MILWAUKEE — A new artist incubator space opened in Milwaukee for emerging and established media creatives.
The Washington Park Media Center at 4303 W. Vliet St. is a comprehensive creative space designed to inspire ideas and art. Inside people have access to cameras, tripods, lights, studio space, brainstorming areas, green screens, a wall you can write on, and an audio-treated room to record/film podcasts, music videos, record music, and anything else you can imagine. It opened in late August 2023.
"I want it to be a community hub where creativity can live and media can come alive," Wes Tank, the co-owner of the Washington Park Media Center, said.
Tank became well known during the early days of the pandemic after he went viral for rapping Dr. Seuss books over Dr. Dre beats. He subsequently started his own show rapping children's stories, and performed at Summerfest. He also has his own media production company, TankThink.
This space is designed for established media makers as well as emerging artists just learning how to use a camera.
“Like I really want to be a space that feels safe to come and make great art, make great media. It's also a place that it's safe to make not great media. Like, let's show each other our work, and let's work on it," Tank said.
They will guide you through the creative process and help you with things like lighting, framing, script writing, and more.
“Let us know what media you want to make here. Let us know what you want to do with us. If it’s a fit, we will find a way to make it happen," he said.
Tank opened the Washington Park Media Center with his partner Sara Daleiden.
“I feel like we're in a media culture where most of us are making media many days of our lives, so it’s just honing those abilities to get more of the results that we want. But again having access to professional-level production," Daleiden said.
Daleiden owns MKE<->LAX, a media strategy and production company as well as helped start the Milwaukee Night Market and Homeworks Bronzeville.
While this space is available for everyone in Milwaukee, the creators see this as a vehicle to inspire their Washington Park neighbors to make their hope this inspires their artistic visions come true too.
“I think there’s something very powerful to neighborhood development or city development goals is making positive media of the place with the people in the place.”
The media center can only be used on an appointment basis. Go to the Washington Park Media Center website to contact them.
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