If you didn’t know that Miona Grae Short was an astronomer, her Facebook profile photo — a selfie with celebrity astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson — might clue you in. And in May, Short became the first black …
First Wave
UW-Madison student one of two finalists for inaugural title of National Youth Poet Laureate
Hajjar Baban began finding her voice as a writer the way many people do, recording her thoughts in a private journal. Then one day, as a high school sophomore, she searched online for a poetry …
11th Line Breaks Festival is April 11-16
Presented by the UW-Madison’s Division of Diversity, Equity & Achievement and produced by the Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives (OMAI), Line Breaks Festival brings the top new aesthetics in contemporary performance art to the UW-Madison campus …
Just Bust! Every 1st Friday of the Month
Join us for Madison’s longest running all-ages open mic, Just Bust!, every first Friday of the month in the Red Gym On Wisconsin Room (716 Langdon St. 1st Floor) from 9:00pm-11:00pm. There will be community performances, …
JVN Project Continues to Honor the Memory of John ‘Vietnam’ Nguyen with Hip Hop, Love & Learning
Inspired by the life and love of John Vietnam Nguyễn, The JVN Project presents the 4th annual JVN Day Hip Hop Festival: This is Alchemy! This festival provides participants opportunities to engage in the tenets …
Madison emcee takes another big step on latest work
On All.This.Gold, Madison emcee from Chicago Rich Robbins exhibits the ambition typical of a sophomore project with none of the pitfalls. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin’s First Wave program and Chicago’s spoken word scene, …
Artists to “Perform the Word” at 10th Annual Line Breaks Festival March 11-13
This year marks a decade for the Line Breaks Festival, the largest Hip Hop theater festival in the Midwest, which will be presented by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives (OMAI) …
Student launches site to chronicle ‘Black Voice’ at UW-Madison
More than 40 years after African-Americans at UW-Madison started printing their own campus newspaper to cover politics and activism on campus, a current student has started a blog she hopes will be a place where …
“Just Bust” is on October 2
The next “Just Bust” will be Friday, Oct. 2 at 9 p.m., in the Red Gym. Join First Wave for Madison’s longest running all-ages open mic! Sign up is at 8:30. This month’s feature artist …
First Wave scholars and alumni to bring spoken word, dance and live music to Overture Center
Performance arts scholars from the First Wave Hip-Hop Theater and Urban Arts Community will be joined by program alumni for this year’s expanded 9th Annual Line Breaks Festival. The free performance festival March 6 with a gallery …
First Wave Student and Local Talent Standout Record with Run-DMC Legend
Last Saturday was one of those days of local legend: Darryl ‘DMC’ McDaniels found himself coming to Madison to shoot a video at the Allied Boys & Girls Club for the song the two collaborated on …
Passing the Mic 10th Annual Hip-Hop Arts Festival
The Passing the Mic 10th Annual Hip-Hop Arts Festival will be Thursday, Oct. 16, through Saturday, Oct. 18, at the Overture Center’s Promenade Hall, 201 State Street. The free event is open to the public. Passing …
Don’t miss Multicultural Homecoming Weekend 2014
This year’s weekend-long Multicultural Homecoming celebration, October 23-26, will be an unprecedented effort to bring together multicultural students and several generations of alumni to reconnect with the campus, renew friendships and create new traditions to share …
Madison alum a 2014 Ruth Lilly & Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowship Winner
UW-Madison alum and First Wave 1st Cohort member Danez Smith has won a 2014 Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowship from the Poetry Foundation. Smith is one of five young poets who were …
8th Annual Line Breaks Festival Returns to the Overture Center
Now in its eighth year, the Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives (OMAI) presents the annual Line Breaks Festival, the largest hip hop festival in the Midwest, Wednesday, April 16 through Friday, April 25. This will …
Passing The Mic: 9th Annual Hip Hop Arts Festival
Presented by the Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives (OMAI) and Wisconsin Book Festival in honor of John “Vietnam” Nguyen Location for All Events: Promenade Hall, Overture Centers for the Arts October 17–19 Featuring Gil Scott-Heron’s Daughter …
JVN Project: Honoring a Fallen Friend/Artist/Activist
On the morning of August 30th, 2012 we lost John, but his work lives on. Madison Mayor Paul Soglin has taken part in memorializing his legacy and declared August 30th as John Vietnam Nguyễn Day …
Credo: A Concert of Music, Movement and Poetry
Christopher A. Walker, Assistant Professor of Dance in the UW-Madison School of Dance and Artistic Director for First Wave, Office of Muilticultural Arts Initiatives, will present a full evening collaborative work with the UW-Madrigal Singers on April 19 at 8 p.m. and …
7th Annual Line Breaks Festival Features New York City Guest Artist DawN Crandell
Performance arts scholars of the First Wave Hip-Hop Theater Ensemble will present their solo, duo and ensemble works as part of the 7th Annual Line Breaks Festival in Lathrop Hall, 1050 University Avenue, from Wednesday, …
Hurricane Sandy Relief Effort Targets Student Giving
In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, many New York and New Jersey residents who already faced a tough winter now find themselves without the support of agencies they could typically count on for help. Groups …