Ann Katz, executive director of Arts Wisconsin, will speak at a dinner meeting sponsored by the Shawano County Arts Council (SCAC) Thursday, March 24 at the Shawano County Park Pavilion. The event will focus attention on the planned expansion of the Mielke Arts Center. Tom Suttner, president of the SCAC, said community leaders and others interested in supporting the arts locally are invited to attend.
In addition to Katz, the program will include statements from the Mielke Family, donors of the land and initial Arts Center building. This will be the second major expansion of the facility, Suttner noted. A preview of the planned expansion will be included along with a look backward at the history of the Mielke Arts Center and commentary of local arts activities.
Arts Wisconsin is Wisconsin’s non-profit statewide community arts action, service and development organization. Its mission is to nurture, serve, promote and speak up for the arts in Wisconsin and all of its communities. Katz, of Madison, is a nationally recognized speaker and trainer. She has worked with arts organizations in Madison and across the county including the Madison Civic Center, Madison Committee for the Arts, Madison Repertory Theatre, O’Neill Theatre in Waterford, Ct, the Big Apple Circus, New Dramatists, Inc. and the Field Ballet. She is a graduate of Brandeis University with a B.A. degree in Theater Arts and studied drama at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England.
Annual events at the Mielke Arts Center include productions of the Box in the Wood theatre Guild, an Arts and Crafts Fair and The Shawano Folk Festival and other art activities. The building expansion will ease the way to offering additional arts programming throughout the year.
Reservations for the dinner can be made by calling the Mielke Arts Center Reservation line at 715-526 2525 or sending a check for $25 per person payable to SCAC to Box 213, Shawano WI 54166. Tables can be reserved for $200. The event begins with cocktails from 5:30-6:30 p.m. and dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m.