Communication Anniversary Party

media release: 2024 marks our 6 year anniversary at Communication!

Many of our core volunteer team and board members will be present to chat about our organization and our vision for the future. We’d love to hear your ideas, or just meet you and say hello!

Jennie Bastian, co-founder of Communication, will speak at 1pm to provide her perspective on Communication’s history, impact on the arts, and importance within our community.

Jennie recently announced her departure, so we will also be celebrating her incredible tenure and wishing her well in future endeavors!

We will have stations for you to flex your creativity:

Volunteer and shop favorite Emily Eklof (@emilymakesthingseveryday) will be creating buttons and felt pins!

Shop manager and print maven Sara Meredith (@smeretactics) will be resurrecting our iconic Communication couch woodcut for printing on vintage textiles!

Plus: snap a Polaroid with us and make your own picture frame, add to a doodle mural, and more!

As we gear up for the summer season, we're bidding a fond farewell to Jennie Bastian, who has been at the helm of Communication Madison as director for the past several years. Jennie's departure marks a significant transition for our community.

Since our inception six years ago, Jennie has been an integral part of Communication Madison. As one of the original co-founders, she played a vital role in shaping our mission to create a 'safer space' for the arts in Madison. Over the years, Jennie's dedication and leadership have been truly remarkable.

Under Jennie's guidance, Communication Madison has flourished, hosting over 244 music events, more than 120 art workshops, and numerous markets and art exhibitions. Her resilience during the pandemic was particularly inspiring, as she navigated the challenges by supporting initiatives such as the creation of a new Print Collective and a transition to our online shop.

Jennie's impact extends beyond our walls. She spearheaded initiatives like the MMOCA boycott, demonstrating her commitment to supporting artists and fostering a sense of community. Through collaborations with other organizations and mutual aid projects, Jennie forged meaningful connections: Highlights include co-organizing a series of art auctions in 2020 to support and uplift criminalized survivors, the Canteen Cafe Zine Project with Black and Pink Milwaukee and helping The Justice Club get off the ground – which eventually included a weeklong summer program for teens. 

Looking ahead, Jennie is excited about the future of Communication Madison and is enthusiastic about leadership for the organization  transitioning back to a core collective model. For her, it's always been about uplifting the community rather than individual leadership. As she says, “The Core collective members have each have brought something that I don’t have to the table. Each of them have had the enthusiasm and drive to take on things that I couldn’t or wouldn’t take on – I can leave and feel like things will continue – and we will continue to meet our mission.” As Jennie reflects on her time with us, “Communication Madison has changed how I think about my role as a community member and as an artist and I hope other people have a similar experience.”