Photo credit: Dave Zylstra
Teri Sullivan (left) and Sean Kiebzak (right) of Arts @ Large
Earlier this year, Arts @ Large raised its profile by opening a gallery-studio-class space and café in a rehabbed historic Walker’s Point building (1100 S. Fifth St.). The organization offers programs specifically tailored to local schools that incorporate experiential learning through arts activities. More than 20% of students in Arts @ Large’s programs have special needs; the majority of kids touched by the programs are faced with poverty and are non-white. Off the Cuff sat down with Arts @ Large’s CEO Teri Sullivan (TS) and chief operating officer Sean Kiebzak (SK).
Did you found Arts @ Large?
TS: I’m one of the co-founders. Arts @ Large was created by Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) with funds from the U.S. Department of Education. And then, the money from the federal government ran out. We went to local foundations for help and became a nonprofit in 2005.
How would you describe your mission?
TS: We believe that every child—and now every adult as our focus has grown—deserves an education and lifelong learning that includes the arts. We strive everyday with participating K-12 students—and adults as well—to enrich lives and to use arts as a vehicle for social change, for providing equity. The arts can make significant changes in our community by telling stories.
Your Fabric of Milwaukee program must be a part of that…
TS: Yes. There are more than 7,000 immigrant and refugee students in MPS, and Fabric of Milwaukee uses storytelling through theater, music and dance to help immigrant and refugee students to hold on to what they want to retain from their own cultures while entering a new culture.
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Not so long ago, immigrant students were punished in American schools for using their native language.
TS: We didn’t know it when we bought our building, but in 1938, this building opened as the Polish House, a community art center for children. In those days, children were told they could only use Polish at home. The Polish House was a way of telling their stories through the arts. The building has come full circle! We’re embracing the full fabric of Milwaukee—what makes up Milwaukee and how all of our stories add to that deeply woven fabric that makes Milwaukee a special place.
Sean, how did you become involved with Arts @ Large?
SK: I’ve been in my present position for more than a year, but I’ve been with the organization for 10 years. I started in arts education—my background is in music and environmental science.
You were instrumental in the 53rd Street Community Garden, correct?
SK: The 53rd Street School and the Yeshiva Elementary School were neighbors but didn’t do a lot together. So, we thought, “Why don’t we try to create a community garden?” We worked with Compost Crusaders and had students build Aldo Leopold benches—it’s a simple design for outdoor spaces indicative of environmental stewardship. I precut pieces of wood and brought them into classrooms where students could assemble them. Then we painted them. Making the benches continued over the years. Now, there are 75 Aldo Leopold benches peppered throughout the city. We go to school sites and help remove asphalt, replacing old pavement with green practices to avoid run-off.
Does Arts @ Large also have career development programs for students?
SK: We had paid interns from Bradley Tech working on the basement in this building. Our café is a career development program where students learn to become baristas and gain accreditation in the Serve Safe Program—it builds their resumes if they are interested in kitchen work. We have a program where students can earn a 10-hour OSHA certificate. We work with Educators Credit Union teaching financial literacy. Many of our students have never had a job or a bank account.
We are also working to find the best ways to have the most meaningful and lasting impact by supporting classroom teachers by encouraging them to use the arts in all curriculum areas in ways that are relevant to our community and our global society. We work with 200 teachers who, in turn, will work with thousands of students.
Are you working only with MPS?
TS: Ninety-five percent of our work happens in MPS, but other schools are reaching out to us. MPS is our primary focus, but surrounding areas could benefit from this kind of work. We are in a position to scale up to serve more schools. We stress the importance of licensed teachers working with community partners for making a richer school environment.
