''Black Cat Alley'' is an arts destination in a one-block alleyway in

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at th ...

known for its street art mural installations. It is located behind the historic

Oriental Theatre (Milwaukee) Oriental Theatre is a theater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin operated by Milwaukee Film. The theater was built and opened in 1927 as a movie palace with East Indian decor. It is said to be the only movie palace to incorporate East Indian artwork. Desig ...

and includes both temporary and semi-permanent installations by a variety of artists and art groups. Each year, as many as 20,000 visitors pass through the alley.

About

The East Side BID, owner of the Black Cat Alley, holds special events periodically in Black Cat Alley such as "Black Cat After Dark," as well as other activations such as yoga classes, mural tours, "AlleyWayz" (a concert series in partnership with

WYMS WYMS (88.9 FM) is a non-commercial radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The station currently airs an eclectic adult album alternative music format, branded as "88Nine Radio Milwaukee". The station's license is owned by Milwaukee Public School ...

88.9 Radio Milwaukee), vendor markets, and more. Artists whose works have been included in the alley include MTO, Koctel, Daisy Gertel, Jeff Redmon, Tia Richardson, Brandon Minga, David Najib Kasir, Bunnie Reiss, Janson Rapisarda ("CERA"),

Jeremy Novy Jeremy Novy is an American street artist and stencil artist. He is best known for his stencils of koi fish and efforts in support of gay activism. His work has been featured in numerous publications, including SF Weekly, the Wisconsin Gazette a ...

, Thomas "Detour" Evans and Bigshot Robot.

History

Although the alley had been a local spot for graffiti writers in Milwaukee for many decades, Black Cat Alley was officially launched in 2016 when local artists Stacey Williams-Ng and Tim Decker successfully proposed the concept to private property owners, including Milwaukee developer New Land Enterprises, and neighborhood groups. Black Cat Alley is located on Milwaukee's East Side in what was previously an unused, privately-owned alleyway. The alley, located behind the

and other commercial destinations, had a reputation for crime and other unsavory activity for over 40 years. From 2014-16, Stacey Williams-Ng and Tim Decker worked with the East Side BID and the various property owners to create a plan for what is now known as Black Cat Alley, a place that has since become one of Milwaukee's top ten tourist destinations, according to data provided by Visit Mke.

References

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External links

Culture of Milwaukee Street art Tourist attractions in Milwaukee Murals in Wisconsin