Creative MKE

After a few weeks off, the gang returns this week with Adam Qutaishat, Milwaukee-area theater artist and teacher, to deep-dive into their lifelong passion for the art of professional wrestling, its impact on society, and on their work and practice.

This will go down in history as the only podcast episode ever to hint at the work of French philosophers Roland Barthes and Guy Debord, commedia dell'arte, and also namecheck Milwaukee legend Bobson Dugnutt.

Review of 2021 Work Group launch (2:00), How does one get from collective impact to pro wrestling? (6:46), Adam joins the show (18:54), Easter Egg (1:22:15)

Follow http://www.adamqutaishat.com/ (Adam): https://www.facebook.com/allinproductionsmke/ (All In Productions) | https://www.sexyhackers.tv/ (Sexy Hackers) | https://www.mtmadison.com/ (Music Theater of Madison)

S209 Ephemera:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfcfPF4mTFQ (2021 Work Group live stream video)

https://www.imaginemke.org/our-work-groups/ (Sign up for a Work Group meeting)

http://web.mit.edu/21l.432/www/readings/Barthes_WorldOfWrestling.pdf ("The World of Wrestling," Mythologies), by Roland Barthes, 1972

https://emke.uwm.edu/entry/professional-wrestling/ (Encyclopedia of Milwaukee: Professional Wrestling), UWM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9py4aMK3aIU ("Hard Times,") Dusty Rhodes

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KOP4mNAX5R0N_dODE6j2gHTK2oTXCIrhAQ0dEniaYFw/edit#gid=0 (Which city did Bobson Dugnutt play for in the 1994 Fighting Baseball game)?

As 2020 winds down this week, the gang takes a look back at the year and plays a bit of the "How it started, how's it going" meme while looking back some of their favorite episodes of the podcast. The whole Imagine MKE team joins the podcast to build a 2020 time capsule of arts and culture events.

Pod in review (02:00); Team Imagine joins to add their events to the time capsule (15:22); David and Mac's contributions to the time capsule (40:29); Other 2020 time capsule worthy events (48:57); Roasty Easter Eggs (56:23)

Audio Transitions: "https://soundcloud.com/shonnhinton/milwaukee-strong-featuring-the-milwaukee-all-stars (Milwaukee Strong)," featuring the Milwaukee All-Stars and "Auld Lang Syne," United States Marine Band (https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/burns (What does Milwaukee have to do with Auld Lang Syne?))

E208 Ephemera

E101: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/02a9d296-137a-450c-9444-9db4668f97ae (Let's Not be Perfectionists About it)

E107: https://imagine-this-podcast.captivate.fm/episode/imagine-our-abundance-mkes-rich-history (MKE's Rich History w/ Julia Griffith)

E112: https://imagine-this-podcast.captivate.fm/episode/imagine-our-abundance-movement-with-mauriah-kraker (Movement w/ Mauriah Kraker)

E129: https://imagine-this-podcast.captivate.fm/episode/road-of-democracy-w-dasha-kelly-hamilton (Road of Democracy w/ Dasha Kelly Hamilton)

E133: https://imagine-this-podcast.captivate.fm/episode/getting-an-assist-from-the-state-w-joel-brennan (Getting an Assist from the State w/ Joel Brennan)

E135: https://imagine-this-podcast.captivate.fm/episode/talking-to-ted-w-anne-basting (Talking to TED w/ Anne Basting)

https://sugarransom.bandcamp.com/track/eat-the-rich ("Eat the Rich") by Johanna Rose and Sugar Ransom

http://www.imaginemke.org/art-stories/imagine-journal/post/protest-art (Protest Art)

https://www.imaginemke.org/art-stories/featured-artists/ (Life in Motion (The 414 Day Video))

https://soundcloud.com/lordefredd33/reparations ("Reparations") by Lorde Fredd33

https://soundcloud.com/shonnhinton/song-of-freedom ("Song of Freedom") by Shonn Hinton

https://vimeo.com/415763712 (Artist Relief Fund Thank You Video)

https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=1535804533234470andref=watch_permalink (Total Sh!t Show: The World's First Live Streamed Pandemic Music Event)

https://sucherentertainmentllc.ticketspice.com/thedocksidersnye (Get tickets to The Docksiders NYE Concert at Turner Hall to benefit the Artist Relief Fund and NIVA)

Want to listen on the go? Subscribe to the show wherever you normally get your pods. http://bit.ly/ImagineThisPod (Click here.)

So for the first ever Imagine MKE Fantasy Draft this week, it probably would have been more appropriate to have a fantasy draft of Christmas songs but as you know, one MacArthur Antigua hates the genre and so here we are on Christmas week with the inaugural Imagine MKE Fantasy Draft: Best Milwaukee Food Day edition (thanks to https://headgum.com/all-fantasy-everything (All Fantasy Everything), who inspired the idea).

News and notes (00:50); Fantasy Eats Draft: Drafting Your Perfect Food Day in Milwaukee! (12:25); Mac holds a "random" lottery to assign himself the second pick (18:45); Finally, the first pick of the draft (22:45); Shenanigans with the 24th overall pick (46:20), A few more restaurants that we would have liked to have picked (1:02:58); Easter Eggs (1:13:16)

Once you finish listening, https://secure.everyaction.com/xBN2u35GnkuZVHMKYDbfJw2 (cast your vote here) for who had the best Food Draft to win a delicious treat from one of the restaurants in the winner's draft slate!

Audio transitions: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7atE55vExM4e6UD6ZqpqMa (Let Go, by Lex Allen) (Spotify)

E207 Ephemera:

https://imaginemke.org/covid-19-resources/milwaukee-county-cares-act-relief-program.php (Milwaukee County CARES for Arts and Culture)

https://imaginemke.org/covid-19-resources/mke-artist-relief-fund.php (Holiday Artist Relief Fund) (https://www.thedocksiders.com/event/the-docksiders-new-years-eve-live-stream/ (buy tickets to the Docksiders NYE show))

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVPphjzMYe4 (Annual Event: Looking Back, Imagining Forward)

This week, the gang goes on a smooth sail with Kevin and Erin Sucher and Rob Martin of The Docksiders, America's favorite Yacht Rock tribute band. Together, they shuffle and bounce and have a smooth groove about being Yacht or Nyacht, favorite Yacht Rock songs, and putting on a New Year's Eve show - in the time of COVID-19 - at Turner Hall to benefit NIVA and the Holiday Artist Relief Fund.

Imagine MKE news and notes: MKE CARES for Arts and Culture, Holiday Artist Relief Fund, and Holiday Entertaining Tips (1:50); The Docksiders' boat pulls up to the pod marina (11:39); Yacht or Nyacht (30:20); Putting on a show during COVID-19 (36:27); The Docksiders non-negotiable Yacht Rock songs (46:12); Czar of Yacht Rock (48:11); Plugs (54:26); Outro Easter Egg (1:03:51)

Follow The Docksiders (and to buy tickets for NYE): https://www.facebook.com/thedocksiders (Facebook) | https://www.thedocksiders.com/ (Web) | https://open.spotify.com/artist/2DLEkv6wDhlr3X20JFOLMl?si=gXDhu93aStCAo3MbqC5pAA (Spotify)

Erin Sucher's EP: https://open.spotify.com/album/3xImJH4MMIrCfQGXq9Hhv8?si=cZvoUh90TbSIisfNTsyYSQ ("To The Max!") (Spotify)

Audio Transitions: https://open.spotify.com/track/09LEczQbBGeNAh1kgA6FSC?si=If5rFKN6TraNBGZZZrsE1A ("The Marina," The Docksiders) (Spotify)

S2 E6 Ephemera

https://www.imaginemke.org/covid-19-resources/mke-artist-relief-fund.php (Holiday Artist Relief Fund)

https://www.nivassoc.org/ (NIVA: Save our Stages)

https://www.yachtornyacht.com/ (Yacht or Nyact)

https://chris.molanphy.com/hit-parade-what-a-fool-believes-edition/ (Hit Parade: What a Fool Believes Edition)

As listeners of the pod, you, the general public must comment on the rulings of the Yacht Rock Supreme Court. The songs mentioned in this podcast are listed below with their official Yacht or Nyacht score in parenthesis. Let us know if you think these songs are Yacht or Nyacht

"Heart to Heart," Kenny Loggins, picked by Rob Martin (99.63 Yacht)

"If I Can't Have You," Bee Gees, picked by Erin Sucher (0 Nyacht)

"Steal Away," Robbie Dupree, picked by Kevin Sucher (85 Yacht)

"Baby Come Back," Player, picked by Erin Sucher (58 Borderline Yacht)

"Biggest Part of Me," Ambrosia, picked by Kevin Sucher (72.5 Yacht)

"Still the One," Orleans, picked by Rob Martin (31.25 Nyacht)

"What a Fool Believes," The Doobie Brothers, picked by Mac (100 Yacht)

"Summer Breeze," Seals and Croft, picked by David (21.75 Nyacht)

Subscribe: http://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/imagine-this-podcast/id1498274745 (Apple Podcasts) / http://open.spotify.com/show/29BQ7G7y4mzdPiHx6dlqhH (Spotify) / http://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vaW1hZ2luZS10aGlzLXBvZGNhc3Qv (Google) / http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/imagine-this-podcast (Stitcher)

This week, the gang welcomes Sara Eskrich, Executive Director of Democracy Found, to the pod to talk about how growing up in a rich arts ecosystem informed her leadership, the modern story about civics, and her work driving common sense reforms to save our democracy.

On behalf of Christmas music, the public declares war on Mac (0:20); Imagine these Holidays: Holiday Artist Relief Fund, MKE CARES for Arts and Culture, Light the Hoan, and Annual Event (7:22); Sara Eskrich joins the pod (17:25); Sara's formative arts experiences (20:00); Going into the family business and the idealism necessary to make democracy work (26:57); Democracy Found (34:43); Interlude: Mac's cleaning service landing 747's (49:19); Helping to put "The Politics Industry" book together (50:15); How elected officials are taking to this package of political innovation (52:25); Arts and Culture Czar reign - apparently Madison has one (56:33); Plugs (1:00:43); Wrap up: making civics less lonely and more artful (1:02:55); Outro easter egg: Why is David fighting Jean-Claude Van Damme? (1:08:39)

Follow Sara Eskrich: @saraeskrich

Follow and support Democracy Found: https://democracyfound.org/ (Web)

https://gehlporter.com/ ("The Politics Industry: How Political Innovation can Break Partisan Gridlock and Save our Democracy" by Katherine Gehl and Michael Porter)

Audio Transitions: https://www.inthevuca.com/ ("Lovely Child" by The VUCA Collective) and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM8WlvWMJQE ("Let Go," Lex Allen) (YouTube)

S2 E5 Ephemera

https://www.facebook.com/milwaukeedowntown/videos/377642913340840 (MKE Spirits Bright, featuring the Antigua Shahs (0:19)) (Facebook)

https://shermanjeff.medium.com/15-milwaukeeans-including-my-wonderful-family-depicted-in-new-downtown-window-displays-374da35734f7 (David in a downtown holiday storefront display) (Medium)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95-bc1DZovg ("Black Rain" Trailer) (YouTube)

https://www.imaginemke.org/covid-19-resources/mke-artist-relief-fund.php (Holiday Artist Relief Fund)

https://www.imaginemke.org/covid-19-resources/milwaukee-county-cares-act-relief-program.php (Milwaukee CARES for Arts and Culture)

https://www.lightthehoan.com/pages/shine-a-light (Light the Hoan's Shine a Light)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=men-vp5jvzI (School House Rock: I'm Only a Bill) (Youtube)

https://hbr.org/podcast/2020/06/applying-porters-five-forces-to-fix-u-s-politics (Harvard Business School Idea Cast: Applying Porter’s Five Forces to Fix U.S. Politics)

Subscribe: http://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/imagine-this-podcast/id1498274745 (Apple Podcasts) / http://open.spotify.com/show/29BQ7G7y4mzdPiHx6dlqhH (Spotify) / http://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vaW1hZ2luZS10aGlzLXBvZGNhc3Qv (Google) / http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/imagine-this-podcast (Stitcher)

This week, the gang welcomes Carl Atiya Swanson, Associate Director, Communications and Operations at Springboard for the Arts to the pod...but on the interview, MacArthur goes solo like McCartney...

While Carl and Springboard for the Arts are located in Minnesota, they are definitely kindred spirits, and Mac and Carl chew on how the arts and creativity extend our imagination by allowing us to get a little lost, the demands of funding change, the Upper Midwest Emergency Fund Coalition, and how caring for artists and creative workers is part and parcel of caring for the community.

David gives Mac the business about his solo pod and Mac diverts by declaring war on Christmas music (1:13), The Holiday Artist Relief Fund is live! (5:00), Our partnership with Light the Hoan to Shine a Light on Milwaukee's artists and non-profits (9:48), Carl Atiya Swanson joins and shares his origin story (14:20), Efficiency vs. getting lost (23:46), Emergency funds during the pandemic and the launch of the Upper Midwest Emergency Fund Coalition (37:04), What arts and culture public policies have worked in Minnesota (49:30); Plugs (55:05).

Follow Carl Atiya Swanson: https://www.carlatiyaswanson.com/ (Web) | Social: @catiyas

Follow Springboard for the Arts: https://springboardforthearts.org/ (Web) | Social: @SpringboardArts | Toolkits to Inspire Change and Create Impact: https://springboardexchange.org/ (Springboard Creative Exchange)

Audio Transitions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM8WlvWMJQE ("Let Go," Lex Allen) (YouTube)

S2 E4 Ephemera

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94Ye-3C1FC8 ("Wonderful Christmastime" Paul McCartney and Wings) (YouTube)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Days#Spin-offs (Happy Days Spin-Offs) (Wikipedia)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05VK9fnlxJ0 (That time Mork from Ork came to Milwaukee) (YouTube)

https://www.imaginemke.org/covid-19-resources/mke-artist-relief-fund.php (Holiday Artist Relief Fund)

https://www.lightthehoan.com/pages/shine-a-light (Light the Hoan's Shine a Light)

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/11/t-magazine/luca-guadagnino-third-culture-kids.html (Being a Third Culture kid) (NY Times)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w14Tgr3s-pOI6t5g1C4hcYPlfoLoDF72KXieK2v1bA4/edit ("Specter of The Artless City," by Andrew Zitcer, Drexel University)

Subscribe: http://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/imagine-this-podcast/id1498274745 (Apple Podcasts) / http://open.spotify.com/show/29BQ7G7y4mzdPiHx6dlqhH (Spotify) / http://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vaW1hZ2luZS10aGlzLXBvZGNhc3Qv (Google) / http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/imagine-this-podcast (Stitcher)

The week on the pod, the gang welcomes Suzan Fete, Artistic Director, and Lisa Rasmussen, Managing Director, of Renaissance Theaterworks to talk about their origin stories at the nation's 2nd oldest theater with a mission to promote gender equity and to promote "Belonging," their exciting new collection of short plays that aims to explore the question of who belongs.

Imagine This Week (1:49), David and Mac's Rekindle flash fiction (3:12), Welcoming Suzan and Lisa (15:34), Growing up in strong arts eco-systems in Chicago and Northern Wisconsin (17:26), Gender equity in theater in 2020 (31:38), Sustainability in small theatre through uncertainty (42:55), "Belonging" as a live theater event and testing the limits of Zoom as a medium (48:15), Arts as a driver for health (1:01:55), The reigns of two arts and culture czarinas (1:09:15), Plugs (1:13:16)

Follow Renaissance Theaterworks: https://www.facebook.com/renaissance.theaterworks (Facebook) | https://www.r-t-w.com (Web) | https://www.r-t-w.com/shows/belonging/ ("Belonging") Live via Zoom 12/4 - 12/6 and then streaming through 12/20 | https://www.facebook.com/MKEtheatrealliance/videos/1554127151458761 (More with Suzan and Lisa on E5 of You Got a Thing)

Audio Transitions: https://open.spotify.com/track/4WXlZBxOzQaWTku7QDXxqk?si=YhcELO0SSuGKaMNuYrbCZQ ("Caroline's" by Amanda Huff) (Spotify)

S2 E03 Ephemera

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM80OIL2dK0andt=8s (TWIB Notes with Mel Allen) (YouTube)

https://twitter.com/CardewjCardew (Jonathan Cardew) (Twitter)

https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/2020/11/19/milwaukee-arts-groups-demand-better-covid-rules-communication-city/6329960002/ ("Milwaukee Arts Groups Demand Better COVID Rules Communication from City") (Journal Sentinel, subscription required)

https://production.pro/broadway-by-the-numbers (Broadway by the Numbers 2019)

https://thekilroys.org/ (The Kilroys)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry55--J4_VQ (Square peg in a round role scene from Apollo 13) (YouTube)

Subscribe: http://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/imagine-this-podcast/id1498274745 (Apple Podcasts) / http://open.spotify.com/show/29BQ7G7y4mzdPiHx6dlqhH (Spotify) / http://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vaW1hZ2luZS10aGlzLXBvZGNhc3Qv (Google) / http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/imagine-this-podcast (Stitcher)

The week on the pod, the gang welcomes County Supervisor Jason Haas for a quest to defend and invest in Milwaukee County arts and culture organizations. We learn about why he is such a great advocate for the County's arts and culture organizations and how in the last two weeks as the Chair of the County's Finance Committee, he was able to both defend against proposed cuts to County funding for the arts and secure CARES Act funds for our region's arts groups.

#ModernLife Imagine Fitness mini-pod (00:59), Wisconsin Order 94 and the COVID surge (3:00), New artist relief fund efforts (10:32), Supervisor Jason Haas joins the pod (14:14), Formative arts and culture experiences (18:57), Cultural exploration and leadership development through video games (24:01), The intrinsic value of arts and culture (31:44), Potential opportunities to increase public funding for the arts (40:44), El joins conversation on state tax policy (45:05), County CARES Act funding for arts and culture groups (46:00), How the $700,000 allocation came together (52:50), The importance of CAMPAC (56:20), How everyday Milwaukeeans can ensure that arts and culture is supported through public policy (58:58), Best kept secrets in Ultima and in Milwaukee (1:04:43), Plugs (1:09:56)

Follow Jason Haas: https://www.facebook.com/haazah (Facebook) | https://county.milwaukee.gov/EN/Board-of-Supervisors/Members/Jason-Haas (14th District) | https://milwaukeecounty.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx (Milwaukee County Legislative Info Center (CLIC))

Audio Transitions: https://soundcloud.com/shonnhinton/milwaukee-strong-featuring-the-milwaukee-all-stars ("Milwaukee Strong" by Shonn Hinton, featuring The Milwaukee All Stars) (SoundCloud)

S2 E02 Ephemera

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaagSfBj2To (Full Rocky IV Training Montage) (YouTube)

https://www.instagram.com/lukeydpt/ (LukeyDPT) (Instagram)

https://uwm.edu/coronavirus/rapid-results-testing/ (UWM Rapid Testing pilot)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2Ec20v7wX8 (Silkwood Shower) (Youtube)

https://www.theopen.fund/homeinicio (The Open Fund) (Deadline 11/28)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_64 (Commodore 64)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultima_IV:_Quest_of_the_Avatar (Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar)

http://www.thewheelerreport.com/wheeler_docs/files/110920haas.pdf ($700,000 in County CARES Act funding for arts and culture groups)

Subscribe: http://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/imagine-this-podcast/id1498274745 (Apple Podcasts) / http://open.spotify.com/show/29BQ7G7y4mzdPiHx6dlqhH (Spotify) / http://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vaW1hZ2luZS10aGlzLXBvZGNhc3Qv (Google) / http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/imagine-this-podcast (Stitcher)

This week, the gang comes back from their month long break producing Road of Democracy conversations with a review of the many streams of conversations that culminated in the Road of Democracy panels and also give a preview of the very arbitrary, upcoming Season 2 of the pod.

Back from break with a new Season 2 intro! (00:23), Reviewing Road of Democracy: arts an culture as a bridge for hyper-polarization, creating a sense of inclusion through the arts, and arts as an economic driver (3:25), Embedding arts and culture in the civic infrastructure and positioning our sector for social impact (13:20), Why Applebee's?: the gang takes a tangent on Times Square, challenge, and comfort (25:00), A preview of our annual report (28:31), Mac and David give their thoughts on the Road of Democracy artist commissions (30:14), Upcoming guests! (40:03).

Season 2 Premiere Episode Ephemera:

https://www.vice.com/en/article/nnqqnb/in-defense-of-times-square-730 (In Defense of Times Square (VICE))

https://twitter.com/atsocanicole?lang=en (Nicole Acosta): https://www.facebook.com/imaginemke/videos/699006620719105 (HOOPS Portrait Project Preview Video)

https://annalardinois.com/ (Anna Lardinois): https://annalardinois.com/road-of-democracy ("Forward: Milwaukee Women on the Road of Democracy")

https://www.joshua-yang.com/ (Joshua Yang): https://assets.adobe.com/public/caf42bf2-d8f4-46e1-4b53-f5858e98ef41?fbclid=IwAR2E1k40hb6LRuLzOmgRHRrdkdtw0BfP8PqtrtbqBsYb2aGNqrIwTJItZn0 ("Unite")

In our fourth Road of Democracy Conversation, Kennita Hickman, our director of Artist Support and Outreach, speaks to Nicole Acosta, Anna Lardinois, and Joshua Yang about their Road of Democracy projects.

As we prepare to share their final projects in the coming week, this conversation will share more about their work and perspectives and it will conclude our month-long series of conversations focusing on the intersections of arts, culture, and civic engagement.

https://twitter.com/atsocanicole (Nicole Acosta), "HOOPS"

https://twitter.com/anna_lardinois (Anna Lardinois), "https://annalardinois.com/road-of-democracy (Forward: Milwaukee Women on the Road of Democracy)"

https://www.joshua-yang.com/ (Joshua Yang), "Unite"

Audio Transitions: "https://soundcloud.com/shonnhinton/song-of-freedom (Song of Freedom," by Shonn Hinton)