First Wave - Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives

The Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives is now looking for our 18th Cohort of the First Wave Hip Hop & Urban Arts Scholarship Program! For more information on the program, visit: go.wisc.edu/applyfirstwave

Are you a creative that believes you’ll be a starving artist within 5 years??? Well think again. Our amazing Digital Media Intern, GG (.crayon ), has tips to help you Get Your Work Out There!

Our student-artists got the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. to speak with the youth at Brave New Voices about First Wave. They even saw some familiar faces!

For more about this community that is First Wave, please visit: OMAI.wisc.edu

Stay in the know of where to go this summer with Summer Fun with Malee! Enjoy these personalized recommendations of what the Midwest has to offer. Check out our highlights for more.

Happy First Day of Classes 🦡 For today’s 2024 McNair Scholars spotlight, we are highlighting Janae Adams!

Janae is joining us as a fellow First Wave () scholar and her research interests include veterinary medicine 🐶

Some of Janae’s hobbies are dancing, painting 🎨, and playing piano. Welcome Janae!

As we begin to wrap up our final 2024 McNair Scholars spotlights, we would love to showcase Xóchitl Quiñones!

As a fellow First Wave () scholar, Xóchitl’s research interests include the application of rhetorical criticism in contemporary pop culture/politics, primarily in the correlation between state-level language surrounding immigration and the actual experiences of the immigrant community of the state in question.

Some of their hobbies are journaling, hiking, writing/reading 📚 , and community organizing and volunteering with (political) nonprofits! Welcome to the McNair family, Xóchitl!

Throwback to our Just Bust! last Spring!

Our next Just Bust! is February 2, 2024! We can’t wait to see you there. Make sure to “tap in” for your tickets with the link in our bio.

Photos by Mats Rudel, Division of the Arts

Have you applied for an opportunity that could change your life??

Our application is in our bio!

The Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives is honored to welcome two new team members for Spring 2024! Kayla McGhee, as OMAI’s Interim Associate Director, and Eric Newble, as OMAI’s Line Breaks Festival Assistant Director.

To learn more about our newest additions, please visit: go.wisc.edu/OmaiStaff

Higher academia can be overwhelming, so here’s 5 steps to prepare for the upcoming Spring semester!

Follow us for more resources and recaps!

Campaign by Uro Tanasat

The Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives is so excited to welcome the one and only Marc Bamuthi Joseph ( ) to campus for our Hip Hop Arts Residency Program (HHARP).

Bamuthi’s residency is from January 31st until
February 3rd. Here’s a list of events we should see you at!

For more information, check out the link in our bio.

Applications for the First Wave Hip Hop and Urban Arts Scholarship are still live. The First Wave Hip Hop & Urban Arts Learning Community is the first university program in the country centered on urban arts, spoken word and hip-hop culture. It is a four-year, full-tuition scholarship program for hip-hop artists, activists, and scholars.

Deadline is February 5th, 2024! Link in our bio to apply.

The Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives is so excited to partner with WUD Music ( ), WUD PAC ( ), and the Wisconsin Union Theater ( ) for our December Just Bust! to bring the amazing talented Mereba ( )!

This event is included in UW-Madison’s 175th Concert Series and aligns with our Hip Hop Arts Residency Program which celebrates 50 years of Hip Hop!

Please join us this Friday for an amazing show featuring Speedy Calhoun ( ) and student performances! This event is free and open to the public.

The Diversity Forum continues! Thank you to our Artistic Faculty Director, Mark H., and the First Wave Touring Ensemble for what you brought to the stage! Thank you also to our 14th Cohort Scholar, Rayane, for speaking about your experiences as an International Student.

Thank you to the DDEEA ( ) for curating this event and inviting OMAI students, staff, and faculty to be a part of this year’s forum!

Day two of the UW Diversity Forum started beautifully! Thank you to our 14th Cohort First Wave Scholars, Diya and Kaleb, for moderating such an engaging and expansive conversation with José Olivarez ( )!

For more information on this DDEEA ( ) event, please visit: diversityforum.wisc.edu

Throwback to this summer when the Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives got the chance to catch up with First Wave alums Taylor Scott (5th Co) , Eric Newble (7th Co) , and The Bear in the Forest (10th Co) !

To learn more about the First Wave program, please visit: OMAI.wisc.edu/firstwave

photos by

It’s that time! Join the Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives and Guest Artist Speedy Calhoun ( ) on this music workshop series! Come learn about how to better your writing, beat selection, performances, and studio recordings!

Thank you to the DDEEA ( ) for your gorgeous celebration of the life and legacy of our Cydney Edwards.

photos by .simonianholiday

Please join the DDEEA ( ) and the Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives in celebrating the life of our beloved Cydney Edwards on November 6th, 5:15-7:15, at the Pyle Center.

What a day! The Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives wants to thank our amazing workshop facilitators for our 2023 Passing the Mic Festival!

Thank you to the Madison Youth Arts Center ( ) for hosting us and thank you to for the tremendous support to cultivate this experience.

We are so excited to continue the Passing the Mic Showcase tonight, October 20th - featuring students orgs from across our youth networks, the 15th Cohort of First Wave, and the First Wave Touring Ensemble!

Tomorrow! Join the Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives 7-9pm at the Madison Youth Arts Center for our first Showcase!

Featuring students orgs from across our youth networks, the 15th Cohort of First Wave, and the First Wave Touring Ensemble! This event is free and open to the pic.

Link in our bio!