The mission of the La Pointe Center for the Arts is to enrich the quality and vitality of the Madeline Island Community by creating opportunities for artists, promoting art education, and supporting the arts.
One of the key components to adhering to the LPC mission is to develop strategies for growth and support of the arts and traditions.
Our development programs provide opportunities for individuals and groups to pursue and share their interest and talent in creative expression. These partnerships enrich individuals, groups, and the community through artistic media, performance disciplines, culture, tradition, and education.
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Click a program below to learn more, apply, or learn how you can become involved!
Grants for the Arts
La Pointe Center for the Arts (LPC) participates in a regranting program supported by the Wisconsin State Arts Board (WAB) with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Each spring, LPC applies to the WAB for the program funding. The funding received must be matched one-to-one by LPC.
The funds are then awarded through a one-year regranting program to the Madeline Island community.
The goal of the grant is to provide opportunities for artistic growth and development, community participation, educational and entertaining events.
Since 1994, the regranting program has funded over $150,000 to artistic projects. These projects have provided opportunities for artists of all media to pursue their talents.
Artists can explore and develop new ideas, share their talents with the community, and encourage adults and children to explore the arts.
Through this program, the Madeline Island community has enjoyed theatrical performances, literary arts, visual arts, music performances, multimedia exhibits, workshops, and educational experiences.
La Pointe Center celebrates the talent found in our island community! We look forward to future projects and the ability to continue supporting our local artists, building on the foundation started years ago.
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Past Recipients
We acknowledge the accomplishments, work, and dedication of all the grant recipients over the years and support their continued success and goals!
- Becky Wygonik – to gather the community for “elder-led” conversations, introduce cardboard sculpture creations, host community meals and facilitate open build opportunities on Madeline Island.
- Connie Ross – to cultivate her new techniques into three weekly lessons for the La Pointe School summer students.
- Steve McHugh – to expand his artistic practice to include ceramics and sculpture.
- Lydia Caswell – Work and completion of her first novel.
- Jamie Halder – Three ceramic arts workshops provided to students.
- Kelsey Peterson – Created a short film of the changing seasons, winter on the island.
- Holly Tourdot – The creation of twisted twig furniture using buckthorn, demonstrating useful products being created with an invasive species.
- Peter Coccoma – Narrative Film – “Giro Prepares for Death”
- Barbara With – Stage reading – “The Last Voyageur”
- Gilpin Matthews – Photographic Prints
- Paul DeMain – Mooningwanekaaning Treaty Day Fair
- Mary Whittaker – ReImagine, Pop-up Workshop & Recology
- La Pointe School – Artist of the Month
- Elori Kramer – Percussion and field recording of Lake Superior – “Drifts”
- Peter Coccoma – Completion and release of first album of music tied to the landscape of the island.
- Madeline Island Library & Samantha Dobson – La Pointe School Garden Beautification Program
- St. John’s Church – 100th Anniversary celebrating the history of the church.
- La Pointe School – Resident Artists
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La Pointe School Art Program
Art education in schools is a gateway to exploring, imagining, creating, and learning. The La Pointe School Art Program supports student creativity, ingenuity, communication, and performance skills. LPC is proud to support the students of Madeline Island. Art education brings excitement and inspiration to the classroom!
Students have a unique first-hand experience with local artist talents, inspirations, and techniques as part of their weekly art classes.
They build relationships and continuity from one lesson to the next, deepening their connection to the medium, place, and process.
The program includes classroom and field art activities, often connected with other curriculum projects. A variety of student projects are shared at the La Pointe Center Gallery each May.
This art show is a celebration of student accomplishments and reflect a deeper sense of place and community connection.
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Share your skills as a guest artist volunteer.
Become a sponsor for this program.
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Mooningwanekaaning Arts
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Madeline Island has a history rich with the traditions, culture, and the arts of the Ojibwe people. The island is known to the Ojibwe as Mooningwanekaaning (Home of the Golden Breasted Woodpecker).
Mooningwanekaaning Minis was a home for Indigenous vendors traveling the waterways of North America long before the explorers started coming in the 1600s.
It served as the southern capital of the Anishinaabe nation and was once the Council Grounds Capital of the Ojibwe Nation. The treaties of 1842 and 1854 were negotiated at La Pointe.
The island hosted fishing camps, villages, festivals of celebration, games of lacrosse and snow snakes, and seasonal treaty payout events.
Treaty Day continues to be an annual celebration. It marks the day in 1854 when the Ojibwe people met in La Pointe to sign a treaty with the United States.
Mooningwanekaaning’s rich history of traditions, culture, and art forms, offers insight to the experiences and beliefs of current and past cultures.
The art includes functional works, ceremonial items, illustrations of lore and history, dance, and song, all with strong ties to the land and water.
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Become a sponsor for this program.
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Artist in Residence
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The Artist in Residence program provides temporary periods of time for an artist to work on a project or develop new art and ideas. It provides artists with an opportunity to:
- Work in a new and inspiring environment.
- Reflect and focus solely on their art.
- Share their expertise with a new audience.
The La Pointe Center for the Arts offers a 3-week residency on Madeline Island. It includes a weekly stipend and accommodations. The purpose of the residency is to provide the space and opportunity on Madeline Island for artists to:
- Focus on their ideas.
- Create a body of work.
- Develop a new project or research.
- Expand their creativity.
An important aspect of the program is interaction with the island community by sharing their work and experiences, and/or providing workshops. LPC has established a rotational media plan that is announced at the opening of the application process.
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This program is on hold for 2025. Please check back to see what exciting things we plan to do in 2026!
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Happenings
News
Meet the 2026 LPC Grant Recipients
Meet the 2026 La Pointe Center for the Arts grant recipients and their Madeline Island projects in live art, cedar bark weaving, local history, and ferry-inspired design.
Whimsy & Wonder Ceramic Fairy House Workshop
2025 LPC Grant recipient Jami Halder has decided to share her gifts with the community by offering a FREE 4 course Ceramic Fairy House Workshop.
Meet the 2025 Grant Recipients
Announcing the 2025 LPC Grants for the Arts recipients: Cedar Schimke, Jami Halder, Kyra Bingham, Marmie Pauline Jotter, and Ivan Curry & Tayamni Goodshield.