Curated pieces were selected by a diverse panel of Milwaukee arts professionals
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Milwaukee, Wisconsin – As part of the $456 million Baird Center expansion, 21 artists, many of whom are local, were selected to create artwork to display in the expanded Baird Center north building and existing south building. The majority of artists were chosen by a highly diverse voting panel assembled by third-party art consultant Public Art Services.
The artist selection process began in April 2022 with a search by Colorado-based Public Art Services, the art consultant chosen to lead the project, for art selection panelists with diverse backgrounds in the visual arts and poetry community.
Public Art Services developed a Request for Qualifications (RFQ), with guidance from Wisconsin Center District (WCD) representatives, to identify international, national, regional, and locally-based artists/artist teams to create artwork that speaks to Milwaukee and Wisconsin’s diverse culture and rich history. The RFQ was released in August 2022 and closed in September 2022.
Following a robust selection process, 16 artists/artist teams were awarded contracts. An additional four artists were selected with the assistance of EUA, one of the architecture firms that designed the Baird Center expansion. The expansion will also see the return of the artist who created the iconic Syl, the security guard sculpture positioned in the Baird Center’s south entrance. The artist will create Syl’s female counterpart for Baird Center’s north building.
“Public Art Services did a tremendous job overseeing the artist selection process and the panel identified talented artists whose pieces represent our city and state’s vibrant culture,” Wisconsin Center District President and CEO Marty Brooks said. “I believe this incredible collection will engage and bring joy to Baird Center guests from across the globe for years to come.”
Baird Center is proud to announce the artists/artist teams creating original works to help tell Milwaukee and Wisconsin’s story to Baird Center visitors:
- Ben Butler
- Bluword of Water
- Brandon Minga
- David Najib Kasir
- Ed Marquand, Tieton Mosaic
- FreelandBuck
- Greg Gossel
- Haddad|Drugan
- Jay Yan
- Jeffrey Swider-Peltz
- John Fleissner
- Kathryn Martin
- Kevin Miyazaki
- Marc Sijan
- Mark Brautigam
- Nicolas Lampert
- Nova Czarnecki
- Reginald Baylor Studio
- Rosy Petri
- Tommy Sweeney
- Tuan Tran, Design Fugitives
“It was exciting and gratifying to work with such a diverse selection panel of local artists, poets, and arts supporters. The result is a group of artists with deep representation by regional and Milwaukee-based artists,” Public Art Services Creative Design and Project Manager John Grant said. “It’s really what these arts projects are all about and it’s a way for Baird Center to support its community of creative artists.”
To learn more about each of the artists/artist teams and their pieces, contact Joe Scialfa at 414-363-0584 or Charlee Hrubesky at 414-567-8058.
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Baird Center
Baird Center, located in the heart of downtown Milwaukee, is the hub of the convention business in Wisconsin and is ideal for trade and consumer shows, conventions, banquets, business meetings, and celebrations. The current convention center offers 188,695 square feet of contiguous exposition space and 37,500 square feet of ballroom space, accommodating up to 1,000 vendors and 10,000 guests while also offering more intimate spaces for groups as small as ten.
The convention center is undergoing a $456 million expansion to double its size, allowing the convention center to host multiple events simultaneously and offer flexible space arrangements to meet various clients’ needs. The expansion will be completed in May 2024. To celebrate the grand opening, Baird Center will host a fabulous gala in the rooftop Baird Ballroom on May 16. For more information about the expansion, visit www.BuildingMore.com. Baird Center is owned and operated by the Wisconsin Center District and is experience-obsessed and dedicated to providing unforgettable, buzzworthy moments for all clients and guests. For more information and to book an event, visit www.bairdcenter.com.
Wisconsin Center District
Experience-obsessed and committed to creating unforgettable moments, the Wisconsin Center District (WCD) is a quasi-governmental entity that operates the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena; the Miller High Life Theatre; and Baird Center, which is undergoing a $456 million expansion to double its size in downtown Milwaukee. The WCD venues are within walking distance of leading hotels, retail establishments, attractions, dining, nightclubs, and transportation. Created under the Wisconsin State Statute in 1994, the WCD offers captivating and buzzworthy experiences, making Milwaukee a not-to-be-missed destination. For more information about the WCD, visit wcd.org.
Public Art Services
Public Art Services (PAS) is a Creative Project Management Firm based in Wheat Ridge, Colorado that specializes in the curation and management of public art installations with a commitment to fostering community through the arts. Since 2000 PAS has aided in the creation of a myriad of monumental projects working with artists and clients to bring their creative visions to life while providing support every step of the way. For more information about Public Art Services, visit publicartservices.com.