The Bubbler at Madison Public Library

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The Bubbler at Madison Public Library

Madison Public Library's maker-focused program. Exhibitions, residencies, events, and workshops! Spam;
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Madison Public Library's maker-focused program, connecting artists to opportunities and the community to artists through free, hands-on learning, exhibitions, and community-wide events. The Bubbler is a hub that celebrates ideas and promotes community-wide creativity, curiosity, and connection.

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06/06/2026

There’s still time to submit your ideas and art to be considered for our new library the Imagination Center at Reindahl Park opening this Fall!

Beginning next week our team will be reviewing submissions for both the (1) inaugural exhibition and (2) the project-focused wall which will highlight interactive community-engaged art projects at the Imagination Center at Reindahl Park.

Artists on the Northeast side of town are especially encouraged to apply! Artists who have completed the form by Tuesday, June 9 at 9:00 am CST will be eligible for these specific opportunities if they show interest within the submission.

Beyond those two opportunities we, of course, are stoked to hear from local artists who are interested in facilitating workshops for adult, youth or both at any of our libraries. It's all funneled through the same form at this time. Fill out the Bubbler Artist Form to provide us an idea of who you are and what you're excited about creating. This form is ongoing for all arts opportunities with Madison Public Library through 2027.

https://www.madisonbubbler.org/get-involved/for-artists/bubbler-artist-form-2026-2027

06/05/2026

THANK YOU to all who joined us last week for the opening reception of Preserving Art & Culture for a Decade, a solo photography exhibition by Amadou Kromah. This exhibition invites both celebration and reflection, honoring the creative journey Amadou began at just fifteen years old. Through this collection, he highlights storytelling in images as one of the most powerful ways to connect and create change. He asks viewers to consider: “What does preserving art and culture look like in your everyday life?”

If you missed out on the opening there's still plenty of opportunity to see the exhibition as it will remain on display in the Diane Endres Ballweg Gallery on the third floor of Central Library through August 1.

The exhibition is available for viewing during Central Library's open hours unless a program or group is utilizing the space. Please call 608-266-6350 or email [email protected] before traveling to confirm that the gallery will be open to visitors.
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Photo credit: Heidi Johnson
Catering: Ugly Apple thanks to the support of Madison Public Library Foundation.

05/27/2026

Have you heard of Madison artist Amadou Kromah?

While he’s definitely Library-famous, he’s also a nationally recognized photographer who began honing his craft at just 15 years old. Amadou has photographed icons like Boyz II Men, Earth, Wind & Fire, Patti LaBelle, and Wynton Marsalis! From portraits and fashion to travel, entertainment, and local events, his work centers authenticity and storytelling (which, as you know, we LOVE).

We first got to know Amadou as a South Side library kid and have had the pleasure of admiring his work and collaborating with him throughout much of his career (so far!). Over the years, Amadou has been a teen workshop facilitator, Bubbler artist-in-residence, and freelance event photographer helping us capture community family portraits, MPLF fundraising events, art exhibition openings, and so much more.

But tomorrow night, he won’t be behind the camera because he’s going to be the artist who's being celebrated!

Join in on the celebration from 6:30-8:30pm at Central Library as we open Preserving Art & Culture for a Decade, a solo exhibition we are beyond honored to share with you all!

05/26/2026

Explore how sewing, quilting and fabric collage can help you move through challenging life experiences. As Jennifer Bastian embarks on the last leg of her residency at Thurber Park she is offering some soft and intentional spaces to connect and create together. Every offering is a bit different so dig in and treat yourself to some time stitching with Jennie, neighbors and friends alike!

Link in bio to read all the descriptions as well as links to register for the Color, Shape, Power Workshops (ages 16+).
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June 15, 22, 29:
Fabric Binds Us Drop-In Sessions at Pinney Library on Mondays, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm.

June 16 and July 7
Parks Alive! with Jennie joining at Worthington Park on Tuesdays from 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm.

July 13, 20, or 27
Color, Shape, Power Workshops at Thurber Park, in the outdoor park pavilion on Mondays from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm. [REGISTRATION REQUIRED]

August 8
Tying Up Loose Ends: A Celebration at Thurber Park, in outdoor park pavilion from 9:30 am - 11:30 am

05/23/2026

”When the event comes around each year it marks a tangible shift in season, it often feels like loads of artists coming out of whatever version of winter hibernation they take part in -- with all of their brilliant, hilarious, devastating, and inspiring creations in hand, ready to share them with the world.”
-Carlee Latimer from Team Bubbler (MP&R co-organizer)

Last month thousands of handmade zines and prints came into the Central Library that were made by over 100 artists and went home with some of the 959 visitors who attended Madison Print & Resist Zinefest. A big thank you to all the artists and event-goers who braved the Dane County Farmers Market, Crazylegs Classic, AND Mifflin Street Block Party crowds to make their way downtown and up to the 3rd floor of Central Library for the event.

05/22/2026

Preserving Art & Culture for a Decade is a photo exhibition opening at Central Library. It showcases the creative journey of local photographer Amadou Kromah, whose work behind the lens has documented real people, emotions, community moments, and cultural experiences over the last ten years. Beginning his photography journey at just 15 years old (!!!), Amadou has developed an authentic visual style that highlights stories too often overlooked or unseen.

We've loved getting to work with Amadou over the years at Madison Public Library and simply can't wait for so many more people to discover him and his work while the show is on display at the library from May 28 - August 1.

Come see!! Join us on Thursday, May 28 from 6:30-8:30pm to celebrate Preserving Art & Culture for a Decade with Amadou himself! Stop into Central Library to hear directly from him, engage with the exhibition, and enjoy light refreshments with friends old and new.
Special thanks to the Madison Public Library Foundation who is supporting this event and helping make the exhibition possible.

05/07/2026

Nothing screams SUMMER IS COMING like the day the WE READ banner goes back up on the side of Central !

WE READ is an ongoing initiative at Madison Public Library focused on the joy of reading for all ages! Through our engaging programs and activities that happen both in libraries and out in the community, you and your family can participate year-round in the way that works best for you. And we sure love to ramp things up for our SUMMER season!

Whether you're attending youth storytimes, checking out books to read at home or on vacation, listening to selections on Libby, making art alongside the artist-in-residence at your local library branch, attending an author talk with the Wisconsin Book Festival, joining us out in the community at an outreach event -- or finding your own path to the joy of reading -- we know Madison Public Library kind of has it going on. So grateful that the Bubbler program and our artists have the chance to bring their expertise and passion to WE READ!

Check the library calendar and keep an eye out for many summer offerings being shared soon! ☀️

05/06/2026

What pairs well with REAL CAKE? Obviously, Public Service Recognition Week + a zine full of stories!

In celebration and gratitude, National Velvet's Tell Me A Cake Story zine was shared with all our library staff - as an appetizer to the REAL CAKES dropped off at all nine library locations! This zine, designed by the artist, features more than 100 cake stories shared by library patrons, the collection captures the magic of a yearlong residency with Madison Public Library in celebration of the sesquicentennial. It’s a real page-turner, here's a taste!

"I believe everyone has a zany uncle..."
"In real life the cake was for...my sister's boyfriend's brother, who I was told actually had just gotten out of jail..."
"My dad and I graduated at the same time..."
"This star pizza cake comes from outer space. It tastes like the galaxy..."
"Well before I came out I made a mess of my family's kitchen to make my best friend, who I was definitely not in love with, a rainbow Pokeball cake..."
"It was during a trip to Paris with Sean around Thanksgiving..."

We hope the zine makes staff 😂 laugh, makes them say “🥺 awww,” and reminds them of the deep, meaningful connections our spaces 🥰 (and the stories within them! 📚) offer to all kinds of people - all thanks to their commitment and care.

Comment below ⤵️ if you'd like to pick-up or peruse a copy at your library! Rumor has it we may have some extra copies on the menu... 😏🍽️ 🍰

05/04/2026

On the evening of Sunday, April 19th Teen Services Librarian Jesse Vieau left Central Library after working the Youth Services desk all day and zipped over to UW Madison campus to join director and filmmaker Jenifer McShane in a panel discussion following the viewing of her most recent project, The Quilters (currently available on Netflix!).

Other voices on the panel included Marina Moskowitz of the School of Human Ecology and Jennifer Bastian, the current Thurber Park Artist-in-Residence, who has also worked with us through the Making Justice Program.

The Quilters (2024) documentary follows the daily lives of several quilters inside the sewing room at South Central Correctional Center, a Level 5 maximum-security prison in a small town two hours south of St. Louis, MO. From design to completion, the men reveal their struggles, triumphs, and sense of pride in creating something beautiful in this windowless, sacred space deep within the prison walls.

had the opportunity to highlight over a decade of work happening within the local youth justice system. Through the Making Justice program, Bubbler artists provide teens with hands-on art experiences shaped by their own interests through the introduction of unique mediums and projects that help them learn new skills and tell their stories.

While the ages, locations and circumstances are quite different when comparing our program to the one featured within the film, pride and intention in creating something is a theme throughout the documentary, echoed in full by both Jesse and Jennie on the panel as well.

Jenifer's unique, self-taught approach to storytelling centers around amplifying the experiences of others in order to share an honest and impactful collective story. At many moments she expressed how important it is that libraries continue to resource individuals within spaces like the South Central Correctional Center. Before leaving town, Jesse was able to invite Jenifer into some of our partner sites to view past projects, like murals, created by Making Justice participants and artists.

05/03/2026

There's another great exhibition at Lakeview Library this month!
Join us tomorrow evening in celebrating Sean Welch's Paper Party, a vibrant exhibit of collages and mixed media work now on display in the Lakeview Library community rooms through the end of May.

Stop in for the artist reception on Monday, May 4 from 5:00 - 7:45pm (tomorrow!) you'll have the opportunity to meet Sean and hear more about his creative process... and if that's not enough of a reason there will be a brief screening of his film Night Trees --and snacks available!

Address

201 W. Mifflin Street
Madison, WI
53703

Website

http://madisonbubbler.org/

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