Soon we will be announcing this spring’s residencies, which span critical visual culture, material inquiry, and interdisciplinary research grounded in public engagement. Some projects will operate quietly through focused partnerships, while others will take a visible, campus-wide form, including our flagship residency for Spring 2026. In each case, the Division of the Arts serves as producer, funder, and connector across departments. These residencies exist because of sustained collaboration and shared commitment, and I invite you to engage with them directly as they unfold this season.
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Your partner in the arts,
Guy Thorne
Residency Coordinator, Arts Residency Programs
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Did you receive Artful UW as a forwarded email?
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A successful Hollywood showrunner returns to campus to replicate a real TV writer's room, five faculty and students from the campus arts community tell why they chose UW–Madison, a profile on the woman behind the revived Madison Early Music Festival, and more!
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The Room Where It Happens
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Not all aspiring screenwriters can go to Hollywood. Luckily for UW–Madison, Communication Arts alum Jason Rothenberg (’89) is bringing the Hollywood TV Writer's Room to them. Read More
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UW–Madison’s vibrant, interdisciplinary campus arts culture attracts people from around the world. But don’t just take our word for it. Read More
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From post-Soviet Siberia to Baroque castles to Hamel Music Center, Taya König-Tarasevich puts a futuristic touch on historical performance. Read More
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Plus, tell us what cool things you're up to – reach out to the Division of the Arts at info@arts.wisc.edu
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Hello good people of the campus arts community! Welcome back to Social Butterfly, the section where I, Rainer, share about my work as the Division's Social Media Specialist.
During a typical day at the office, I might be designing graphics, editing an Instagram reel, or gallery hopping around campus. Read on for the people, places, and events that have stuck out to me in the time since our last issue.
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Black History Month in the Arts
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The theme of UW–Madison's 2026 Black History Month celebration is "Black Love: Rooted, Radiant, Revolutionary." While these are my picks for arts events celebrating Black History Month on campus, it is by no means an exhaustive list! Head over to the Student Affairs website to see the full spread of excellent programming happening almost every day this month.
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OMAI Graduate Mentor and UW–Madison alum Michael Davis is the founder, curator, and time looper/breaker in charge of Da Hoodzeum, a traveling pop-up museum and archival project exploring Black social movements across time and memory. Da Hoodzeum’s current installation at the Pyle Center, “Da Hoodzeum Presents: Re-Looping,” is among my favorite work I’ve seen so far in this academic year.
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A staple of Black History Month at UW–Madison, the UW Dance Department's "Moonshine" unites students, alumni, and staff for their 20th annual performance. This celebration of Black artistic scholarship and Black experiences is told through live music, contemporary theatre, and dance. The Feb. 27 event is free and open to the public!
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Toward the end of February, the UW Department of Theatre and Drama will present "cullud wattah," a play from UW–Madison and First Wave alumna Erika Dickerson-Despenza. Set deep in the Flint, Michigan water crisis, “cullud wattah” tells the story of a tight-knit family of Black women who are forced to confront their past and weigh their limited options for the future. I’ve already reserved my tickets — see you there!
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The Division of the Arts is financially committed to supporting Badgers' creative exploration, and it’s easier than ever to request our funding for your event, RSO, artist residency, or individual project. Students, faculty and staff are welcome to apply. Learn more by visiting the new Resource Hub here.
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Ways of Knowing: A Sonic Celebration of the Humanities is unlike any event I’ve seen offered at UW. Blindfolded and surrounded by an octophonic ring of powerful loudspeakers, you'll sit in the dark for 70 minutes for a sonic trip with fellow members of your academic community. I immediately blocked off my Friday evening for this one!
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Want to reach our audience of 8,000+ followers? Message the Division at @uwmadisonarts on Instagram and tell us what arts activities we should feature!
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Listen: UW English Professor Ramzi Fawaz hosts a podcast called "Nerd From the Future," which "introduces you to the best ideas and insights from the nation's leading humanities professors." (Recent episodes are titled "Teaching Gen Z," and "Thinking Like a Multiverse: Ramzi Fawaz on the Psychedelic Humanities.") Read more about Fawaz in this 2022 On Wisconsin magazine article.
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Read: The UW Dance Department is celebrating 100 years! School of Education writer Kari Dickinson recently published a fascinating look back at the storied department, complete with excellent photos and an impressive timeline. More than 100 years ago, the idea that dance was suitable for academic study was nothing short of radical. But Margaret H’Doubler changed all that. Read the article here.
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View: UW Art Department Professor (and 2025 Creative Arts Award winner) Derrick Buisch’s paintings are on view at Milwaukee's Tory Folliard Gallery through February 14 as a part of the exhibition CHROMA 2026. It's "an exhibition of contemporary painting and sculpture that celebrates the expressive power of color and abstraction." Check out this Instagram Reel for a sneak peek.
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Did you receive Artful UW as a forwarded email?
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