public artist in residency

The City of Milwaukee Artist in Residence Program (PAIR) aims to invest in the city’s cultural producers by leveraging the knowledge, practices and creative tool kits of local artists to build a better community for Milwaukee residents. PAIR presents an opportunity for collaboration, embedding an Artist Consultant (“Artist”) in City departments to strategize, propose and implement creative solutions to complex civic challenges.

The goal of this program is to explore the best ways of integrating an Artist into City government in service of improving the lives of Milwaukeeans. The intended outcome of this residency is for the Artist and partner department to assess community needs and develop/improve programs and initiatives through creative problem solving. The specific nature of these collaborations will vary depending on the interests and needs of the Artist and the department. It is also an opportunity for cross-sector networking, a collaborative and generative space to think about different approaches for artist residencies for the social good.

The program not only aims to bring an Artist into a department to see how it works and make an impact - it also aims to give City employees an insider’s view of contemporary art and perspective on the lives of working artists. After a three-month research phase where the Artist will shadow City staff and learn about operations and initiatives, the Artist will spend three months prototyping and field testing their project and then five months implementing. Assessments will also take place in the twelfth month. Meetings will be held virtually as necessary.