Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts
19805 W. Capitol Drive, Brookfield
www.wilson-center.com
Industry: Art
Employees: 12 full time, 10 part time
The Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts seeks to be a catalyst in the community for lifelong exploration and discovery through arts of all kinds.
For years, the center has provided the community with a place to enjoy live performances, art education, and visual art experiences through the Ploch Art Gallery.
“Our goal is to provide exposure to the arts to everyone, whether they are four, 40 or 85,” said Jonathan Winkle, executive director of the organization. “Even if that means renting out our facility space for weddings, business meetings or community events. We’re hoping someone can be exposed to art in passing through one of our galleries or seeing a brochure for one of our concerts or performances.”
The center currently offers a season of live performances for the public, and has expanded its educational relationships with local schools and other organizations, including the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, First Stage Children’s Theater and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.
The Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts is supported in part by the Wisconsin Arts Board, The National Endowment for the Arts, and the United Performing Arts Fund, as well as private donors.
Moving forward, the center plans to work with local organizations to expand its annual Guitar Festival and competition to an even larger international stage, Winkle said.
“We envision our guitar festival growing over the next few years,” he said. “It’s an exciting opportunity for the community to see talented guitarists from all over the world.”
The festival, now in its second year, features four different categories of guitarists who compete for cash prizes. The final rounds of the competition are open to the public.
“We’re trying our best to create a range of experiences,” Winkle said. “Our goal is to provide everybody with a unique experience and an opportunity to be exposed to the arts.”