coming to Wauwatosa
Big things are coming to the nearby suburb of Wauwatosa. Just a few minutes away from the heart of downtown, here, you’ll find murals, sculptures, a bracket-style art competition and an enormous troll hiding in plain sight.
Dambo Troll
We’re not going to make you answer our riddles three for this one, but we will say that we can’t con-troll our excitement for this one. Created by internationally recognized troll sculptor Thomas Dambo, this work is the first of its kind in Wisconsin, putting our state on the Troll Map (it’s a real thing) and adding to our community’s portfolio of incredible public art. More details are coming soon!
Art 64
Okay, let us paint you a picture. You’re an artist. You’re outside in the beautiful June air with a light festival vibe swirling about you. You have 60 minutes to paint your masterpiece as you compete against 63 other artists, advancing round by round for your chance at $20,000. Interested? Check out this two-day festival, on June 6 and 7 at the Village of Wauwatosa, to discover what these talented artists come up with.
Local Arts Champions
Art in its many forms can’t happen without the support of the community. These groups make the arts shine, supporting the growing creative community and giving local artists a platform to showcase their talents. Here are just a few to keep your eye on.
Joy Engine
Joy Engine has been bringing awe-inspiring public art exhibitions to life since 2019, one unforgettable experience at a time. Known for imaginative projects like ArtBlaze and the Cracking Art birds, this nonprofit partners with local and international artists to create incredible installations that reflect the spirit of Milwaukee. Through annual Joy Grants, activations like the MKE River Roundup and its signature ArtBlaze event—taking place this year at McKinley Park–Joy Engine sparks creativity and joy across the city in a way that makes art approachable for all.
Imagine MKE
Imagine MKE aims to drive Milwaukee’s vibrancy through arts and culture. Working tirelessly to ensure arts and culture continue to be accessible to all residents, while empowering a creative workforce, Imagine MKE is nothing short of an advocacy powerhouse. Their many initiatives connect artists with resources that help amplify the economic impact of Milwaukee’s creative community.
UPAF
The United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF) helps fund 14 diverse local nonprofit organizations that bring the magic of the theater to life for millions of people each and every year. Whether you love the swelling sounds of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the dramatic plot twist of a play at the Milwaukee Rep or supporting the next generation of great young actors at First Stage, we encourage you to donate to UPAF today.
Explore more of Milwaukee’s artistic community! Plan your art-inerary, map your mural trail and catch all the creative work there is to see in Milwaukee today.
