John Michael Kohler Arts Center Inc

TO GENERATE A CREATIVE EXCHANGE BETWEEN ARTISTS AND THE PUBLIC.

VISUAL ARTS: THE JOHN MICHAEL KOHLER ARTS CENTER STAFF ANNUALLY ORIGINATES 12-22 CURATED EXHIBITIONS THAT ARE PART OF AN ANNUAL, BROAD THEME EXPLORING RELEVANT ISSUES IN CONTEMPORARY ART, EMPHASIZING INSTALLATION WORKS, NEW GENRES, CRAFT-RELATED FORMS, COMMUNALLY TRANSMITTED TRADITIONS, AND THE WORK OF SELF-TAUGHT ARTISTS. THE ARTS CENTER IS WORLD-RENOWNED FOR ITS COLLECTION OF OVER 25,000 WORKS WITHIN THE GENRE KNOWN AS ARTIST-BUILT ENVIRONMENTS. THESE EXCEPTIONAL AND MULTIFACETED WORKS OF ART RESULT FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO SIGNIFICANTLY TRANSFORM THEIR SURROUNDINGS OVER TIME WITH READILY AVAILABLE MATERIALS. THE ARTS CENTER IS A LEADER IN PRESERVATION AND PRESENTATION OF SUCH ENVIRONMENTS, WHETHER THE WORK IS IN SITU OR MAINTAINED WITH IN INSTITUTIONAL COLLECTIONS. THE ART PRESERVE: IN JUNE OF 2021, JMKAC OPENED THE ART PRESERVE. THIS FACILITY IS AN EXPERIMENTAL SPACE DESIGNED TO HOUSE THE COLLECTION OF 35 ARTIST-BUILT ENVIRONMENTS AND OFFERS THE PUBLIC CURATED OPEN-STORAGE, EDUCATION SPACES, AND A CONSERVATION LAB. THE 56,000 SQ. FT. BUILDING WAS DESIGNED BY TRES BIRDS OF DENVER, CO, AND IS SET ON 38 ACRES OF PRAIRIE LAND AT THE WESTERN EDGE OF SHEBOYGAN, WI. MORE THAN A BUILDING, THE ART PRESERVE IS A PLATFORM FOR ONGOING EXPLORATIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS INTO THESE ARTIST-BUILT ENVIRONMENTS, THEIR MAKERS, AND THE ARTS CENTER'S ROLE AS INSTITUTIONAL STEWARD.THE THEME FOR 2021 AT THE NEW YORK AVENUE LOCATION WAS "RETURN TO THE REAL," IN PART IN RESPONSE TO INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES TO CONGREGATE TOGETHER AGAIN AFTER THE PANDEMIC SHUTDOWN WAS LIFTING. THE EXHIBITION SERIES OF THE SAME NAME ADDRESSED THE QUESTION: "AS OUR LIVED EXPERIENCE IS INCREASINGLY MEDIATED BY OUR SCREENS, HOW CAN ART REMIND US OF THE RICH REWARDS OF THE REAL?" THE THREE EXHIBITIONS IN THE SERIES WERE:HIGH TOUCH: THE TITLE OF THE SHOW BEING A COUNTER-BALANCE TO THE TERM "HIGH TECH," THIS WAS THE ANCHORING EXHIBITION OF THE SERIES, BRINGING TOGETHER SIX ARTISTS WHO CREATE WORKS THAT ELICIT EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL EXPERIENCES AND STIMULATE OUR TACTILE IMAGINATION.ANTHONY OLUBUNMI AKINBOLA: MAGIC CITY: IN AN INSTALLATION CONCEIVED AS A MODERN-DAY SANCTUARY, AKINBOLA EXPLORED THE COMMODIFICATION OF BLACK CULTURE AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AFRICA AND BLACK AMERICA THROUGH THE LENSES OF FETISHISM AND GLOBALISM.THE SHALLOW ACT OF SEEING: PUSHING AGAINST THE QUALITIES THAT DEFINE WOOD AS A MEDIUM, ARTISTS DAN GUNN, BAYNE PETERSON, AND RACHEL BEACH DEFIED THE PHYSICAL RIGIDITY OF WOOD AND CONFOUND EXPECTATIONS OF ITS USE.IN ADDITION, WITH THE PASSING OF RUTH DEYOUNG KOHLER AT THE END OF 2020, THE ARTS CENTER PRESENTED DETOURS AND SIDE ROADS, AN EXHIBITION HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF JMKAC'S DIRECTOR FOR 44 YEARS, PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE HER DYNAMIC AND VISIONARY WORLD BY PRESENTING ART, FURNITURE, BOOKS, AND OBJECTS FROM HER KOHLER RESIDENCE.THE RETURN TO THE REAL MUSIC SERIES WAS PRESENTED, OFFERING FREE LIVE MUSIC ON 7 OCCASIONS AT 4 LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT SHEBOYGAN. A TOTAL OF 3,400 PEOPLE ENJOYED THE CONCERTS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.YOUTH ART MONTH: THE 35TH ANNUAL YOUTH ART MONTH FOCUSED ON ART AS ACTIVISM AND SHED LIGHT ON WHAT MATTERS MOST TO LOCAL K-12 YOUTH.PRESCHOOL PERSPECTIVES: THIRTY-ONE FOUR-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN BRAVELY EMBARKED ON A BIG ADVENTURE IN THE FALL OF 2021. MANY WERE EMERGING FROM THEIR HOMES, A PLACE OF SAFETY FROM THE PANDEMIC. REGULAR VISITS TO THE RETURN TO THE REAL EXHIBITIONS AT THE ARTS CENTER PROMPTED OBSERVING AND DISCUSSING, MAKING CONNECTIONS, AND CREATING. IN ADDITION, THE OPENING OF THE ART PRESERVE OFFERED OPPORTUNITIES FOR CLASSES TO BE HELD AT THE NEW BUILDING. COMMUNITIES IN CONVERSATION: CULTURAL ASSET MAPPING IN SHEBOYGAN: IN COLLABORATION WITH GREEN BICYCLE CO. AND THE CITY OF SHEBOYGAN, THE ARTS CENTER EMBARKED ON A PROCESS OF CULTURAL ASSET MAPPING IN 2020, A METHOD OF IDENTIFYING THE RESOURCES IN AN AREA THAT MAKE IT UNIQUE. THE EXHIBITION IN 2021 SHOWED THE RESULTS OF WHAT WAS LEARNED THROUGH THE PROJECT, INCLUDING THE PEOPLE, PLACES, AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAKE VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY. THIS INFORMATION HELPS TO INFORM EFFORTS TO BE UNDERTAKEN BY JMKAC MOVING FORWARD.

EDUCATION: EDUCATION EFFORTS DEEPEN THE IMPACT OF EXHIBITION AND PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAMS. THE ARTS CENTER OFFERS CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES; DOCENT-LED K-12 SCHOOL TOURS WITH ACCOMPANYING WORKSHOPS; HAS A LICENSED ARTS-BASED PRESCHOOL ONSITE; AND AN INTERACTIVE, HANDS-ON LEARNING SPACE FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES CALLED "THE SOCIAL STUDIO." OTHER KEY PROGRAMS ARE SPARK!, A PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE WITH MEMORY LOSS AND THEIR CARETAKERS; ART LINKS SHEBOYGAN, A CREATIVE AGING PROGRAM DESIGNED FOR ACTIVE SENIORS; ARTIST RESIDENCIES FOR BOTH EXHIBITING AND REGIONAL ARTISTS TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE PUBLIC, AND TEACHER RECHARGE, A FULL-DAY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR EDUCATORS OF ALL GRADE LEVELS AND SUBJECTS. IN 2021, THE ARTS CENTER PROVIDED 5,500 SCHOOL TOUR KITS TO SCHOOL CHILDREN THROUGHOUT SHEBOYGAN AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT BETWEEN JANUARY AND JUNE AND RESUMED TOURS IN THE FALL, PROVIDING PARTICIPATORY FIELD TRIPS FOR 880 SCHOOL CHILDREN BETWEEN OCTOBER AND DECEMBER.

SPECIAL EVENTS (2021): THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THE ARTS CENTER HOSTS SPECIAL EVENTS AND PROGRAMS. IN 2021, THE FOLLOWING EVENTS WERE HELD: FEBRUARY 27: ONLINE GALA - DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS RELATED TO COVID-19, THE LONG-STANDING GALA EVENT PIVOTED TO A VIRTUAL FORMAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE ART CENTER'S HISTORY. APPROXIMATELY 250 PEOPLE ATTENDED FOR THE ONLINE PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDED A RAFFLE, SILENT AUCTION, LIVE AUCTION, AND FUNDRAISER. JUNE 26-27: PUBLIC OPENING OF THE ART PRESERVE WITH OVERALL ATTENDANCE OF 641 VISITORS.JULY 17-18: 51ST MIDSUMMER FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS WAS HELD WITH SPECIAL RECOGNITION OF LONGTIME ARTS CENTER DIRECTOR RUTH DEYOUNG KOHLER II (1941-2020), WHO FOUNDED THIS ANNUAL EVENT MORE THAN 50 YEARS AGO. THE WEEKEND FEATURED 65 JURIED ARTISTS SELLING AN ARRAY OF MEDIUMS, FREE HANDS-ON ART-MAKING WORKSHOPS, CONCERTS, AND MORE. ATTENDANCE FOR THE WEEKEND WAS AROUND 6500 PEOPLE.AUGUST 1: CHAIR CITY CELEBRATION AT THE JAMES TELLEN WOODLAND SCULPTURE GARDEN INCLUDED LIVE MUSIC AND HANDS-ON ART MAKING. ATTENDANCE FOR THIS SUNDAY AFTERNOON WAS ABOUT 250 PEOPLE.AUGUST 15: COMMUNITY EVENT AT THE ART PRESERVE FEATURING FOOD TRUCKS, LIVE MUSIC, AND WORKSHOPS. APPROXIMATELY 500 PEOPLE ATTENDED THIS EVENT.NOVEMBER 6: EXHIBITIONS HOSTED COCKTAILS AND CONVERSATION, A RETURN TO THE REAL CELEBRATION OF THEME AND EXHIBITIONS FEATURING FIVE EXHIBITIONS THAT EMPHASIZED THE PLEASURE OF EXPERIENCE ART IN PERSON. 80 PEOPLE ATTENDED THIS EVENING EVENT.DECEMBER 5: HOLIDAY CONTINENTAL IS AN ANNUAL EVENT TO CELEBRATE OUR MEMBERS AND ENJOY A FREE BREAKFAST, ART-MAKING WORKSHOPS, AND FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES. IN 2021, ROUGHLY 535 MEMBERS JOINED US FOR A SLIGHTLY SCALED DOWN VERSION OF THE ANNUAL EVENT, WHICH FEATURED ACTIVITY AND FOOD STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING AND HOLIDAY-THEMED TAKE-HOME KITS.