Milwaukee Art Museum’s Art:Forward Gala Raises $1.3 Million
More than 400 guests gathered to celebrate 25 years of creativity, connection, and civic ambition inspired by the Quadracci Pavilion.
MILWAUKEE, WI—Sept. 29, 2026—Through the generosity of more than 400 guests at the Art:Forward Gala, the Milwaukee Art Museum raised $1.3 million in support of the artistic, educational, and community-driven programs, helping bring extraordinary art and meaningful experiences to audiences across Milwaukee and beyond.
The Art:Forward Gala, held on September 19, 2026, commemorated the 25th anniversary of the Quadracci Pavilion and brought together supporters, community leaders, and artists to celebrate what its opening made possible for the Museum and Milwaukee. Over the past quarter century, the Pavilion has welcomed millions of visitors and provided a setting for exhibitions, learning, celebration, and connection, while becoming a powerful expression of the creativity and civic ambition that continues to propel the Museum forward.
In her remarks, Dr. Kim Sajet, Donna and Donald Baumgartner Director of the Milwaukee Art Museum, reflected on the Pavilion as the result of a community willing to embrace an ambitious idea and looked beyond the architecture to the experiences and relationships the Museum makes possible today.
“Our mission at the Milwaukee Art Museum is to connect people with art, with each other, and with the world,” Sajet shared. “What museums offer is something increasingly rare: a trusted place where people can find wonder, joy, learning, and community.”
Sajet also reflected on the significance of the Pavilion’s opening 25 years ago, describing it as evidence of Milwaukee’s ability to accomplish extraordinary things. In her remarks, she noted that Santiago Calatrava had hoped to create not simply a building, but “a piece of the city,” and spoke about how the Pavilion has come to represent the ambition and creativity of the community that brought it to life.
The evening began with a special performance of Flight Box by Present Music, conducted by David Bloom. Composed by Kamran Ince and commissioned 25 years ago by Jan Serr and John Shannon, the work was presented again as part of the anniversary celebration. The evening continued with dinner, remarks from Joan Lubar and Joel Quadracci, a live auction, and paddle raise.
Live auction offerings included a private after-hours Museum tour followed by a tasting menu at Harbor House; a Dutch art, design, and culture experience led by Sajet and Dr. Tanya Paul, Isabel and Alfred Bader Curator of European Art; a private dinner on the court at Fiserv Forum; a custom brooch created by Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers in recognition of the Pavilion’s 25th anniversary.
As the Museum’s only annual fundraising event, the Art:Forward Gala supports the exhibitions, educational experiences, and community programs at the heart of the Milwaukee Art Museum’s mission. Proceeds from this year’s event will help create opportunities for people of all ages to experience art, learn, gather, and connect.
Built to Inspire: The Quadracci Pavilion at 25
The anniversary continues with Built to Inspire: The Quadracci Pavilion at 25, an installation tracing how a bold vision for Milwaukee’s lakefront became one of the city’s most powerful symbols of creativity, confidence, and civic pride. Through construction photography, time-lapse video, an architectural model, milestone moments, and community reflection, the installation explores the Pavilion’s lasting impact and the moments it continues to make possible. It is on view through December 31, 2027.
Support
Leadership sponsors
CG Schmidt
Eileen and Barry Mandel
Milwaukee Art Museum’s Friends of Art
Contributing sponsor
GRAEF
The Milwaukee Art Museum extends its sincere thanks to the Visionaries for their support of the exhibition program.
Debbie and Mark Attanasio
Donna and Donald Baumgartner
Murph Burke
Bill and Sandy Haack
Chris Harned and Elizabeth Quadracci Harned
The Helmerich Trust
Kenneth and Alice Kayser
Joan Lubar and John Crouch
Jeff and Gail Yabuki
About the Milwaukee Art Museum
The Milwaukee Art Museum is an essential destination for art and architecture and a vital cultural resource that connects visitors to dynamic art experiences and one another. Housed in iconic buildings by Santiago Calatrava, Eero Saarinen, and David Kahler on a 24-acre lakefront campus, the Museum is Wisconsin’s largest art institution and home to both broad and deep collections, with exceptional holdings in American painting, sculpture, and decorative arts; conceptual and minimalist art; prints and drawings; European art from the Renaissance through the nineteenth century; photography and new media; modern and contemporary design; folk and self-taught art; and twentieth-century Haitian art. A bold symbol of Milwaukee’s ambition and forward-thinking vision, the Museum is a place for community building, education, and celebration that fosters creativity, free speech, and critical discourse for audiences of all ages and backgrounds. For more information, visit mam.org.
Media Contact
For more information or to request hi-res images, please contact:
Cortney Heimerl
Milwaukee Art Museum
communications@mam.org
414-940-0490
Image: Photo courtesy of Front Room Studios
