Welcome to the 2011 Lakefront Festival of Arts!

The 49th annual Lakefront Festival of Arts was a huge success. The proceeds from the 2011 festival will go towards Friends of Art’s initiatives that support the Milwaukee Art Museum, including art acquisitions and exhibition sponsorship. Hundreds of artists, volunteers, patrons, and sponsors contribute to the festival’s success each year: Artists from across the nation bring their world-class artwork to Milwaukee. Volunteers, without compensation beyond enjoying being a part of the event, devote their time to ensure a seamless weekend. Patrons, particularly those who return again and again, help keep the arts alive. And the sponsors provide funding that is critical to developing, promoting, and executing what is a nationally recognized arts festival. In short, the Lakefront Festival of Arts would not happen without all these people—we extend our deepest gratitude to each and every one of you.

Next year Friends of Art celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Lakefront Festival of Arts. Mark your calendars now for June 15, 16, and 17, 2012. If you are an artist interested in exhibiting, details for submitting to the festival are available here. Thank you again!

2011 Award Winners

Both inside the Museum and under cover of a state-of-the-art tent, festival goers can visit one-on-one with the artists as they explore the jewelry, paintings, ceramics, metalwork, and more in the different booths. Rain or shine, there are a number of activities on the Museum grounds, from hands-on, interactive fun in the expanded Children’s Area, featuring the PNC Grow Up Great Mobile Learning Adventure, to live music, the Milwaukee Magazine Wine Garden, Silent Art Auction, sculpture garden, food offerings, and more.

Discover work by more than 180 jury-selected artists at this year’s nationally recognized Lakefront Festival of Arts (LFOA). Browse the handcrafted creations and purchase the perfect piece (or pieces) for you! And new for this year, in keeping with the Museum’s theme for the summer, LFOA is hosting five artists from China. “The festival provides a perfect opportunity for Chinese and American artists to exhibit side by side,” says Larry Oliverson, Friends of Art president. “Art speaks a universal language that crosses continents and cultures.”

Learn more about the Lakefront Festival of Arts by reading this year’s welcome letter, written by the festival’s Co-Chairs Mick Dwyer and Annette Melcher.

Committee Chairs

LFOA Committee Chairs

Presenting Sponsors

Greening Efforts

This year’s festival has taken additional steps beyond its successful recycling program to embrace environmental responsibility. In fact, the festival has qualified for Travel Green Wisconsin certification. This program is being printed on recycled paper with specially engineered Enviro/Tech ink, which contains large amounts of renewable resources. The event reuses materials, such as signage, as much as possible. Vendors are encouraged to use less energy, and attendees are encouraged to use public transportation. Artists are asked to use florescent lighting instead of incandescent bulbs in artwork displays. “While there is still room for improvement, we are making strides every year to be as green as possible,” says Annette Melcher, Festival Chair.

Lakefront Festival of Arts Exhibition Policy

The Milwaukee Art Museum and Friends of Art (FOA) do not receive any part of the proceeds from the sale of artwork at Lakefront Festival of Arts. All art sales are strictly between the patron and the exhibitor, and because the Museum/FOA are not part of the transaction, they have no responsibility for the sale. Although FOA cannot resolve problems related to sales transactions, they are interested in your feedback and would like to know if you are dissatisfied with any aspect of your purchase.