Cultural Arts

Between performances by the Madison Opera and Madison Symphony Orchestra, touring productions at Overture Center for the Arts, and a full schedule of performances at the University of Wisconsin Madison's many venues, there is world-class entertainment to be found just about every night in Madison. Greater Madison also boasts a great number of live music venues, resident theatre groups and visual art centers, lending the area the urban sophistication and cultural arts reputation usually reserved for larger metropolitan areas.

PERFORMING ARTS VENUES

AMERICAN PLAYERS THEATRE (APT)
RR 3, Spring Green,WI. 608.588.2361
This professional, Equity, classical theatre is located in 110 acres of woods and meadow just off the Wisconsin River in Spring Green,WI. Shakespeare is APT's heart and soul, but the theatre also performs works ranging from the Greeks to British comedies.

BARTELL COMMUNITY THEATRE
113 E. Mifflin St., Madison. 608.294.0740
Six participating theatre companies and visiting entertainers present performances on two stages.

FIRESIDE DINNER THEATRE
Business Hwy 26 South, Fort Atkinson, WI. 920.563.9505
Wisconsin's #1 year-round motorcoach attraction featuring live, professional Broadway musicals and superb dining. Fireside Dinner Theatre offers nine shows weekly, Wednesday-Sunday.

OVERTURE CENTER FOR THE ARTS
201 State St., Madison. 608.258.4141
Designed by internationally-acclaimed architect Cesar Pelli, Overture Center is an impressive 400,000 square foot, world-class visual and performing arts facility. This magnificent space is host to countless visiting performers and traveling exhibitions, and is also home to Overture Center's 10 resident companies:

• CTM Madison Family Theatre Company
• Kanopy Dance Company
• Li Chiao-Ping Dance Company
• Madison Ballet
• Madison Museum of Contemporary Art
• Madison Opera
• Madison Symphony Orchestra
• Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters
• Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra

WISCONSIN UNION THEATER
800 Langdon St., Madison. 608.262.2201
Madison's oldest theater presenting the best in world and classical music, dance and travel films.

MUSEUMS & GALLERIES

CHAZEN MUSEUM OF ART
800 University Ave., Madison. 608.263.2246. 
One of the nation's leading university art museums, the Chazen features 11 galleries and more than 17,000 works of art dating from 2300 B.C. to the present. In 2005, the Museum announced a $20 million gift from alumni Simona and Jerome A. Chazen to fund a major expansion of the museum. The donation is part of the University of Wisconsin Foundation's "Create the Future: the Wisconsin Campaign" and represents more than half of the estimated $35 million of gift monies needed for the museum's expansion project. Plans include a new 60,000-square-foot building across Murray Street, east of the existing museum site, and a dramatic overhead walkway connecting the two buildings.

MADISON MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART (MMoCA)
227 State St., Madison. 608.257.0158 
MMoCA encompasses 51,500 square feet of interior space, including highly flexible gallery space and a rooftop restaurant and sculpture garden. The permanent collection features nearly 5,000 works of art, including a vast selection of American prints, photographs, drawings, paintings, and sculptures. MMoCA also coordinates Art Fair on the Square, which brings over 200,000 enthusiastic fairgoers and nearly 500 artisans to Madison's Capitol Square each summer.

WISCONSIN HISTORICAL MUSEUM
30 N. Carroll St., Madison. 608.264.6555 
Explore Wisconsin's distinctive heritage and a variety of other American history topics through artifacts, photographs, full-scale dioramas, audio-visual presentations, and interactive multimedia programs.

WISCONSIN VETERANS MUSEUM
30 W. Mifflin St., Madison. 608.267.1799 
Discover instructive exhibits that highlight important events in Wisconsin military history from the Civil War to the present.

More to Explore

• Absolutely Art, 2322 Atwood Ave., Madison
• Art in the Afternoon, By Appointment, 608.469.2994
• Artisan Gallery, 6858 Paoli Rd., Paoli
• Artisan Woods, 2935 S. Fish Hatchery Rd., Madison
• Brewer Square Gallery & Gifts, 110 Columbus St., Sun Prairie
• Catfish River Arts & Antiques, 154 W. Main St., Stoughton
• Columbus Antique Mall & Christopher Columbus Museum,239 Whitney St., Columbus
• Grace Chosy Gallery, 1825 Monroe St., Madison
• Janet's Antiques, 3800 University Ave., Madison
• Madison Children's Museum, 100 State St., Madison
• Mount Horeb Mustard Museum,100 W. Main St., Mount Horeb
• State Street Gallery, 109 State St., Madison
• Zazen Gallery, 6896 Paoli Rd., Belleville

GALLERY NIGHT
Organized twice annually by the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Gallery Night offers a unique opportunity to meet artists where they make and/or exhibit their work. Museums, galleries and other businesses throughout Madison participate, treating visitors to receptions, tours, demonstrations and more. Traditionally, Gallery Night takes place on the first Fridays of May and October.

ISTHMUS JAZZ FESTIVAL
Catch dozens of musicians and groups from Madison and the surrounding area performing and leading workshops in the versatile new spaces of the magnificent Overture Center for the Arts.

OPERA IN THE PARK
Every July, Madison Opera presents a night of outstanding opera favorites under the stars in the beautiful and spacious Garner Park. Join 8,000 others for a night to remember!

WISCONSIN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA'S CONCERTS ON THE SQUARE®
Concerts on the Square is one of Madison's largest outdoor concerts, drawing more that 120,000 people annually. Held on the State Capitol lawn for six consecutive Wednesdays during the summer.

WISCONSIN BOOK FESTIVAL
This celebration of the pleasures of reading and the benefits of literacy, takes place throughout downtown Madison. The event features 200 of today's most prominent and promising authors from Wisconsin and around the world at more than 100 free events for people of all ages. Scheduled events include public readings, lectures, panel discussions, storytelling sessions, open-mic poetry slams and writing workshops.

WISCONSIN FILM FESTIVAL
Featuring international, independent and experimental films, it's Wisconsin's premier independent film event and only major film festival. View innovative films, then stay for talks, panels, performances, and coffeehouse discussions with filmmakers.