Thousands of students pass the Chazen each day on their commute to classes, and more may pay the gallery a visit thanks to a new grant from the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.
Wisconsin Art Destinations launched a list of 16 museums around the state for art lovers to visit. The southern itinerary boasts two Madison-based art galleries, the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art and the Chazen Museum of Art.
Wisconsin Art Destinations seeks to raise awareness of Wisconsin as a destination for visual arts — from Tudor-style buildings, Old World creations or modern artwork — according to their website.
The network of museums will strengthen the connection between each gallery. Instead of art lovers needing to search for galleries independently, the Wisconsin Art Destinations website consolidates otherwise isolated art institutions.
The website highlights stops across the state, not just in metro areas, through three weekend itineraries (southern, central and eastern). Each itinerary divvies up different portions of the state, outlining a short route to visit art galleries in each region. The new campaign will be promoted across Wisconsin and in the Chicago area.
Wisconsin tourism revenue reached an all-time high, generating $25 billion in 2023, according to Gov. Tony Evers.
Chazen director Amy Gilman told The Daily Cardinal what this website means for an art gallery nestled within a university campus while compressing information across the state.
“From my own perspective, it shines a light on some amazing museums and collections that don’t get as much attention as those of us who are associated with a giant university,” Gilman told the Cardinal. “It’s great to be a part of it, and it also raises the profile of some of these other museums, who are terrific.”
The Chazen typically displays around 1,500 items in addition to the 23,500 items held in storage. Currently, the Chazen is displaying sculptures, studio glass and more. “Nordic Utopia? African Americans in the 20th Century” assembled drawings, paintings, photographs, textiles, film, music and dance for African-American arts, on display until Nov. 10.
Around 180,000 visitors stop by the Chazen annually for free, according to a report from Day of the Badger. The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art also provides free admission for many exhibitions and collections.
Other art destinations include the Paine Arts Center and Gardens in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the Milwaukee Art Museum and Villa Terrace in Milwaukee.
Bryna Goeking is an arts editor for The Daily Cardinal. She also reports on campus news. Follow her on Twitter @BrynaGoeking.
