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Middleton arts committee introduces new placemaking planner and finalizes Art Walk details
Summary
The Middleton Arts Committee welcomed Jolene Bridal as its new placemaking planner and set Art Walk for May 16 with a $200 artist fee, a cap of roughly 70 artists and no silent auction; members also discussed grant opportunities and a poster-art strategy.
Jolene Bridal, Middleton’s new placemaking planner, introduced herself to the Middleton Arts Committee and said she was "really happy to be here and joining the team here in Middleton," citing years running a nonprofit arts center and experience in graphic design and web development.
The committee confirmed its annual Art Walk will be held May 16 and decided to charge participating artists $200 this year and cap the event at about 70 participants. Michelle Phillips, a committee member coordinating the event, said the group had "made the executive decision ... to eliminate the silent auction" this year because it required a lot of work and did not generate significant funds.
Why it matters: the Art Walk is the committee’s largest public-facing event and sets the tone for the year’s outreach, volunteer needs and revenue opportunities. Committee members said decisions about fees, capacity and branding affect which artists participate and how the event is promoted.
Committee members discussed next steps for promotions and materials. Jolene Bridal offered to draft design options and suggested using a unified template that could incorporate images from accepted artists over time; Phillips said she favored a single, recognizable poster image for branding but supported a competition if the winner’s work would be used on marketing materials. Scott agreed to locate a previous promotional template for Jolene to adapt, and members said they will aim to publicize the artist call earlier and more broadly to increase submissions.
The committee also agreed to pursue a Dane Arts grant to help fund this year’s event; Jolene and Katie Nelson volunteered to prepare grant materials and supporting letters. Logistics discussed included renting a large tent for a relocated children’s corner to reduce sound conflicts with the main stage and reviewing booth assignments for student artists who trade volunteer hours for discounted or doubled booth space.
The committee said Michelle Phillips will continue leading Art Walk for two more years, will include Jolene on ongoing communications, and will develop a handoff guide for future volunteers and leads. Members also asked staff to confirm calendar and permit details and reconvene on marketing and volunteer sign-ups at future meetings.
