Community Calendar

The United States marks its 250th anniversary in 2026. To understand how our nation came to be, we invite you to think about how immigrants have shaped the United States, starting right here in Milwaukee.
Indigenous Peoples were the first to live on this land. Later, waves of immigrants arrived, changing the community and creating the Milwaukee we know today. Examining immigration in Milwaukee offers a window into the larger American story.
For over 180 years, immigrants have shaped Milwaukee’s economy, neighborhoods, and culture. Waves of German, Polish, Italian, and Irish newcomers built businesses to grow the city in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Their skills and labor established Milwaukee as a center of industry and craftsmanship.
As new generations arrive from Latin America, Asia, Southwest Asia and North Africa (also referred to as the Middle East), and Africa, they bring traditions, languages, and foods that continue to redefine what it means to be American. Milwaukee’s diversity can be seen in its restaurants, festivals, and neighborhoods. Here, the legacies of past and present immigrants come together to shape the future.

Family histories, myth, and memories not only survive migration and cultural transplantation; they persist at the foundations of identity. Warren King’s sophisticated sculptures explore his family’s origins in Shaoxing, China, their journey to the suburbs of Wisconsin, and how he understands this displacement in light of his own Western upbringing. King’s sculptures often combine thematic and aesthetic elements from Chinese and Western traditions, masterfully working cardboard into near life-size figures and wall pieces that recall traditional lacquerware and woodcarving. This exhibition originated at the James Watrous Gallery in Madison, Wisconsin, where it was co-curated by Jody Clowes and Warren King, and is presented in collaboration with the Organization of Chinese Americans-Wisconsin.

The United States marks its 250th anniversary in 2026. To understand how our nation came to be, we invite you to think about how immigrants have shaped the United States, starting right here in Milwaukee.
Indigenous Peoples were the first to live on this land. Later, waves of immigrants arrived, changing the community and creating the Milwaukee we know today. Examining immigration in Milwaukee offers a window into the larger American story.
For over 180 years, immigrants have shaped Milwaukee’s economy, neighborhoods, and culture. Waves of German, Polish, Italian, and Irish newcomers built businesses to grow the city in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Their skills and labor established Milwaukee as a center of industry and craftsmanship.
As new generations arrive from Latin America, Asia, Southwest Asia and North Africa (also referred to as the Middle East), and Africa, they bring traditions, languages, and foods that continue to redefine what it means to be American. Milwaukee’s diversity can be seen in its restaurants, festivals, and neighborhoods. Here, the legacies of past and present immigrants come together to shape the future.

Family histories, myth, and memories not only survive migration and cultural transplantation; they persist at the foundations of identity. Warren King’s sophisticated sculptures explore his family’s origins in Shaoxing, China, their journey to the suburbs of Wisconsin, and how he understands this displacement in light of his own Western upbringing. King’s sculptures often combine thematic and aesthetic elements from Chinese and Western traditions, masterfully working cardboard into near life-size figures and wall pieces that recall traditional lacquerware and woodcarving. This exhibition originated at the James Watrous Gallery in Madison, Wisconsin, where it was co-curated by Jody Clowes and Warren King, and is presented in collaboration with the Organization of Chinese Americans-Wisconsin.

The “Small Batch Songwriter Sessions” will feature a different Milwaukee-based singer/songwriter every other Monday evening from 6:30-8:30pm. These shows offer a uniquely intimate listening experience, centering the performers as they test out original material and put their own spin on cherished classics in a stripped solo or duo acoustic format.

The Small Batch Songwriter Series places an emphasis on experimentation. Just as pilot breweries like Indeed-Milwaukee experiment with small batches of creative, out-of-the-box craft beer recipes, this series gives talented local songwriters the opportunity to experiment with new musical ideas in a low-stakes environment.

The United States marks its 250th anniversary in 2026. To understand how our nation came to be, we invite you to think about how immigrants have shaped the United States, starting right here in Milwaukee.
Indigenous Peoples were the first to live on this land. Later, waves of immigrants arrived, changing the community and creating the Milwaukee we know today. Examining immigration in Milwaukee offers a window into the larger American story.
For over 180 years, immigrants have shaped Milwaukee’s economy, neighborhoods, and culture. Waves of German, Polish, Italian, and Irish newcomers built businesses to grow the city in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Their skills and labor established Milwaukee as a center of industry and craftsmanship.
As new generations arrive from Latin America, Asia, Southwest Asia and North Africa (also referred to as the Middle East), and Africa, they bring traditions, languages, and foods that continue to redefine what it means to be American. Milwaukee’s diversity can be seen in its restaurants, festivals, and neighborhoods. Here, the legacies of past and present immigrants come together to shape the future.

Family histories, myth, and memories not only survive migration and cultural transplantation; they persist at the foundations of identity. Warren King’s sophisticated sculptures explore his family’s origins in Shaoxing, China, their journey to the suburbs of Wisconsin, and how he understands this displacement in light of his own Western upbringing. King’s sculptures often combine thematic and aesthetic elements from Chinese and Western traditions, masterfully working cardboard into near life-size figures and wall pieces that recall traditional lacquerware and woodcarving. This exhibition originated at the James Watrous Gallery in Madison, Wisconsin, where it was co-curated by Jody Clowes and Warren King, and is presented in collaboration with the Organization of Chinese Americans-Wisconsin.

The United States marks its 250th anniversary in 2026. To understand how our nation came to be, we invite you to think about how immigrants have shaped the United States, starting right here in Milwaukee.
Indigenous Peoples were the first to live on this land. Later, waves of immigrants arrived, changing the community and creating the Milwaukee we know today. Examining immigration in Milwaukee offers a window into the larger American story.
For over 180 years, immigrants have shaped Milwaukee’s economy, neighborhoods, and culture. Waves of German, Polish, Italian, and Irish newcomers built businesses to grow the city in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Their skills and labor established Milwaukee as a center of industry and craftsmanship.
As new generations arrive from Latin America, Asia, Southwest Asia and North Africa (also referred to as the Middle East), and Africa, they bring traditions, languages, and foods that continue to redefine what it means to be American. Milwaukee’s diversity can be seen in its restaurants, festivals, and neighborhoods. Here, the legacies of past and present immigrants come together to shape the future.

Family histories, myth, and memories not only survive migration and cultural transplantation; they persist at the foundations of identity. Warren King’s sophisticated sculptures explore his family’s origins in Shaoxing, China, their journey to the suburbs of Wisconsin, and how he understands this displacement in light of his own Western upbringing. King’s sculptures often combine thematic and aesthetic elements from Chinese and Western traditions, masterfully working cardboard into near life-size figures and wall pieces that recall traditional lacquerware and woodcarving. This exhibition originated at the James Watrous Gallery in Madison, Wisconsin, where it was co-curated by Jody Clowes and Warren King, and is presented in collaboration with the Organization of Chinese Americans-Wisconsin.

The United States marks its 250th anniversary in 2026. To understand how our nation came to be, we invite you to think about how immigrants have shaped the United States, starting right here in Milwaukee.
Indigenous Peoples were the first to live on this land. Later, waves of immigrants arrived, changing the community and creating the Milwaukee we know today. Examining immigration in Milwaukee offers a window into the larger American story.
For over 180 years, immigrants have shaped Milwaukee’s economy, neighborhoods, and culture. Waves of German, Polish, Italian, and Irish newcomers built businesses to grow the city in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Their skills and labor established Milwaukee as a center of industry and craftsmanship.
As new generations arrive from Latin America, Asia, Southwest Asia and North Africa (also referred to as the Middle East), and Africa, they bring traditions, languages, and foods that continue to redefine what it means to be American. Milwaukee’s diversity can be seen in its restaurants, festivals, and neighborhoods. Here, the legacies of past and present immigrants come together to shape the future.