History

 At a four-top inside Kavarna Coffeehouse in 2017, three local makers sat discussing how they could support each other. By the end of this conversation, SAGE was born.

SAGE stands for “Share, Accept, Grow, Encourage”, and over the years, that’s looked like a variety of outputs.

In 2017, we were monthly gatherings that ranged from three to ten people in attendance. We hosted our first “Pop Up and Platform” events inside what was formally known as the Leap Room, and in November, set up a small market within the CP Auction event.

In 2018, we were partners with a marketplace called “The Eclectic Market” in the Broadway District. This would be the first location we hosted a community event, which called “DIY on the Fly”. This event would go on to become “Creative Community”, and, more recently, simply referred to as “Open Studio Night”.

In 2019, we filed and received official 501(c)3 non-profit status, and would participate in quite a few events with On Broadway, including all of their Ignight Markets, hosting an outdoor gallery called “Creative Community”, and a maker’s market during their Beer and Wine Walks.

In 2020, the pandemic caused us to shift greatly. Our last in person monthly meeting was in March, where we hosted over 40 local artisans. Since April of 2020, SAGE has hosted their monthly meetings virtually from their Facebook page. We made porch deliveries of art supplies to encourage creatives to “just keep making”, launched Artist Trading Cards so folks would continue to feel a sense of connection, and hosted the inaugural Toy Maker’s Fundraiser. For the first fundraiser, 86 stuffed animals were created and auctioned off to raise money for SAGE and 22 additional non-profits in the immediate community.

In 2021 we focused on how we could assist artists in making their art seen without hosting an event. We started the SAGE Gallery Program, by which art from local artists was placed inside businesses in the Downtown Green Bay area. In November of 2021, after receiving a Main Street Bounceback Grant, SAGE moved into our studio location at 225 N. Washington Street.

In 2022, SAGE created a board position for a Diversity, Inclusivity, and Accessibility Specialist. With a new studio location, we also began our “One Night Only” program- quarterly art exhibits curated by different artists in an effort to showcase a variety of art and themes. We restarted our “Open Studio” nights the third Tuesday of every month, and in July, SAGE completed its first public arts project in Pulaski with a mural at their Memorial Park.

2023 started off strong as we were chosen as one of 45 nonprofits to participate in Give Big Green Bay. We were also awarded a grant to bring our signature program “Creatively Engaged Community” to service nonprofits in the Green Bay area. The program centers around artists functioning as mentors to assist individuals in utilizing art to share their personal stories. We completed successful partner programs with the ADRC of Brown County, Casa ALBA Melanie, and Aspiro. In August, we partnered with the Brown County Library to host our 1st Annual Green Bay Zine Spectacular, and in October were awarded another grant to continue our Open Studio, Muscians’ Meetups, and One Night Only exhibits at our downtown Green Bay studio.

2024 has been a tremendous year of growth. In addition to local artists taking on One Night Only exhibits, in July we announced expansion of our programs to serve more of Brown County. We began programming in Pulaski and will expand to Denmark and Wrightstown in 2025. In August we hosted “Modern Warriors: Indigenous Art Market” and in late October, an artist behind this project secured funding to provide stipends to the artists for being “culture bearers” in their community during these events. We completed the first crosswalk mural in Brown County with a school-spirit addition in Pulaski that was met with rave reviews. We will close out the year with a celebration to culminate the final Toy Maker’s Fundraiser inside the Bellin Building, a historic property we now call home.