INSTITUTE FOR THE PRESERVATION OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSIC AND ARTS
Established in August 2021, the Institute for the Preservation of African American Music and Arts (IPAMA) was thoughtfully conceptualized, purposefully designed, and intentionally built to serve multiple vital roles within the Milwaukee community and beyond. At its core, IPAMA exists to collect, preserve, and display artwork, artifacts, historical memorabilia, and recordings from around the globe, offering a fully immersive and intercultural experience for visitors of all backgrounds. Additionally, IPAMA functions as a vibrant community gathering space and conference center, hosting meetings, performances, and cultural events of all kinds.
IPAMA is a proud member of the National Association of African American Museums, a distinction that affirms its status as an accredited archival repository. It is dedicated to preserving and showcasing the artistic, musical, scientific, and cultural contributions of African Americans from 1619 to the present. More than just a museum, IPAMA is a living, breathing learning habitat a place that tells the true story of African American creativity, struggle, and triumph through the powerful mediums of music and art.
Located in the heart of Milwaukee’s north side, IPAMA serves as a education, enrichment, and empowerment for the entire city. Its exhibitions highlight the resilient spirit of African American communities and amplify the beauty and brilliance that have emerged from generations of perseverance and purpose.
A Space to Gather, Learn, and Celebrate
IPAMA is also a state-of-the-art conference and meeting facility offering accessible, attractive, and first-class accommodations for a wide range of gatherings. From corporate meetings to community celebrations, IPAMA provides versatile spaces paired with full-service catering and customizable menus to elevate every event. Its multimedia classrooms and modern technology infrastructure make it a prime destination for both in-person and virtual learning experiences, capable of comfortably hosting up to 250 guests in its main hall.
Two Unique Locations, One Powerful Mission
IPAMA West
9100 North Swan Road, Milwaukee, WI 53224
Located on an 18-acre wooded campus on Milwaukee’s far northwest side, IPAMA West offers a tranquil and scenic environment perfect for retreats, team-building, and intimate events. The space showcases a carefully curated collection of international art pieces, sculptures, vinyl recordings, and historical memorabilia that honor timeless Black art and artists. Its peaceful atmosphere, removed from the noise and distractions of city life, makes it an ideal destination for reflection, learning, and creative inspiration.
IPAMA East
3200 West Hampton Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53209
Located in the heart of the Bishop’s Creek neighborhood, IPAMA East is a dynamic hub of intercultural engagement and collaborative learning. Spanning more than 32,000 square feet of flexible, technology-equipped meeting and exhibition space, IPAMA East fosters cultural dialogue, artistic celebration, and community connection. Whether hosting educational seminars, exhibitions, leadership conferences, or social gatherings, IPAMA East offers a welcoming space to **explore, engage, and be inspired**.
The facility includes multiple breakout rooms and customizable meeting areas, each outfitted with state-of-the-art audio and visual systems resources that will be further enhanced through grant support. With a capacity to host up to 250 guests, IPAMA East stands ready to serve Milwaukee’s diverse communities as a center for innovation, heritage, and unity.
CELEBRATING OUR STORIES
The totality of IPAMA’s archives spans generations and continents, eloquently articulating the inspiration of overcoming prejudice and institutionalized racism, the struggle to survive, community empowerment, political activism, genealogical origins, cultural diversity, and the ubiquitous resilience of the African spirit. The IPAMA collection captures poignant moments, resounding voices, exhilarating music, and courageous acts of service preserved in the renderings of Black art for all time. As calls to justice and beacons of greater democracy, equality, and inclusion, this important collective bestows historic significance and cultural value beyond measure.
CULTURE
Acquisition of contemporary art is IPAMA’s primary activity. Collection practices rigidly follow established national guidelines regarding compliance and authentication procedures. IPAMA’s practices are inclusive and representative of the wide spectrum of artistic expression, ensuring that emotional, moving, and often personal stories of global activism are viewed from a range of diverse perspectives.
The wealth of the museum’s collection rests in its diversity which is relevant and resonants with the world of today. Passionate in its mission to provide access to cultural enrichment, IPAMA culture actively and productively supports intent with a tangible, brick and mortar, hands on approach, creating access to information and art, as a learning and event center, a community gathering place, and a treasure house of cultural efficacy. Over the next decade, IPAMA will continue to work diligently to facilitate access to and enhance comprehension of the true stories rooted within the collective artwork of America’s Black artists.
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For centuries, indigenous Africans embraced the arts, sciences, mathematics and architectural concepts which have garnered notoriety and fostered appreciation for their profound ingenious.
The global duplication of their culture and customs has revealed an unprecedented appreciation of their artistic forms and contributions.
The human transposing of these native Africans did not diminish our ability to preserve their rich traditions, identities and customs. they embraced an unfeigned and rigorous appreciation for their unparalleled and immeasurable traditions when globally dispersed, Including their horrific trans-Atlantic middle passage to the Americas. These brutal and inhumane voyages were motivated by African tribal conflicts.
European economic greed and the amassed benefits of slave trading in the United States. Their will to survive, belief in the possibility of returning to their native land, faith in their God and passion to protect their ancestral heritage afforded these captured Africans the unique ability to utilize intergenerational transfer of knowledge and traditions within their new communities.
