Hotcakes is closing!

I am sad to pass on the news that Gallery director Mike Brenner officially announced the closing of his space Hotcakes yesterday via email [which I have reposted below]. Galleries like Hotcakes are what this city needs to grow and it's sad to know there will be one less awesome art space (out of the very few this city has to spare) in Milwaukee.

Thank you Mike Brenner for all the hard work you have done for this city........ read on to hear what Mike has to say:

via email February 1, 2008
Hotcakes Gallery Will Close July 3, 2008 at 5PM
It's official. In less than 3 months, Visit Milwaukee (Miwaukee's convention and visitors bureau) has raised the $85,000 it needs to erect the Bronze Fonz, a monument to the small-town Milwaukee of old. It's with great sadness, I announce that on July 3rd, Hotcakes Gallery will close it's doors for good. I cannot see running a contemporary art gallery in a city who's "leadership" is so eager to invest it's limited resources in garbage instead of fostering it's burgeoning arts community.

February 6th marks Hotcakes Gallery's 4th Birthday. It has been a wonderful four years. I truly appreciate everyone who showed up and supported me in my attempt to engage, excite and educate the general public with affordable, contemporary art and music. I made many new friends and had many incredible experiences I will never forget. I extend special thanks to those of you who put your money where your mouth was and invested in art.

My plan for the near future is to focus on my role as Executive Director of MARN (Milwaukee Artist Resource Network). MARN has been working closely with the Eastside Business Improvement District to build an arts incubator on the Eastside of Milwaukee, and I would like to see the project through to completion. I plan to spend the next couple years trying to raise the necessary funds to create a truly cutting-edge arts center that will nurture the next generation of artists and arts supporters.

My goal is to put Milwaukee on the map and make it an international destination for creative thinkers and doers. I want the world to see what I see... a city full of warmhearted, hardworking, creative individuals who deserve to be defined by so much more than beer, brats, cheese and Arthur Fonzerelli.

Sincerely,
mike brenner