Visual & Performing Arts
WAB Grant
UW-La Crosse to support Indigenous arts through new grant
Media Contact: Lisa Lenarz, Associate Professor
608.785.8235 or llenarz@uwlax.edu
Art Department, School of Visual & Performing Arts
La Crosse, WI – The School of Visual & Performing Arts and the Art Department at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UWL) is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded a $6,000 Creative Communities grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board. This grant will fund a project dedicated to increasing exposure to contemporary indigenous artists and their work through a series of youth art workshops and events for teachers.
The Wisconsin Arts Board Creative Communities grants program encourages arts education, cultural understanding, and community arts development in Wisconsin. It provides support for projects that further the Arts Board’s goals in Arts Education, Folk and Traditional Arts, and Local Arts.
Over the course of the 2024-2025 academic year, this project will: Initiate partnerships with indigenous artists; provide educational opportunities for area teachers and youth to learn about contemporary indigenous artists and the cultural complexities within their work through exploration and art-making; reinforce appreciation for first nation cultures; and expand participant perspectives on indigenous art and culture.
“There is a need for educational programming aimed toward increasing knowledge and familiarity with contemporary indigenous artists, their works, and culture,” notes Associate Professor and Project Director Lisa Lenarz. “Most people in our community can name and recognize a handful of “famous” European or European-American artists (i.e. Leonardo, Van Gogh, Georgia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol, etc.) while they may describe objects such as baskets and processes such as basketmaking as indigenous craft, without deeper connections or understandings.”
Recognizing the globalized nature of today’s communities, educational institutions like UWL are tasked with fostering cultural literacy and fluency. This project seeks to align with the goals of WI Act 31, which mandates instruction on the history, culture, and tribal sovereignty of Wisconsin’s eleven federally recognized American Indian nations and tribal communities. Central to the project framework is establishing partnerships with indigenous artists to develop a series of community workshops for youth and teachers. These workshops will be offered at various events, including UWL’s annual ArtsFest and Social Justice Week, and will offer enrichment activities like after-school programs and summer youth offerings.
This initiative serves to reinforce established priorities of UWL’s School of Visual & Performing Arts, such as the recently named Truman T. Lowe Center for the Performing Arts. By honoring the work and legacy of Ho-Chunk artist and UWL alumnus Truman T. Lowe, UWL seeks to create a meaningful local connection and inspire future initiatives.
About the Wisconsin Arts Board: The Wisconsin Arts Board is a state agency dedicated to nurturing creativity, culture, and the arts in Wisconsin. Through grants, programs, and services, the Arts Board supports artistic and cultural activities that benefit individuals and communities throughout the state.
About the School of Visual and Performing Arts: The School of Visual and Performing Arts at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse offers a range of programs and initiatives designed to foster artistic expression, cultural understanding, and creative excellence. Through partnerships, educational opportunities, and community engagement, the school aims to enrich the lives of students and the broader community.