Art has a way of bringing a community together and bringing a community to life. Across Racine County, museums, art galleries, public art, and community events celebrate the history, diversity, and character that make the region unique. Racine County’s art community contributes to our vibrant downtowns, foster community connections, and support creative careers through arts education and local programs. Whether attending an exhibition, participating in a workshop, or exploring a public art installation, residents and visitors have access to experiences that inspire creativity and a deep community connection.
Public art, local artists, and cultural experiences are helping create vibrant communities and inspiring the next generation of creatives in Racine County.
The impact of Racine County’s arts community can be seen in artists at every stage of their creative journey, from emerging young talent to established professionals. One young artist already making her mark is Nia Terry. Nia is a Junior at Walden High School in Racine and has had her artwork featured in the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago for three consecutive years. Her featured paintings include A Man, A Boy, Marvin, and Grillz.
Nia credits her artistic talent and passion for art to her father, Scott Terry, an artist and owner of the Mahogany Gallery in Racine, and to her art teachers who have encouraged her to pursue art after high school. She is exploring her options for a potential art career following high school and has taken an art class at Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD) over the summer.
While emerging artists like Nia represent the future of the arts in Racine County, community-wide projects continue to bring residents together through creative experiences and public art, such as Racine Art Museum’s (RAM) “Amanda Browder: Zig and Zag.” This art project will turn the RAM building into a colorful piece of art through community-donated pieces of fabric sewn together into long panels that will eventually decorate the entire building.
To complete the sewing for this project, residents of the Racine community were invited to participate in “Community Sewing Days” in the summer of 2026 where volunteers gathered at various locations in the City of Racine to sew, trim, and pin the donated pieces of fabric together. The completed exhibition will be revealed during RAM’s inaugural In/Between Art Festival from September 18-27 and will be on display until mid-October.
Another community-wide art initiative is the Makers’ Gallery window installations, an art collaboration between local artists, businesses, and property owners, turning vacant and underused windows of businesses in Downtown Racine into pieces of art. The initiative features 10 window installations on display at various locations through the end of summer. To bring this project to life, the Downtown Racine Corporation partnered with Wisconsin Main Street and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.
The initiative not only brings new life to downtown storefronts but also allows local artists to showcase their work and connect with the community. One of the Racine-based artists who participated in this project is Kelly Witte, a lifelong resident of Racine who has had her artwork featured internationally. Her design included signature bright colors using a floral theme.
An Artist Rooted in Racine
As a lifelong Racine resident, Witte has deep roots in the local arts community. After graduating from Horlick High School and earning a degree in studio art, she built a career that has taken her work to galleries and exhibitions across the United States and around the world. Despite that international reach, Racine remains at the center of her artistic journey.
Witte has been a familiar presence in Racine County’s arts scene for years. Her work has been featured at local institutions including the Racine Art Museum, Wustum Museum, Artists Gallery, the Racine Arts Council, and 16th Street Studios. She has also participated in Downtown Racine Corporation’s public art exhibits since 2004 and contributed to community projects such as the Great Lakes Chalk Art Competition and the Makers’ Gallery.
Her connection to Racine extends beyond the exhibitions where her work is displayed. Witte credits the art classes she took throughout school, along with supportive art teachers, for helping shape her creative path. Those experiences ultimately led to recognition such as the RAM’s Emerging Artist Fellowship Award in 2023, with her mixed media piece, I Have an Egg and Some M&M’s. I Can Make an Omelette. This piece is now part of RAM’s permanent collection.
For Witte, “public art and local artists are important to the identity of Racine County because they instill pride in our community, help boost economic growth, and make art accessible to everyone.” Looking ahead, she hopes to continue contributing to the community’s creative landscape, including one day creating a mural in her hometown of Racine. To find out more about current and upcoming art projects from Kelly Witte, follow her on Instagram: @kellywitteart.
From emerging student artists to established professionals and community-wide art initiatives, Racine County’s creative community continues to inspire, connect, and enrich the region. Through education, collaboration, public art, and cultural experiences, the arts play an important role in shaping Racine County’s identity and ensuring creativity remains a vibrant part of community life for generations to come. To discover more about Greater Racine County’s thriving arts and culture scene, visit the Arts & Culture page.
EXPLORE RACINE COUNTY ART GALLERIES & MUSEUMS
- Artists Gallery - Racine
- EAA Chapter 838 & Southeast Wisconsin Aviation Museum - Racine
- Logic Puzzle Museum - Burlington
- Racine Art Museum - Racine
- Racine Heritage Museum - Racine
- RAM's Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts - Racine
- SC Johnson Gallery: At Home with Frank Lloyd Wright - Racine
- Spectrum School of the Arts & Gallery - Racine
- Spinning Top & Yo-Yo Museum - Burlington
