Joy Engine logo
Since 2019, the Black Box Fund has supported a variety of cultural undertakings in Milwaukee. Among them: “Under One Moon,” a three-day pop-up festival in the Third Ward’s Catalano Square; Guitarist Don Linke’s Jazz at Noon series in the Third Ward; “REbirth,” an installation of 22 oversized swallows on Milwaukee’s lakefront; and a joint venture with Arts@Large to provide “art bags” for children stuck at home in the early months of COVID.
However, the organization’s name suggest underwriting for small theater companies rather than its broader mission. Black Box Fund has rebranded itself under a more inclusive, welcoming and—yes, joyful—name, Joy Engine.
Image: Joy Engine
Joy Engine
Joy Engine
“We created Black Box Fund on the fly while we were producing our first event ‘Under One Moon’ in 2019. At the time we weren’t fully sure where we were heading, but we were determined to keep the dream going and continue to build a fully realized organization,” says Joy Engine’s CEO Doug McDonald. “A big part of the organizational growth is building community relationships and clearly communicating our goals and desires to Milwaukee’s creative community as well as the public. This kind of growth takes time, careful consideration, and clear communication. The name Black Box Fund did not convey what we hoped to achieve.”
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Joy Engine’s goal is to expand access to the arts “by partnering with local and international artists to create inclusive arts experiences that reflect the diversity of Milwaukee and are welcoming, family-friendly and free to all,” McDonald continues. “Seventy percent of Americans believe that the ‘arts improve the image and identity of their community,’ yet funding for the arts and affordable access continue to be a barrier for many in our communities to fully participate. We want to create events that honor the work of the creative community and expand opportunities to connect with art in all its forms.”
One of Black Box’s ongoing programs, Jazz at Noon, has also been rebranded as Jazz Rocks in partnership with Arts@Large.
“Don Linke brings together some of Milwaukee’s finest musicians for dazzling evenings of original compositions and free-flowing jazz improvisation. The performances happen the last Friday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Arts@Large gallery. It’s our way to grant advanced- level jazz musicians the opportunity to study, rehearse, and share with an audience the inner workings of improvised music,” McDonald explains.
He adds that Joy Engine is currently planning “a large-scale outdoor event for August of 2023 and exploring some smaller community centered projects and partnerships for possible implementation this summer.”
