Hidden River Art Festival debuts Sept. 22-24
at Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts

THE SHARON LYNNE WILSON Center for the Arts in Brookfield launches a new Hidden River Art Festival Sept. 22-24 with a wide variety of artists, entertainment and special activities.

The four-year-old center, nestled in Brookfield’s Mitchell Park just south of 198th & Capitol Drive, has become one of the area’s leading venues for cultural events. Plans call for the new art festival to be an annual event, focusing on Wisconsin artists.

“Since opening in 2002, the Wilson Center has seen a great many successes, but advocacy for Wisconsin artists through its Ploch Art Gallery has been particularly exciting,” says Dennis Buehler, executive director. “At the Hidden River festival, visitors will find many of Wisconsin’s finest artists.”

Art lovers will find works created with fiber, acrylic and oil paint, photography, printmaking/graphics, glass, wood, digital media and pastels, In addition to these jury-selected artists, Hidden River guest artists are Terese Agnew, fiber; Mike Dretzka, black & white pastels, portraits; Steve Immerman, kilnformed glass; Dedi Knox, watercolor and Della Wells, mixed media collage.

Entertainment is part of the excitement as well, as the festival presents a range of music on the Main Stage throughout the festival. Tours of the Wilson Center are available at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, giving an insider’s glimpse of this beautiful facility.

Another feature of the three-day festival is the family tent, where kids of all ages can call on their “inner artist” to participate in hands-on art activities and fall craft projects.  Representatives and volunteers with the Milwaukee Art Museum and Artists Working in Education lend a helping hand.

A raffle that concludes Sunday at 1 p.m. offers the chance to win a two-year lease of a 2007 Lexus ES350 or a $10,000 cash award. Tickets are $25 or 5 for $100 and can be purchased in advance at the Wilson Center or at the festival. Proceeds benefit arts education and programming at the Wilson Center. The winner does not need to be present to win. (Subject to contest rules – see website for details. Does not include tax, title, licensing and other fees.)

Free with festival admission Friday night is a performance by Daryl Stuermer, well-known Milwaukee guitarist, at 7 p.m. at the Wilson Center’s Gerlach Outdoor Theater. BackStage Society members and sponsors are invited to a Launch Night party before the concert at 5:30 p.m.

On Saturday night, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra presents a concert in the Wilson Center’s Kuttemperoor Auditorium. A separate ticket is required, with 20% off for festival ticket holders. Call the Wilson Center Box Office at (262) 781-9520.

On Sunday, enjoy brunch with guest artist Terese Agnew in the Sculpture Garden/Grand Hall at 10 a.m.  $45 per person, call the Wilson Center Box Office at (262) 781-9520. Also on Sunday, the National Kidney Walk will be held at Mitchell Park, beginning at 9:30 a.m. with free admission to the festival for all walkers. To register, call the National Kidney Foundation at (262) 821-0705.

Hours for the festival are noon to 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23 and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24. Admission is $5 per person. Children 10 and under and Backstage members are free.

Sponsors for the festival include the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, Brookfield Convention and Visitors Bureau and the title sponsor, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 

The Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts is a privately funded, non-profit cultural arts center with two theaters for performances by regional and touring groups, studios for arts education and an art gallery with changing exhibits. Classes in the visual and performing arts are offered for all ages, taught by professional performers and visual artists. For information, call 262-781-9470. For festival tickets, call 262-781-9520, or visit www.wilson-center.com.

Fifth anniversary season brings Broadway Talent to Wilson Center

UPCOMING events at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts illustrate a diversity of programming. Visit www.wilson-center.com for details and ticket information.

Sep. 5-Oct. 7: Ploch Art Gallery exhibits the work of Albert Benedict, described as contemporary Wisconsin folk art influenced by Mexican and Native American art.

Sept. 13: The Wilson Center Fashion Show – Best of 2006 Fashion – Bond Style.

Sept. 16: Audra McDonald, Broadway singer and actress who has earned four Tony Awards, is frequently compared to Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand.

Sept. 23: Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra – Be swept away by Dvorak’s Symphony No. 7 as well as MSO soloists in works by Haydn and Saint Saens.

Sept. 29 & 30: Micheline Van Hautem, winner of New York Back Stage Magazine’s Bistro Award, offers sensuous songs of Jacques Brel and Edith Piaf, accompanied by Frederik Caelen on accordian.

Oct. 13: Miguel Zenón, passionate and soulful saxophonist whose quartet combines contemporary jazz with rhythmic music of their native Puerto Rico.

Oct. 27: Ailey II dance company offers exhilarating world premieres and classic works by Alvin Ailey.

Nov. 17: Karrin Allyson, young singer and two-time Grammy Award nominee is often compared to Ella Fitzgerald and Shirley Horn.

The Wilson Center is in Brookfield’s Mitchell Park just south of Capitol Drive. From Bluemound Rd. take Barker Rd. north to Capitol, go east and take the first right turn at Mitchell Park Drive.