April 2026
- Imagine MKE
- Apr 20
- 3 min read
Milwaukee Film Festival
Lights, Camera, Action! The 18th Annual Milwaukee Film Festival runs today through April 30 and Imagine MKE is once again proud to serve as a Community Partner. The Milwaukee Film Festival is one of the Midwest’s largest film festivals, and one of Milwaukee’s most-beloved cultural events. The Festival spotlights bold new voices, acclaimed filmmakers, unique stories, and work made right here in Milwaukee that resonates far beyond the screen.
As part of our support, join us for a Happy Hour we’re hosting with Action! Wisconsin next Tuesday, April 21 at Vier North from 4:00–5:30 PM where we’ll welcome special guest Veronica Pope, Director of Film Wisconsin. Then, we'll head over to the Oriental Theatre for The Milwaukee Show at 6:30 PM for an evening of short films by talented Milwaukee-based filmmakers.
Explore the full festival lineup and get your tickets here.
Opportunities for Wisconsin Artists
The Milwaukee Public Museum invites artists and artist collectives to submit proposals for a landmark installation at the future Nature & Culture Museum of Wisconsin. The Community Art Wall will be the first thing visitors encounter. A living, dynamic expression of community, nature, and place.
This is a chance to create something immersive and multidimensional, rooted in Wisconsin’s landscapes, cultures, and stories and reflects the richness of the state’s natural world, from flora and fauna to the rhythms of the seasons. Proposed works should feature dimension, texture, movement, and interaction that welcomes visitors. Learn more and apply here by May 1.
Another upcoming opportunity for Wisconsin-based artists is the 2026 Joyce Awards with grants of $100,000 in unrestricted funding and the ability to direct an additional $40,000 to a Great Lakes organization. Artists whose work advances racial equity and community engagement are eligible, with self-nominations open now through May 4. Learn more and submit here.
New Media Relations Guide
Last month, Imagine MKE hosted “Creative Coverage: A Conversation with Milwaukee’s Arts & Culture Journalists,” a special event that connected some of the region’s key media outlets with Imagine MKE’s Creative Arts Leaders of Milwaukee (CALM) network.
Moderated by Andrea Williams, host of TMJ4 News Milwaukee Tonight, the panel featured Chelsey Lewis, Features Editor, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; Sandy Maxx, Host, What’s on Tap (WTMJ) and The Arts Page (Milwaukee PBS); Evan Musil, Arts & Culture Editor, Milwaukee Magazine; and Tim Vetscher, News Director, TMJ4.
They shared valuable insights about how their media outlets cover the city’s creative life, the stories and topics that resonate with audiences, current challenges in arts and culture journalism, and how to expand coverage of Milwaukee’s vast arts and culture scene, venues, and creatives.
We created a resource guide from this informative session with Tips & Takeaways, including how to pitch story angles that attract interest, the importance of building media relationships, and how sharing media coverage benefits the entire arts, culture, and media landscape. The guide also includes contact information for outlets and journalists including emails.
Direct Contact to Decision Makers
Additionally, you can reach TMJ4 News directly through our easy to use Imagine MKE TMJ4 Contact Form. The form offers a brief Q&A to summarize and pitch your ideas.
Our TMJ4 partnership has led to dozens of Milwaukee Tonight stories, including this one about Studio K Flamenco, Milwaukee’s home for the flamenco arts. We love how this media partnership introduces our city’s varied arts and culture organizations and experiences to wider audiences.
News Director Tim Vetcher noted the “partnership with Imagine MKE has been fruitful beyond our wildest imagination. We're grateful because it's the conduit to all of you.” We also loved how Milwaukee Tonight host Andrea Williams encapsulated Imagine MKE’s efforts.
“I see Imagine MKE not just being about the arts, but it’s also about how creativity shapes a city, from economic impact to community storytelling,” she said. “They're helping define what Milwaukee feels like, not just what it looks like.”
Now that’s a picture-perfect description of what we’re trying to do here at Imagine MKE together with all of you in our creative community!
Christine Hojnacki
Executive Director, Imagine MKE
