Earlier this week, the Marcus Performing Arts Center announced the Culture Collective, an addition to its performance lineup designed to celebrate and elevate the contributions of artists of color across a wide spectrum of artistic disciplines.
The Culture Collective aligns with the Marcus Performing Arts Center’s commitment to expanding racial, equity, diversity and inclusion in the performing arts and is among the goals being strongly pushed by the center’s new President and CEO Kevin Giglinto, who took on the role in July.
“Our role is to reflect all the voices, the many, many diverse voices from our culture and making sure that we have artists on our stage that reflect the diversity of our community, which means hopefully connecting with audiences that may not have seen themselves here in the past,” Giglinto told Milwaukee Magazine. “This is all a continuation of a strategic plan that was put in place before I got here and it’s something that I believe in very strongly coming into the job.”
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
Giglinto previously served at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. as senior vice president of marketing and chief strategy officer. In that role, he guided the brand position, digital strategy and long-term vision to build and engage diverse audiences, much like what he’s set out to do at the Marcus Performing Arts Center.
The Culture Collective will feature seven performances from prominent Black artists, ranging from award-winning musicians and dance companies to theatrical performances. Public performances and student matinees are included in the collective.
“The Culture Collective reinforces MPAC’s mission to foster an inclusive and vibrant cultural community,” Giglinto said. “As we elevate the voices and talents of Black artists, we aim to create a space where everyone feels seen, heard and celebrated.”
The Culture Collective highlights shows featuring artists of color, exceeding MPAC’s original pledge for 30% of annual programming dedicated to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) voices.
The Culture Collective is supported by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation and show sponsor MGIC. Additional support is provided by Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel, Bader Philanthropies and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Following is a chronological listing of the shows as part of this coming season’s Culture Collective:
- DRUMLine Live, Jan. 6 at 7:30 p.m.
- 40th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration, Jan. 15 at 4 p.m. (Free Community Event)
- Cécile McLorin Salvant, Jan. 27 at 7:30 p.m.
- Black Violin, Feb. 9 at 10:30 a.m. (Student matinee performance, advance reservations required) and at 7:30 p.m. (Public performance)
- Dance Theatre of Harlem, Feb. 14 at 10:30 a.m. (Student matinee performance, advance reservations required) and at 7:30 p.m. (Public performance)
- Delfeayo Marsalis & The Uptown Jazz Orchestra, Feb. 29, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.
- Show Way The Musical, Mar. 21 at 10:30 a.m. (Sensory-Friendly; Student matinee performance – advance reservations required. To be added to the waitlist, click here.)
Tickets are available now for all shows. Tickets can be purchased by visiting marcuscenter.org, calling 414-273-7206 or by visiting the MPAC Box office (929 N. Water St.). Groups of 10 or more can get discounts/perks and must call to make a reservation.
