Bucks soliciting artwork to fill new arena
Milwaukee Bucks President Peter Feigin wants to use art to make the new arena a showpiece. As part of that effort, the Bucks are looking for artwork by Wisconsin artists.
Feigin said the new arena will display art everywhere from murals along the concourses to paintings in the private clubs and sculptures in the public plaza. Feigin said even the bathrooms at the $524 million arena will be filled with art.
In all, the Bucks plan to install more than 800 artworks around the 30-acre campus.
It’s not just about showcasing sculpture, painting and photography. Feigin said the team also wants to prominently display the talents of Wisconsin artists or artists with Wisconsin ties. The Bucks are soliciting artists with Wisconsin ties to showcase about 40 original works in the arena, scheduled to open in fall of 2018.
“Our expectation is not to create a bland, senseless experience,” Feigin said. “We want to go for greatness.”
The team is working with Sports & The Arts to solicit art from Wisconsin artists for the new arena. The firm develops gallery-quality art installations within sports and entertainment venues. “The partnership seeks to create a one-of-a-kind, museum-quality art collection for the arena that incorporates artwork created by local artists and showcases Bucks and regional history,” said Barry Baum, senior vice president of communications.
Submissions will be accepted electronically through Aug. 23. Selected artists will be notified in November. Artists whose work is commissioned for the stadium will be compensated. Feigin said the Bucks plan to spend “millions of dollars when it’s all done.”
Feigin said he wants to see some obvious highlights from the team’s history on display like the Bucks’ 1971 NBA championship. He’d also like to commemorate Milwaukee’s industrial past. “We have an unbelievable history,” he said.
Sports & The Arts recently curated a collection of art for U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The $1.3 billion football stadium houses a 300-piece art collection from Minnesotans in its halls and suites. Those works were commissioned from local talent to show the sports and culture of Minnesota. The firm also helped acquire art for the renovated suite and club levels at the Green Bay Packers’ Lambeau Field.
For the Milwaukee arena, Traci Speca-Ventura, CEO of Sports & The Arts, said the company is looking for 40 originals, about six murals, and 150-200 photographs.
“We really feel we’re going to unearth some talent in Milwaukee,” SpecaVentura said.
Artists who would like to be considered for the arena collection should submit a short biography and sample images of work to bucksart@sportart.net. Selected artists will be commissioned for specific works.