Cream City Sessions' mission statement is ambitious, and so far, the new Milwaukee art and business program is putting words and ideas into action.
The program's main goal is to establish the beautiful Turner Ballroom, located on the second floor of Turner Hall (1034 N. 4th St.), as a civic and cultural venue for emerging "underground" artists.
The program is also striving to enhance Milwaukee's image as a vibrant and creative city, encourage a new generation to remain committed to the 120-year-old building and to eventually produce and broadcast a regional television program similar to PBS' "Austin City Limits" that would focus on the performances as well as chronicle the renovation project.
"We hope to be a unique program filling an 'artistic void' in the city by being an arts' program for and by artists and promoting and showcasing unique, innovative, independent, and up and coming artists whose arts have been for the most part ignored by mainstream Milwaukee," says Issa Kohler-Hausmann, CCS Program Director.
{INSERT_RELATED}In 1933 and 1941, ceiling fires damaged the ballroom. Now, 70 years later, the Turners are initiating this campaign to restore the space for the public to use and enjoy. Two years ago, the Turner Ballroom Preservation Trust was established as a non-profit organization with the intent to restore, maintain and manage the ballroom for civic and cultural purposes.
Board members include Dean Amhaus, Executive Director of the Spirit of Milwaukee; Bruce Block, Partner at Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, S.C.; Peter Buffet, Musician and Owner of Independent Sound; Genyne Edwards, Arts Activist, Attorney and Policy Director of the YWCA; Julilly Kohler, Member of the Turner Board and President of JWK Management; Malcolm Mikeles, Musician, Co-Founder of Bionic Studios, and voted Best Club DJ in the Shepherd Express; Tom Miller, Arts Activist, Owner of Beauty, Founder and Sponsor of Beauty Benefit for the Arts; Rob Yeo, Chair of UWM Film Department.
CCS started to sponsor Turner Hall events in July, and since then, have co-sponsored a myriad of innovative programs, including Black Elephant, hip-hop band Atmosphere, the Rules of the Game conference, a LBGT film festival event and a UWM Players Guild Halloween show, featuring Milwaukee's Boogiemen.
"We hope this program can help revive Milwaukee's public and self-image as a vibrant, innovative and amazing city," says Kohler-Hausmann. "Because the truth is, it already is."
For more information, go to www.milwaukeeturners.org
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
