Before moving to Milwaukee to attend UW-Milwaukee’s School of Architecture + Urban Planning in 2014, I reached out to Beth Weirick, CEO of Milwaukee Downtown, BID #21, while still as a high school intern for the Rochester Downtown Alliance in Minnesota. She graciously agreed to meet with me at her office, which was then located at St. John’s Cathedral, while I was in town for my entrance exams. Having set my aspirations to work in the downtown drive in high school, Beth and I instantly connected over our shared passion for revitalizing the heart of our communities. I was 18 when I started my internship with BID #21 and have been incredibly grateful for Beth who has guided me both personally and professionally over the past nine years.
I was fortunate enough to join the team as a full-time staff member immediately after graduating in 2018. We quickly developed the Downtown Placemaking Task Force and have since implemented 25 new murals across the district, marking the first large-scale murals since Richard Haas’ 1981 mural on the now Bradley Symphony Center. We started small with Wisconsin Avenue’s utility boxes in 2017 and have since scaled up with murals like the Giannis Mural in 2022, which has become one of the most photographed destinations in all of Milwaukee.
At the start of 2023, I was promoted to director of public space initiatives, which includes continued fundraising efforts and implementation of our public art and public space projects. In 2022, we fundraised over $200,000 to support Downtown public art projects and park activations, including the launch of a string of new events as part of our “Reimagine Red Arrow Park” initiative, including “Heart(beats) of the City,” Big Truck Day, and Jack-O-Lantern Jubilee. All of which are on tap to return in 2023.
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Most recently, after two-and-a-half years of fundraising, we brought the world-renowned artist duo, HYBYCOZO, to Cathedral Square Park. Lightfield by HYBYCOZO presented by Johnson Financial Group launched in conjunction with Gallery Night on January 19 and 20, welcoming over 500 guests to the park during opening night festivities.
We continue to be in awe of our business and philanthropic community’s support for the arts, especially projects that create free and accessible experiences for our entire community to enjoy. If you haven’t been downtown recently, now is the time to MKE it Back. The energy of returning employees, visitors, and a growing residential population is palpable. And, if Lightfield is any indication of what’s to come, the future of downtown is undeniably bright!
Visit: MilwaukeeDowntown.com
Photo Credit: Erol Reyal
