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Our mission is to transform the community with activism
Art Works | South Milwaukee Downtown Mural Initiative
Discover the transformative power of art through our Downtown Mural Initiative, where creativity meets community. We proudly collaborate with talented artists who bring their visions to life, turning our streets into a dynamic gallery. This initiative not only beautifies our city but also fosters a sense of belonging and pride among residents and visitors. Join us in celebrating the artistry that makes South Milwaukee uniquely special.
Woodstock Bus at 907 Milwaukee Avenue
Little Shop of Horrors at 1001 Milwaukee Avenue
Bruce Lee mural at 926 Milwaukee Avenue
Community Garden
Our volunteers operate an organic community garden in Downtown South Milwaukee. The garden is host to 20 rented plots and a 500+ square foot donation garden.
Community garden at 1308 Milwaukee Avenue
Flip Side Festival of the Arts
Whether the sun is shining or the clouds are rolling in, our annual festival promises an unforgettable experience filled with art, music, and vibrant community spirit. Our 15+ Artisan vendors, family activities, and incredible line up create an amazing space to be part of the local artists community.
Color your own t-shirts at Flip Side 2024
Rare Element Flip Side 2024
Sweet Peas | Junior Volunteer Garden Club
Our youth program offers an opportunity for kids of all ages to plant, grow, and harvest organic produce that is donated to South Milwaukee’s local food pantry, Human Concerns.
Our Roots
The vision for this project started with a community garden concept that was launched at a public meeting in 2015. Within a few months, an eager team organized, surveyed the community for interest, and filed for 501c3 non profit status.
In 2016, the planning phase began. We were given leads for several different public green spaces for our first community garden’s home, but none of those spaces were a good fit. Our team continued searching for vacant land knowing that the perfect patch would eventually come along.
Throughout 2017, we promoted our donation incentive program, set and met aggressive fundraising goals, built a program for our future gardeners, and started searching for privately owned green spaces.
In 2018, we were introduced to 1308 Milwaukee Avenue, and fell in love! Our team immediately began negotiating a lease for use of the land. When our garden design came together, we sold out right away! The beds were tilled and organic nutrients were added to get them ready for planting.
2019 brought forth our first growing season! As the community gardened, the larger pieces of our final vision finally fell into place.
In 2020, the compost stalls were built. Now, beautiful black, nutrient rich soil is made with our green and brown garden waste.
In 2021, our forecourt was laid. The brick, a recycled plastic bench, a handmade sign, and a future planting space were installed to create an inviting rest area for gardeners and guests alike.
In 2023, we launched our Sweet Peas Junior Volunteer club where produce from our youth garden is donated to South Milwaukee Human Concerns AND we teamed up with Art Works Downtown So Mke Mural Initiative to create the Bruce Lee mural – the first of many murals to be installed in our downtown business district.
In 2024, we installed two more murals and held our first ever Flip Side Festival of the Arts which drew enough funds to create a new committee: SMILE (South Milwaukee Independent Local Entrepreneurs). The SMILE team launched with an energetic small business mixer and has plans to continue to unite the small business community in South Milwaukee.
Join us as we continue to revitalise the community through activism!