The La Pointe Center for the Arts is excited to share news of four artists who are receiving a grant from our Regranting Program to support their exciting projects and endeavors. Since 1994, The goal of the Regranting Program is to provide opportunities for artistic growth and development, community participation, educational and entertaining events.
Over the years, many artists have benefitted from these grants and LPC is grateful for all those who participate in the program and for all the donors that help make this possible. This program is also supported in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts. Continue reading to see what artists and projects are in store for 2026.
Bizy Wygonik
Bizy Wygonik is once again bringing back the island tradition of Live Art in the form of a large-scale puppet workshop and parade themed around 3 Sisters Victory Gardens and their Companions. The workshop is taking place at The Flicker House on Main Street across from Joni’s Beach over the course of two weeks leading up to the 4th of July.
Image rendering credit to Bizy Wygonik.
The workshops are free and open to the public and offer various levels of engagement- participants could contribute as much time as desired to as little as a couple of hours and still walk away with a functional piece that could be included in the parade.
The grant provided will help cover artist fees, materials costs, ferry fees/transportation and community meals that would be offered at the workshops. If you’re interested in participating, stop by The Flicker House on Madeline Island and follow @liveartlapointe on Instagram to stay tuned with updates!
The purpose of Kevin’s grant is to provide funding for the research, implementation, and teaching of Cedar Bark Mat Weaving using traditional natural dyes and advanced geometric weaving patterns. Kevin has 25 years of experience weaving cedar bark and has worked with Tribal and First Nations across the region to develop and teach his skills.
Image Credit to Kevin Finney
Kevin would return to the island and apply the gained wisdom to a teaching workshop in late summer and hopes to invite in a full/part time apprentice so that the tradition may be carried on. 3-4 woven mats would be completed by the end of the workshop with photographs of the process that would then be offered to the La Pointe Center Gallery for display. Stay tuned for more information on how you can participate in this late summer workshop.
Barbara With project titled Crossing Over: Stories of Ferries, Ice Roads, & Wind Sleds, a literary arts and local history project documenting the unique experiences of traveling year-round to and from Madeline Island by ferry boat, ice road, and wind sled. Barbara will be collecting numerous stories related to ferry travel, ice roads, & wind sled crossings via archival research/documentation as well as direct sources and interviews.
Barbara has experience as a writer and publisher and would have the project completed by next year. The book will be sold locally and become part of the rich historiography of Madeline Island. Do you have a story to share about your relationship to the ferry/travels to Madeline Island ? Contact Barbara With at: barbwith@gmail.com
Alex Nelson is proposing the design and creation of a buildable miniature LEGO model inspired by the Madeline Island Ferry. The project would involve researching visual details and history of the ferry, explores digital brick-modeling, and will include displays of prototype stages and elements of the design process to show how the model evolved through experimentation.
The funding would support the making of buildable models that would be available for resale in local shops. Alex would host a free public presentation and interactive exhibition of the project as well. Stay tuned to see how you can learn more of this project and even get your hands on one of the buildable models to purchase!
Learn more about the La Pointe Center for the Arts Grants for the Arts program!
