Our Story

In July 2017, Rise Up Central Wisconsin, Inc. (“RISE UP”) was created as a non-profit organization rooted in a simple but powerful belief: art can be a healing force. This idea was inspired in part by the Porchlight Initiative, a long-standing participatory mural arts program in Philadelphia that showed how creativity, community, and storytelling can transform both people and places.

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From the very beginning, RISE UP was lifted by the generosity of its community. An initial donation from Aspirus Community Benefit helped launch the work, followed by grants from several local foundations, including the Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin, the Dudley Foundation, the BA & Esther Greenheck Foundation, as well as many private donations. Each contribution affirmed that Central Wisconsin was ready to invest in healing, connection, and public art.

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RISE UP is not an ordinary mural arts program. Our work is built around collaboration and shared ownership. We bring together a team of artists, service providers, program participants, and community and city-wide stakeholders to create transformative public art projects. Every project follows three intentional stages: Engage, Create, and Generate.

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In the 'Engage' phase, we focus on building relationships. Artists, participants, agency staff, and community members come together to listen, share stories, and forge connections. This is where trust is built and where the heart of each project begins to take shape.

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During the 'Create' phase, the artist develops a deliberate visual language for the project, working closely with participants to shape a collective vision. Together, they explore how to tell their story to the broader community—what images, symbols, and colors best reflect their experiences, hopes, and dreams.

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Finally, in the 'Generate' phase, that shared vision becomes reality. The image is transformed into a large-scale mural, hand painted by many of the community stakeholders and participants involved in the project. The wall becomes a living testament to their collaboration, resilience, and creativity.

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Since its inception, RISE UP has completed nearly 10 large mural projects, each one rooted in local stories and community voices. 

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In September 2021, RISE UP opened its first physical location at the Whitewater Music Hall, with our most recent move to our downtown location at 622 N. Third Street. This space has become a home for our programs, a gathering place for artists and community members, and a visible sign of our ongoing promise: to help Central Wisconsin 'Rise Up' through art, one project, one story, and one mural at a time.