Photo courtesy of Urban Ecology Center
On Saturday February 6, the Milwaukee Art Museum and Urban Ecology Center will host Winterfest 2021 at Washington Park. MAM and UEC are teaming up for an event that offers socially distanced activities including sledding, tracking and nature hikes, ice skating and a snow science station. Snow-shoes, hot beverages and a grab & go lunch will be available. Participants can also create snow art with Milwaukee Art Museum sculpting kits.
According to Brett Henzig, MAM’s Youth and Family Program Educator, the art museum has partnered with organizations like The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, Penfield Children’s Center and Hunger Task Force on creative projects each January.
This year’s collaboration with the UEC focuses on the connection between art and nature. “It is a way to reach outside of the art museum, which was a challenge with the continuing pandemic,” Henzig says. “We have been trying to connect with families working from home with accessible art materials, in this case snow—which we have a lot of!” He adds UEC is ideal because it provides safe space and plenty of room for the project.
MAM’s mission is to connect people to art; UEC’s mission is to connect people to the outdoors. “Making art and being in nature are great opportunities to be creative and active. These are new ideas to stay happy, healthy and get some exercise and tap into creativity,” Henzig says.
|
|
Anna Aragon, UEC Marketing Communications Manager, notes the importance of her organization during the pandemic. “Even though our three UEC locations are closed, the parks we manage remain always open. We provide a safe, accessible, beautiful and calming green spaces that have had doubled the number of visitors since last year. We are providing virtual education that serve tens of thousands of students and adults and, at the same time, we are offering some COVID-conscious on-site programming for the community to enjoy,” Aragon says.
Photo Credit: Brett Henzig
Museum educators will provide sculpting tools and how-to ideas to all three UEC branch locations. The kits will be incorporated into UEC’s Equipment Lending Program and available to the public free of charge all winter. A limited number of pairs MAM gloves will be available to participants as well, sending folks home with something to remember the event by.
Pre-registration is not required for this drop-in program, but feel free to RSVP.
