In the spring of 2019, the InterContinental Hotel Milwaukee, 139 E. Kilbourn Ave., will transform into Saint Kate The Arts Hotel, the city’s first independent arts hotel in the heart of Downtown Milwaukee.
The hotel is named after St. Catherine, the patron saint of artists, and its motto "invite participation and expect change" will be at the heart of the experience for all. Guests will be challenged to keep an open mind, embrace change and evolve as individuals.
Earlier this evening, 400 people – including Milwaukee artists and members from all corners of the community – converged at the hotel for the unveiling of the name, story and design plans.
Saint Kate will undergo a major renovation that will result in 219 art-inspired guestrooms, 11 event spaces, 13,000 square feet of meeting space, three restaurants and numerous bars and lounges. The hotel will also boast a theater featuring plays, lectures, classes, live music, dance performances, gallery space and a working Artist-in-Residence space.
The event spaces will host rotating exhibitions, screenings, workshops and other programming.
"Saint Kate is a place for everyone who treasures the arts and appreciates all that art can bring to our lives and communities. Saint Kate will help show the world that Milwaukee is a vibrant destination for creative expression," says Reginald Baylor, one of Wisconsin’s best-known artists and the first Artist in Residence of The Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee.
"All our lives are made richer by letting go of the familiar and embracing the process of creativity. At Saint Kate, our community can unite to embrace the beauty of what could be."
The hotel is currently seeking proposals from artists around the world that will be reviewed by an independent arts advisory board comprised of Milwaukee arts organization leaders and local creative influencers. All ideas are welcome and should be emailed to proposals@saintkatearts.com.
Saint Kate is owned and operated by The Marcus Corporation, which owns or manages 21 hotels, properties and resorts in the United States, including The Pfister and the Hilton City Center in Downtown Milwaukee.
"Where there is art, there is change and appreciation. Every time you visit Saint Kate it will be a different experience, a new perspective and a rewarding personal journey," says Greg Marcus, president and CEO of the Marcus Corporation.
"From the moment guests walk through the doors, they will have a new view of Milwaukee and the creative spirit that pulses through our streets. We are inviting the curious, the seekers, the inventors to be part of the Saint Kate experience and to use this new platform to share their expressions with the community."
OnMilwaukee interviewed Marcus Hotels & Resorts Vice President of Marketing Erin Levzow and Baylor before the unveiling event this evening:
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
