List of arts and culture resources in Racine, Wisconsin facts for kids

Welcome to a guide about awesome arts and culture places in Racine, Wisconsin, United States! This page will show you all the cool museums, theaters, and events you can explore in Racine.

Art Museums: Explore Creativity!

Racine has some fantastic museums where you can see amazing art.

• Racine Art Museum (RAM) focuses on modern art. It shows, collects, and saves visual art, especially pieces made with craft materials.
• RAM's Wustum Museum of Fine Arts displays beautiful art and crafts. These exhibits are often based on special themes. The Wustum Museum also teaches art classes and workshops. Famous artists from the area and across the country teach these classes.
• SC Johnson Gallery: At Home with Frank Lloyd Wright features designs by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. You can see how his ideas changed homes and families in America. The exhibits here change often, so there's always something new to discover.

Cultural Places: Learn and Discover!

These places help you learn about history, nature, and ideas.

• Racine Public Library helps the community by sharing information and creative works. It's a great place to find books, ideas, and stories.
• Racine Heritage Museum saves and shares the history of Racine County. It tells stories about the people, their inventions, and their achievements.
• Preservation Racine is a group that protects old buildings and places. They want to save buildings in Racine that are important for history or architecture. They even have a yearly tour of historic homes to help raise money.
• Racine Zoological Gardens wants you to have a fun wildlife experience. The zoo helps people connect with nature. It has about 100 different kinds of animals from Wisconsin and around the world.

Theater Companies: Enjoy Live Shows!

Racine has groups that put on exciting live plays and musicals.

• Racine Theatre Guild: This community theater offers many live shows and classes. They have a season of plays and musicals for all ages. They also host the Racine Children's Theatre and special jazz and comedy nights.
• Over Our Head Players/6th Street Theatre: This group has been performing in Downtown Racine since 1992. They work hard to bring fresh and unique theater experiences to their audiences.

Performance Groups: Poetry and Music!

These groups bring words and sounds to life.

• BONK! Performance Series: This is a monthly event for poetry, art, and performances. It aims to bring new and exciting art to the community.
• Family Power Music/Grassroots Wednesdays Open Mic and Artist Showcase: Grassroots Wednesdays is an open mic night. It's a chance for people to share their talents through music and other entertainment.

Visual Arts Organizations: Create and Share!

These groups support artists and art in the community.

• Art For Uptown is a local effort to make Uptown Racine better through art.
• Racine Arts Council supports artists and art groups in Racine. They also encourage young people who are interested in the arts.
• Black Arts Council of Racine highlights and helps African American artists. They encourage these artists to follow their creative dreams.
• Spectrum School of the Arts & Gallery offers art classes for students. It also shows the artwork of its members.
• Racine Art Guild helps its members create art and share it. They also work to help everyone in Racine appreciate art more.
• Racine Camera Club helps local photographers take better pictures. They teach new techniques and hold photo exhibits and contests.
• Lighthouse Quilters Guild promotes the art of quilt making. They offer classes and encourage members to share their talents. They also work to save the history of quilting.

Galleries: See Amazing Art!

These places display and sell beautiful artwork.

• Art Metals Studio is a store and gallery in downtown Racine. It features custom-designed jewelry.
• Artist's Gallery is a group of 40 artists from the region. You can find their work in this downtown Racine gallery.
• Mahogany Gallery is a gallery and cultural center in Uptown Racine. It focuses on Black American artists, books, and history. It is one of the few Black-owned bookstores in Wisconsin.
• Northern Lights Gallery in downtown Racine shows fine art. You can see paintings, photos, ceramics, blown glass, and jewelry here.
• OS Projects is a modern art gallery in downtown Racine. It features artists from the Chicago-Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee area.
• Photographic Design Gallery displays photos by its owners. It also hosts shows by other artists working in different art forms.

Music Organizations: Enjoy the Sounds!

These groups bring music to life in Racine.

• Belle City Brassworks performs concerts in Racine and Kenosha. They often feature special guest artists.
• Belle Ensemble is a professional singing group. They perform many different types of vocal music. You can hear them at venues in Racine and Kenosha.
• Choral Arts Society of Southeastern Wisconsin is a large community chorus. They perform classical music and offer music programs. Their songs include classical works, show tunes, and gospel.
• Kilties Drum and Bugle Corps is a drum and bugle corps for all ages. They focus on teaching and mentoring young musicians. The Kilties perform across the country in shows, parades, and concerts.
• Racine Concert Band has given free public concerts for over 90 years. They play family-friendly outdoor concerts. Their director says they follow the tradition of the famous Sousa band.
• Racine Symphony Orchestra performs several concerts each year. They have pops concerts, classical concerts, and a special concert for fifth graders.
• Spirit of Racine Music Makers is a group of musicians and singers. They use music to share messages of peace and social justice.
• The Dairy Statesmen is a men's a cappella singing group. They perform many types of music, including barbershop style, in the Racine area.

Concert Series: Music for Everyone!

These are special events with many concerts.

• Animal Crackers Concert Series has four summer concerts. They feature jazz artists from around the world. These concerts are held at the Racine Zoo.
• Blank-Fest Wisconsin helps people experiencing homelessness. Musicians play for free, and audience members bring a blanket instead of a ticket. The blankets are then given to those in need.
• Bluegrass Music Festival is a yearly two-day festival. It celebrates authentic bluegrass music with regional and national musicians. Money from the festival helps local non-profit groups.
• Dan Jam Music Festival started in 2009 to honor Daniel Conner. He passed away in a car accident when he was young. The festival features many types of music, from rock to hip hop. It also has spoken word performers. Money raised helps local social service groups.
• Jean's Jazz Series: This series presents different jazz styles. There are four events each year in a small space with great sound.
• Music on the Monument is downtown Racine's summer concert series. Local bands play different kinds of music every week. These concerts happen from June to August at Monument Square.
• Music and More Concert Series: These concerts are held on Thursdays during the summer. Local and regional performers share their talents. Donations collected help local non-profit groups.
• Thoughts for Food is a yearly concert event. It helps the Racine County Food Bank. Local and national acts perform for free at different venues.
• Tribute to Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Festival is a four-day event. It honors Bix Beiderbecke, a jazz cornet player from the 1920s. The festival has live jazz, lectures, and jazz film screenings.

Dance: Move Your Body!

Racine has studios where you can learn many types of dance.

• The Studio of Classical Dance Arts is a professional ballet school. It teaches ballet and offers performance chances for students.
• Sweatshop Movement teaches hip hop and dance to young people. Their goal is to make dance training easy to access for youth.
• Academy of Dance offers classes in ballet, tap, and jazz. They teach children, teens, and adults in their downtown studio.
• Guy Singer Dance Studio provides lessons in many dance styles. These include ballet, tap, jazz, ballroom, and Latin dance. They also host Zumba fitness classes.
• Metamorphosis Arts is a dance studio in downtown Racine. They teach pole fitness, aerial silks, belly dancing, and yoga. They also offer circus fitness classes.

Special Events: Fun for Everyone!

These are unique happenings in Racine.

• 16th Street Studios Annual Open House happens every December. Over 40 artists invite the public to see their workspaces.
• The Vital Art Project shows temporary art exhibits. These exhibits feature local, regional, and national artists. They are held in different places around Racine.
• Snowdance 10 Minute Comedy Festival is a playwriting contest. The audience gets to choose the winning plays. People send in plays from all over the world.
• Monument Square Art Festival: This is one of Wisconsin's oldest art fairs. Artists from across the country show their paintings, photos, jewelry, and sculptures.
• Starving Artists Fair is an outdoor art fair. It is organized by the Racine Art Guild.
• Downtown Racine First Fridays is a monthly celebration. It happens from April to December. Shops, galleries, and museums stay open late. There is also music and carriage rides.
• Party on the Pavement is Racine's biggest street festival. It includes live music and art events.
• Root River Festival celebrates Racine's cultures and resources. It has music, theater, outdoor activities, and workshops. It also showcases local non-profit groups.
• The Origins of Hip Hop is a yearly event in August. It explores the culture of hip hop. It focuses on DJing, emceeing, graffiti art, breakdancing, and knowledge.
• Breakfast With the Authors is a yearly event. It brings Wisconsin authors to Racine. They read from their books and talk about their work. The audience can ask them questions.

Artist Workspaces: Where Creativity Happens!

These are places where artists create their amazing work.

• Racine Business Center/16th Street Studios is a large building with many art studios. Over 60 artists now rent space here.
• Mitchell Wagon Factory Lofts was once a factory. Now it has apartments that artists can use as workspaces. They are called "live-work lofts for the creative class."
• Black-Eyed Press is a shared print shop and book arts studio. Independent artists can join as members.
• Hot Shop Glass Studio and Gallery is a glass-blowing studio. They also offer short classes where you can learn this old art form.

Recording Studios: Make Music!

• Belle City Sound offers professional services for musicians. They help with recording, producing, mixing, and mastering music.

Performance Venues: Where Shows Happen!

These are places where you can go to see performances.

• Racine Civic Centre: Memorial Hall and Festival Hall
• Racine Theatre Guild
• Sixth Street Theatre
• Golden Rondelle Theater
• Racine Masonic Center
• The DeKoven Center
• Racine Eagles Club

Funding Opportunities: Supporting Artists!

These programs help artists and creative projects.

• RAM Artist Fellowships support artists in Racine and Kenosha. They help artists grow in their careers. Four $3,000 fellowships and one $1,500 award are given every two years. The artists also get solo exhibits.
• Racine Arts Council ArtSeed Program: This program helps new and creative art projects in Racine. It gives grants to projects that are new, different, or involve working together.
• Racine Writer in Residence Program highlights writers in Racine and Kenosha. It supports writers at all stages of their careers. Two writers get a 6-month residency each year. They receive money, hold public hours, and write a weekly blog.
• Racine/Kenosha Poet Laureate Program encourages creative writing and reading. It celebrates the power and beauty of language.

Online Calendars: Find Events!

• Real Racine
• Racine Journal Times Calendar