Near West Side Partners

This Side of the Stars: Rauschenberg’s Stoned Moon in the Company of Kite, Paglen, and Yi
2026-02-01 10:00 - 16:30, 2026-02-02 10:00 - 16:30, 2026-02-03 10:00 - 16:30, 2026-02-04 10:00 - 16:30, 2026-02-05 10:00 - 16:30, 2026-02-06 10:00 - 16:30, 2026-02-07 10:00 - 16:30, 2026-02-08 10:00 - 16:30 (America/Chicago) and 15 more dates | Haggerty Museum of Art, 1234 W Tory Hill St, Milwaukee, WI, 53233, United States
In the 100th year since the birth of pioneering artist Robert Rauschenberg (October 22, 1925 – May 12, 2008), this exhibition highlights a selection of the artist’s “Stoned Moon” prints from the Haggerty’s collection shown alongside the work of three active artists: Oglála Lakȟóta performance artist, visual artist, and composer Kite; artist, geographer, and author Trevor Paglen; and Milwaukee-based multimedia artist Jason S. Yi. Rauschenberg’s color lithographs spark a conversation about humanity’s technological ambitions across the modern era that is brought into our current moment through these artists’ recent work. Kite’s dyed deer hides embroidered with Lakȟóta geometric semiotics are meditations on black holes, functioning also as sonic scores. Paglen’s sumptuous photographs capture unidentified flying objects both in and beyond Earth’s atmosphere, raising questions about surveillance by human and non-human actors. Yi’s installation of Red-crowned cranes cast from mulberry pulp, forms a towering column of the endangered birds that have found a resurgent nesting ground in the demilitarized zone separating North Korea and South Korea.
For his large-scale “Stoned Moon” lithographs, Rauschenberg drew on his experience witnessing the Apollo 11 lunar launch, melded with a range of popular imagery and NASA-provided photographs to reflect on a new sense of human possibility brought about by a leap in technological potential. The three contemporary artists featured in this exhibition consider the ethics of technological innovation and its varied outcomes by taking up current issues such as covert surveillance, humans’ relationships with the non-human, and the upspring of new life under repressive conditions. These artists prompt us to reconceive the dividing lines between what we know and what we believe, between human and non-human agency, and between our impact on nature and its response.
“This Side of the Stars: Rauschenberg’s Stoned Moon in the Company of Kite, Paglen, and Yi” is curated by Jennifer Johung, PhD, Professor of Contemporary Art and Architecture, and Director of the Center for 21st-Century Studies, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, and Kirk Nickel, PhD, Haggerty Museum Curator of European Art.
Support for this exhibition is generously provided by Friends of the Haggerty Museum of Art Forward Funders and the Martha and Ray Smith, Jr. Endowment Fund.
Image: Robert Rauschenberg, “Trust Zone (Stoned Moon)”, 1969, Lithograph, 40 x 33 inches, Ed. 22/65, published by Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, Collection of the Haggerty Museum of Art, Marquette University ©Robert Rauschenberg Foundation and Gemini G.E.L.

Washington Park Monthly Meeting
2026-02-02 17:30 - 18:30 | UMCS, 3910 W Lisbon Ave, Milwaukee, WI, United States
Information sharing and an opportunity to connect with neighbors and providers.

Family Support Group - NAMI Southeast Wisconsin
2026-02-10 18:30 - 20:00 | SWIM at Concordia 27, 831 N 27th St
1 in 5 adults lives with a mental illness, but 5 in 5 are affected. Mental Illness can take a toll on family, friends, and co-workers. You want to help, but everything you’ve tried hasn’t worked, or worse, has backfired. Or maybe your loved one is newly diagnosed, and you want to make sure you have skills at the ready for the inevitable challenges that will arise.

You are not alone.
Your loved one’s illness is not your fault
The more you understand, the better able you are to communicate and navigate
Led by trained facilitators with lived experience.

Deborah Bent and
Rick Schultz

Beginning on January 12, 2026.
2nd Tuedays from 6:30 to 8 pm.
No registration required.
For more information, please email: family programs@namisoutheastwi.org or visit our website at www.namisoutheastwi.org

MKE Youth Artscape Exhibition - Opening Reception
2026-02-11 17:00 - 19:00 | Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital, 2301 N Lake Dr, Milwaukee, WI 53211, 2301 N Lake Dr,, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
MKE Youth Artscape Exhibition
February 2026-June 2026
Opening Reception: February 11, 2026
Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital, 2301 N Lake Dr, Milwaukee, WI 53211
MKE Youth Artscape is a six-month professional art exhibition celebrating the creativity and perspectives of Milwaukee-area youth. Selected artwork will be displayed at Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital from January through June 2026, offering young artists a powerful platform to share their vision with the community.

Blood Drive at the Pabst Mansion
2026-02-15 10:00 - 14:30 | Pabst Mansion, 2000 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI, 53233, United States
Give back in a meaningful way at the historic Pabst Mansion by participating in our upcoming blood drive in partnership with Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin. Your donation can help save lives — and as a thank-you, all blood drive participants will receive free admission to the Pabst Mansion for a classic guided or self-guided tour on the day of the drive. Join us for this special opportunity to support your community while experiencing one of Milwaukee’s most treasured landmarks.

7th annual African American Environmental Pioneer Awards
2026-02-16 16:00 - 19:00 | Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center, 1531 W. Vliet St., 1531 W. Vliet St., WI
1) Program and Venue
The AAEPA event is scheduled for Monday, February 16th and is located at the MLK Community Center on 1531 W Vliet Street.
Doors open at 4:00 pm, the program will start at 5:30 pm, and we plan to end at 7:00 pm. For parking, you can use the parking lots on Vliet Street, or you can use the available street parking.
2) Live Stream Links
If you cannot make it in person, or if you plan to watch the live stream, you use these links to view the program when we go live:
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@nearbynature3817/streams
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NearbyNatureMKE/live
Once again, the program will start at 5:30 pm on Monday, February 16th.
3) Food and Drink
Food will be available when the doors open at 4 pm, and we plan to stop serving food at 5:15 pm.
We are expecting a full house, so food is first come, first serve. It is better to arrive early if you would like a bite to eat!
Please note that there will be a dedicated area to enjoy your food and conversation; no food or drink will be allowed in the auditorium for this event. We thank you for your understanding.
4) Seating and Overflow
The AAEPA program will take place in the main auditorium of the MLK Center. Seating is limited, but we will have overflow seating available so everyone can enjoy the program. Like with the food, if you would like a main auditorium seat, we recommend that you arrive earlier if possible.
5) Final Notes
We are all very excited for this grand event, which is right around the corner! As we get closer, we encourage you to share out the event to spread awareness; we want our entire community to know! Attached for your use is the event QR code.
Here is the link to the event web page: nearbynaturemke.org/2026-african-american-environmental-pioneer-awards
And here is the link to the facebook event: facebook.com/events/1347177860539649
Thank you very much! If you have any questions, you can reply to this email. Otherwise, we will see you soon!
Love and Respect,
African American Environmental Pioneer Awards – Planning Committee
aaepa@nearbynaturemke.org

Community Access Day
2026-02-19 09:00 - 19:00 | Betty Brinn Children’s Museum, 929 E Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53202, United States
All guests to the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum (excluding groups of 10 or more) receive free admission on the third Thursday of every month from 9 a.m-7 p.m. Some restrictions apply. Advanced reservations are recommended.

Near
2026-02-19 17:30 - 19:00 | Concordia 27, 801 N 27th St, Milwaukee, WI, 53208, United States
Join us for the first Supper Club in 2026! Our new name for the community meal reflects what we value most: fun, friendship, and a welcoming space where neighbors from across the Near West Side can connect. It also offers a playful nod to Wisconsin’s beloved supper club tradition.
Each Supper Club features a dish that may be new to some, sparking curiosity about different foods while sharing simple, affordable recipes that can be made at home and adapted to various dietary needs. February’s event will include a timely conversation on what to expect as I-94 reconstruction begins, and in honor of Black History Month, we’ll also include a family-friendly activity for all ages to enjoy. RSVP to join us today!
Questions? Call Barb at 414-501-3747
