League of Municipalities announces Annual Conference Artist-in-Residence

   League of Wisconsin Municipalities Announces
127th Annual Conference Artist-in-Residence Ahmari Benton
September 17-19, 2025 | Milwaukee, WI
presented in partnership with Create Wisconsin

The League of Wisconsin Municipalities is pleased to announce the Artist-in-Residence for the League’s 2025 Fall Conference at the Baird Center in Milwaukee, September 17-19, 2025, presented in partnership with Create Wisconsin.   

Ahmari Benton of Milwaukee has been chosen as the 2025 Artist-in-Residence.  She will present a community-engaged, hands-on, participatory practice, bringing the gathered community into the creative process and incorporating the 2025 Conference Theme, “You are the Key.”  

Ms. Benton’s Conference experience will center on fostering connection, reflection, and pride through participatory visual art projects that allow for both individual expression and collaborative creation. The two-day residency will include a  "Keys of Change" community key making workshop.  These projects will provide opportunities for both brief and more in depth participation, accessible during the networking exposition. The combined works will visually and symbolically reflect the values and pride of Wisconsin’s community, leaving a lasting impression of creativity and collaboration at the heart of public service. 

As a multidisciplinary artist and community engaged museum educator, Ms. Benton is passionate about creating safe spaces where people of all backgrounds can connect, reflect, and express themselves through tactile, collaborative artmaking.  The Conference Artist In Residence opportunity aligns deeply with her values of civic engagement, accessibility, and creative collaboration. She has been involved in numerous projects and programs around the country centered on civic engagement and individual expression through the arts.  She is currently Associate Educator of Teen Programs at the Milwaukee Art Museum and is a graduate of Howard University. Recent projects include leading a group of teens to create a mural for a Milwaukee County Transit System Bus that positively addresses issues in their community, and serving as an Artist in Residence at Mitchell Street Arts in Milwaukee. 

“As an interdisciplinary visual artist, I am interested in the intersections of identity, place, and material storytelling. My creative practice draws from painting and fashion design to explore how visual narratives can affirm personal and collective histories, particularly within subjugated communities,” Ms. Benton says. “I am intellectually driven by questions of visibility, adornment, and how traditional and contemporary craft practices can be used to challenge dominant cultural narratives.”

“We’re thrilled that the League of Municipalities is supporting this Artist-in-Residence program,” said Carolyn Nelson-Kavajacz, President of the Create Wisconsin Board of Directors.  “We know Ahmari’s community-based creativity and artistry will add a great deal to the conference experience for all attendees, and provide inspiration for the work they do in and for their communities.  We are glad to be working with the League on this creative initiative.”

The League’s 127th Annual Fall Conference is a place for municipal staff and elected officials to find encouragement in a community of local government enthusiasts, share experiences, and together create the future. The 2025 conference will uplift stories of excellent community service, inspirational ideas, and practical solutions. The League provides the building blocks to create better organizations and communities, and attendees will walk away with inspiring, creative ideas and opportunities. This is the second year of the League Artist in Residence program made possible by the historic and enduring partnership between the League and Create Wisconsin.   

The League of Wisconsin Municipalities, established in 1898, is Wisconsin’s advocacy and service organization for all Wisconsin cities and villages. Create Wisconsin is the state’s community cultural development organization, founded in 1992, and providing advocacy, service, and development to grow Wisconsin creatively.

Contact Create Wisconsin at 608 255 8316 | info@createwisconsin.org for more information.