What Is ArtRoot?
ArtRoot is a committee of artists and arts advocates who are determined to reinvigorate Racine through the arts. We aim to do this by building arts infrastructure, fostering connections and facilitating collaborations among artists, arts organizations, community groups, businesses and government.
The ArtRoot Vision
Our vision is transformative: Racine will be an arts activator that nurtures collaborative creative networks which sustain an inclusive, innovative and flourishing community.
It is a tall order, but we think that by bringing together the people who drive the arts in and around Racine, and working together towards common goals, this bold future can become a reality.
Tactics
Creating Community Connections
Short Term:
Provide arts consultation services to individuals, local organizations, businesses and government to:
help organizations initiate new projects and/or improve existing programs
offer guidance to individuals and organizations seeking fiscal sponsors
create more opportunities for local artists to display/perform their work
encourage the business sector to promote the arts scene
pinpoint ways city and county government can support arts initiatives with targeted resources (financial, promotional) and the adoption of arts-friendly regulations
Support the creation of an artist residency program at Wustum Museum.
Medium Term:
Research and discuss ways to integrate the arts into Racine’s smart city plans.
Encourage the Racine County Economic Development Corporation to coordinate with ArtRoot’s welcome wagon when entrepreneurs and businesses relocate to Racine.
Long Term:
Support the expansion of local artist residency programs by:
creating a resource list of existing programs
establishing a database of artists available for local residency programs and matching those artists with opportunities
developing a toolkit for organizations interested in starting a residency program
Ongoing:
Continue to:
host ArtsMixers
offer the ArtRoot welcome wagon
coordinate the Writer-in-Residence program
add new installations of the Wall Poems of Racine project
cross-promote arts events with UW Parkside, Carthage and Gateway
Creating Digital Connections
Short Term:
Compile a list of videos (with content descriptions) featuring local artists and events.
Medium Term:
Create an online centralized arts calendar hosted on an engaging website that highlights the Racine arts community.
Publish the local arts videos on the calendar website, ArtRoot website and/or a YouTube channel.
Long Term:
Develop an online arts journal featuring art/performance stories, reviews and artist interviews.
Ongoing:
Continue maintaining an ArtRoot Facebook page to get the word out about arts events and opportunities in the area.
Who We Are
ArtRoot currently comprises the following individuals:
Lisa Marie Barber
Visual artist, Professor, and Community Liaison in the Arts at UW-Parkside.
Tricia Blasko
Curator of Education of the Racine Art Museum/RAM’s Wustum Museum, artist and designer.
Kristina Campbell
Owner of The Branch at 1501, leader of the Art for Uptown movement.
Joycelyn Fish
Director of Marketing and Development for the Racine Theatre Guild.
Maureen Fritchen
Visual artist, past co-founder and chairperson of the Racine/Kenosha Get Behind the Arts Studio Tour.
Debra Karp
Director of Community Engagement at UW-Parkside and member of the Board of Directors of the Racine Arts Council.
Robert Osborne
Co-founder of OS Projects and the Osborne and Scekic Family Foundation.
Nick Ramsey
Musician, poet, co-founder of Family Power Music, co-founder and organizer of the Grassroots Open Mic and Artist Showcase.
Vera Scekic
Visual artist, co-founder and Director of OS Projects, co-founder of the Osborne and Scekic Family Foundation.
Mboya Sharif
Writer, poet, artist, graphic designer, publisher, author of several children's books and founder of Doses of Reality, LLC.
Past members of ArtRoot:
Trace Chiodo
Nick Demske
Samira Gdisis
Elmer Golon
Katie Humphrey
Dee Hutch
Danielle Johnson
Katie Markson
Denise Roberts McKee
Emily Montgomery
Gary Wolfe
Jessica Zalewski
John Zehren
