The first week of the fall semester ended on a celebratory note at the Peck School of the Arts as new students got acquainted with campus and their peers through department gatherings and the annual PSOA Fall Student Welcome.  The … The post Community arts organizations gather to celebrate and connect with Peck School students appeared first on Peck School of the Arts ..read more

Maria Gillespie (Professor, Dance; Director, Dance Graduate Program) was recently awarded the 2024-25 UWM Advancing Research Creativity (ARC) Grant to help fund her yearlong choreographic research project. Under the working title “Wild Tongue: Translating Embodied Memory in the Language of Dance,” Gillespie will work with long-time collaborators Kevin Williamson and Nguyên Nguyên to explore a variety of identities through dance. Part of this exploration will root in Gillespie’s Chicana ethnicity and queer performance methodologies. The post Dance professor explores identity through moveme ..read more

During the summer of 2024, PSOA guitar students took center stage at a variety of festivals throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Everywhere our students went, they found great success and brought accolades back to Milwaukee. Leonela Alejandro (BFA 2020, Music) took first prize at the Guitar Foundation of America, widely considered the biggest international guitar competition. Meanwhile, at Festival Internacional de Guitarra de Mexico, second-year master’s student Alberto Daniel Quintanilla walked away with first prize. The post Guitar students and alumni win major festivals throughout Nort ..read more

In an article for The New York Times, writer Elisabeth Vincentelli called American Players Theater an "unexpected bright spot" in theatre. To help illustrate her point, she quoted prolific actor Chiké Johnson (BFA 2000, Theatre), who reflected on his experience performing in the rain to fully captivated audiences. The Department of Theatre has strong ties to A.P.T., with many alumni holding positions across various aspects of theatre. The post The New York Times quotes theatre alum in feature on American Players Theatre appeared first on Peck School of the Arts ..read more

Current student Mich Dillon (Studio Art BFA: Sculpture) has been named a recipient of the International Sculpture Center 2024 Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award. The post Art & Design student earns international sculpture award appeared first on Peck School of the Arts ..read more

Alum Jacob McDonald (BFA 2013, Music: Guitar) was recently interviewed by Shepherd Express about his Walker’s Point recording studio Density Studios. As the owner and full-time engineer at Density, McDonald has utilized his more than 20 years of audio experience to help artists achieve their musical goals through professional audio services and music lessons. The post Music alum’s recording studio featured in Shepherd Express  appeared first on Peck School of the Arts ..read more

Emmanuel Guerra (MFA 2024, Art) recently opened his Featured Member Exhibition at Walker’s Point Center for the Arts. Guerra’s exhibition is described as “a culmination of our dreams, longings memories, and shared experiences.” Like all their art, this exhibition is driven by a desire to honor Guerra’s family and ancestors. The exhibition opened on July 19 and runs through September 28. The post Recent Art & Design alum opens solo exhibition in Walker’s Point appeared first on Peck School of the Arts ..read more

The UW-Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts (PSOA) begins the 2024-2025 academic year with a new leader. Associate Professor Steve Wetzel officially assumed the role of Interim Head of School for PSOA on July 1, 2024. A respected educator and accomplished artist, Wetzel has been an integral part of the Peck School of the Arts community since his arrival to UWM in 1998. The post Film artist and UWM alum Steve Wetzel assumes role as Interim Head of School appeared first on Peck School of the Arts ..read more

Frank Hoeffler (BA 2004, Art) was recognized as one of ArtTour International's Top 60 International Master Artists. An untitled abstract piece by Hoeffler is featured on the cover of the publication. Hoeffler's versatile style, ranging from realism to abstraction, has been showcased in numerous national and international juried shows, and has graced the NASDAQ billboard in Times Square. This is the third consecutive year Hoeffler has been recognized by ArtTour International. The post Frank Hoeffler named Artist of the Year 2024 by ArtTour International appeared first on Peck School of the Arts ..read more

MovieMaker magazine has named UW-Milwaukee a top destination to study film in its list of “30 Best Films Schools in U.S. and Canada in 2024.” The publication made note of the Department of Film, Video, Animation & New Genres as a place where students gain a “comprehensive study in all aspects of film and media production, from ideation and pre-production to production and post.” This is the second consecutive year that UWM has ranked among MovieMaker’s list. The post UWM ranks in list of top 30 film schools by MovieMaker magazine appeared first on Peck School of the Arts ..read more