You told us what you want to see in our arts coverage. We heard you
During the Milwaukee Art Museum's annual Art in Bloom event, you stopped by the Journal Sentinel table and told us what makes good arts journalism. We heard you loud and clear.
Hundreds of Art in Bloom attendees wrote sticky notes and drew pictures for our arts section vision board, telling us what good arts coverage needs, has and does. Others who couldn't make it to the event also responded to our digital survey, telling us how we could improve our arts coverage.
As the Journal Sentinel's new arts and culture reporter , your feedback is my north star. The city's vibrant art scene is like a gold mine, and my responsibility is to map out exactly where the treasure lies.
That brings me to item No. 1: event coverage. You asked to know about the art events happening in this city. While some asked for more event photography and post-production reviews, most of you wanted to see advance coverage of upcoming events with enough time to actually attend.
Specifically, you wanted to know about free creative events, family-friendly programs (including ones for teenagers) and hands-on activities. Several people wanted to know where they could find classes and workshops to learn new art forms.
As a newsroom, we're talking about how to best meet this need – whether it's an arts newsletter, a weekly roundup, social media engagement or something else entirely. We want to serve as a one-stop-shop for art events happening in the city, with a particular eye on free events, performances and opportunities to make art. If you have suggestions, let us know how you'd like to find out about Milwaukee art events.
You also showed incredible support for coverage of smaller institutions, in addition to the major players. Some of you directly asked for coverage of the underground and emerging scenes, like smaller galleries, up-and-coming musicians, and dancers. In some ways, that's been the focus of my coverage so far. I recently wrote a story about the Catacombs of Neto Art Museum in the basement of the Marshall Building in Milwaukee's Third Ward. And in march, I covered an intimate pop-up exhibit in Cudahy. Look for more coverage like this in the future.
Similarly, you asked for more profiles of local artists that unravel their process, inspirations and stories. I plan to meet this need by doing regular features of Milwaukee artists and arts organizations, everyone from community pillars to up-and-comers.
You asked me to take youth artists even more seriously – to feature their work, cover their stories, and write about events that will help them grow creatively. Beyond the powerful work of students at MIAD, you asked to see more work by high school students and opportunities for even younger kids to connect with art.
I've already started to do some of this and have plans for more. If you haven't already read it, check out my story on Malik Johnson , the first artist-in-residence at Betty Brinn Children's Museum, where your kids can now go to see live music. Also keep an eye out for this month's gallery roundup, featuring multimedia shows by and for youth artists.
You also asked me to write about art forms that have been overlooked in our coverage in recent years, from architecture and fabric arts to industrial arts. You also wanted to see more stories about murals and public art, and pieces that more positively represent graffiti as an art form. As a newcomer to the city, I'll need help finding great graffiti works, so please send me tips.
Your call for diverse coverage was crystal clear. Highlighting specific populations, you asked for stories about Latino artists, women artists, artists living on Milwaukee's north side, LGBTQ+ artists and artists born outside the U.S.
Some suggested we do stories where art and another topic come together. Recently, I partnered with health reporter Madeline Heim to cover a traveling art exhibit featuring Milwaukee artists . The show, now on view in Froedtert Hospital's Center for Advanced Care, was curated to inspire more African Americans to register as organ donors. Based on your feedback, I'll be writing many more like this and looking for stories where art intersects with nature, food and maybe even sports.
Perched on my desk are the hundreds of sticky notes you wrote. Whenever I look up from my laptop, your suggestions and hopes for this section are the first thing I see.
Though I started this role four months ago, I know one thing for certain: my job description is in your hands. So, tell me what you want me to write about, whether I'm out asking for it or not. My inbox is always open, so don't hesitate to reach out with tips, story ideas, feedback, or questions.
As the months go on, I will continue to ask myself and you all the same questions I did during Art in Bloom: What makes good arts coverage? What does it need, do and have?
Anya Sesay covers arts and culture for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Send her story ideas, things to see and people to meet at asesay@usatodayco.com . Follow her on Instagram @anyanic0lette .
Anya's reporting is supported by the Richard and Ethel Herzfeld Foundation, the Maine-based Rabkin Foundation, and reader contributions to the Journal Sentinel Community-Funded Journalism Project . Journal Sentinel editors maintain full editorial control over all content. To support this work, visit jsonline.com/support . Checks can be addressed to Local Media Foundation (memo: "JS Community Journalism") and mailed to P.O. Box 85015, Chicago, IL 60689.
The JS Community-Funded Journalism Project is administered by Local Media Foundation, tax ID #36-4427750, a Section 501(c)(3) charitable trust affiliated with Local Media Association.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: You told us what you want to see in our arts coverage. We heard you
