The Madison Arts Commission (MAC) recently announced Justin Festge Russell as the City’s newest Youth Poet Laureate. A recent graduate of Madison East High School and a First Wave scholar at UW–Madison, Justin will be formally introduced at the opening reception of the 2024 Madison Municipal Building Art Exhibition, “Everything but the Dinosaur: Art With & About Youth,” on Tuesday, September 10, 2024.
OMAI
Celebrating the Life of Cydney M. Edwards
The Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement is remembering our amazing colleague and friend to many, Cydney M. Edwards. Cydney passed away unexpectedly in the early morning of October 21, 2023. We will be …
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, …
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, …
Hip Hop in the Heartland Training Institute is July 5-11
The 11th Annual Hip Hop in the Heartland Educator and Community Leader Training will be held on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus July 5-11. Each summer, UW-Madison’s Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives (OMAI) teams up …
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) …
Passing the Mic Hip-Hop Arts Festival celebrates OMAI’s 10th anniversary
As the multicultural component of the Wisconsin Book Festival, the Passing the Mic Hip Hop Arts Festival continually draws some of the most diverse audiences of any Madison event. The 11th annual Passing the Mic …
OMAI’s work saluted by Madison Magazine’s M List
Congratulations to the Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives (OMAI), a unit in the Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement operating under the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, for …
“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 …
Hip-Hop in the Heartland Educators & Community Leaders Training Institute
The annual Hip Hop in the Heartland Educators and Community Leaders Training Institute will be July 6-10 in the UW-Extension Pyle Center, 702 Langdon St., on the UW-Madison campus. Each summer, Urban Word NYC teams …
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 …
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 …
8th Annual Educator & Community Leader Training Institute
Each summer, UW-Madison’s Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives (OMAI) teams up with Urban Word NYC to offer educators and community leaders a weeklong program to learn the best practices in hip hop and spoken word …
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 …
Remembering “Vietnam” the Unforgettable Artist
The Cipher will celebrate the life and memory of talented First Wave Scholar and artist John “Vietnam” Nguyen this Saturday by dedicating the closing night of Passing the Mic to the music, poetry and performance he loved. …
First Wave Students take part in Britain’s Cultural Olympiad
LONDON, England – Before the torch enters the stadium for the 2012 summer Olympics, UW-Madison’s First Wave Touring Ensemble this week joined thousands of young people celebrating the Cultural Olympiad in London. First Wave’s return …
OMAI presents Line Breaks Festival at the Overture Center
A major local hip-hop event, the annual Line Breaks Festival, will bring new aesthetics in contemporary performance to the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus and community from Friday, March 16 through Saturday, March 24. The event is …