Madison Reporter

The City of Madison will host a community meet and greet on August 21, 2025, to introduce the artists behind its next public art project. The event will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Fire Station 12 Community Room, located at 400 South Point Road.

This initiative is connected to the development of the new Far West Public Works Operations Building at 402 South Point Road. The city has partnered with Sketchworks Architecture and The Milligan Studio for the design, construction, and installation of public art at this site.

In a statement about their collaboration with the City of Madison and Sketchworks, the artists said: “the integration of art into public buildings allows for the care of the human hand to shape the experience of communal space as a frame for our lives. Public Art celebrates and remembers. It binds us to a place with beauty, and grace. Sometimes, it even gives us hope.”

Earlier in summer 2025, Madison’s Engineering Division began designing the new facility. Sketchworks Architecture was chosen from among twelve teams for this project. According to city officials, this building will serve as a base for municipal services closer to neighborhoods on Madison’s far west side.

Additional public information meetings are expected as planning progresses; however, construction updates will not be discussed during the August 21 gathering. Instead, attendees can learn about The Milligan Studio and their approach to integrating art into civic spaces.

The Milligan Studio is led by Irish sculptor Alan Milligan and novelist Dr. Nicole Mary Milligan (N.M. Kelby). Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, they specialize in using traditional craftsmanship in modern settings with materials such as bronze, steel, and kiln-formed architectural glass. Their previous work includes projects in Middleton (WI), Rochester (MN), and St. Paul (MN).

Funding for this public art comes from Madison’s Percent for Art Ordinance—approved by Common Council in 2017—which allocates one percent of city funds from capital projects exceeding $5 million toward public art installations.

An example of The Milligan Studio's recent work is "The Weight of Water," a large-scale sculpture made from shatter-resistant glass and stainless steel installed at Cascade Lake Park Roundabout in Rochester, Minnesota.