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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 for creating community connections

Provide arts consultation services to individuals, local organizations, businesses and government to:

  • help organizations initiate new projects and/or improve existing programs

  • create more opportunities for local artists to display/perform their work

  • pinpoint ways city and county government can support arts initiatives with targeted resources (financial, promotional) and the adoption of arts-friendly regulations

Work with the Racine County Arts Initiative to position Racine as a Creative Corridor. RCAI aims to:

  • use data-driven insight to strengthen arts and culture, collaboration and community growth

  • increase the visibility of the local arts scene and connect it to tourism and talent recruitment

  • advocate for increased state support for the arts

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

  • maintain an ArtRoot social media presence and email list to get the word out about ArtRoot events and other opportunities for artists

Who We Are

ArtRoot currently comprises the following individuals:

Tricia Blasko
Director 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.

Fox Markowski
Writer, artist, organizer of the Racine Public Library's Adult Writers Guild.

Heather Novotny
Co-owner of Vintage & Modern Books.

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.

Chino Villatoro
Creative artist, owner of ALTVRA media company.

Past members of ArtRoot:

  • Trace Chiodo

  • Nick Demske

  • Samira Gdisis

  • Elmer Golon

  • Katie Humphrey

  • Dee Hutch

  • Danielle Johnson

  • Cam Langendorf

  • Katie Markson

  • Denise Roberts McKee

  • Emily Montgomery

  • Mboya Sharif

  • Gary Wolfe

  • Jessica Zalewski

  • John Zehren