Milwaukee Bucks exhibit posters at MIAD locations

NBA All-Star Art, 2023. Courtesy of Milwaukee Bucks.

The Milwaukee Bucks have announced their newest project in a longstanding collaborative relationship with the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD). MIAD alum and former Bucks intern Bree Vouga ’23 (Communication Design), who is now a Graphic Designer for the basketball team, worked with her colleagues to create large posters promoting voting for the Bucks All-Star contenders.

From January 16 – 20, 2024, MIAD’s lobby will display three large-scale posters of the Bucks All-Star contenders, as well as smaller digital player posters. In addition, Bucks mascot Bango will visit campus on Thursday, January 18 at 11:30 a.m. to hand out posters and Bucks memorabilia. Vouga created the All-Star poster for Brook Lopez, while her colleagues, Alexa Lesinski and Chris Vitek, created posters for two other All-Star contenders: Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Voting is open online through January 20 for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis. To vote for a 2024 Bucks All-Star, visit bucks.com/allstar.

At the same time, MIAD’s newest offsite gallery space, the Gallery at The Ave, will feature all of the large player posters, plus a collection of additional Bucks player posters from January 16 – February 20, 2024. The Gallery at The Ave will also host extended hours to coincide with the Bucks home games on January 26 and February 8, 2024. On January 26, the gallery will give away free posters to the first 100 fans who visit between 5 – 7 p.m. While at Gallery at The Ave, visitors can shop a specially-curated, Bucks-related selection of consignment artists. Visit galleryattheave.miad.edu for more information.

“Working on the All-Star Campaign has been such a surreal experience,” says Bucks Graphic Designer and MIAD alum Bree Vouga. “It’s my first large-scale project outside of college, and it’s been beyond rewarding. From ideation to execution, I played a creative role in building the campaign’s look. Collaborating with two other incredible designers on my team, Alexa Lesinski and Chris Vitek, I learned to navigate the dynamic challenges of a real-world project. Design is like a puzzle.” Vouga continues, “I am so grateful for the opportunity, and excited to continue contributing my creativity and dedication to future projects.”

Vouga’s work continues MIAD’s ties and partnerships with the Milwaukee Bucks. Most visible is the Bucks’ current logo, redesigned for the 2006-07 season. Justin Thomas Kay ’04 (CD), currently Group SVP, Group Creative Director at Day One Agency in New York, was Managing Creative Director of the team at Doubleday and Cartright that created the new logo.

In 2023, Ladasia Bryant ’23 (CD) was tapped to create a mural for the Bucks, which was displayed in Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum during Black History Month. Bryant selected and managed a team of five students from MIAD’s Black Leaders and Artists Coalition (BLAC) and BLAC’s Quilters Union: Brandon Luster ’25 (Fine Art + New Studio Practice), Desharr Saddler ’24 (Product Design), Noah Teague ’25 (CD), Zara Dixon ’25 (Illustration) and Jada Hendricks ’24 (Fine Art + New Studio Practice). The mural focused on Milwaukee landmarks and wove in elements and colors of Black History Month and basketball.

MIAD also partnered with the Bucks and Northwestern Mutual Foundation on the 2011 Read to Achieve program and Reading Challenge with the Milwaukee County Library System. Kaycie Dunlap ’11 (Time-Based Media) designed, illustrated and wrote the comic book, Battle for the Library, marking the feature debut of Bucks mascot Bango. Thousands of area children received the book through this initiative.

“We are excited to continue our partnership with the Milwaukee Bucks through the display of artwork from their All-Star collection both on our main campus and at MIAD Gallery at The Ave,” says Tracy Milkowski, Vice President for Institutional Advancement at MIAD. “It is a proud moment for the college that the work of our alumna is on display for the Milwaukee community to see.”

“We’re thrilled for the Milwaukee community to see our unique, pop-art inspired All-Star campaign on display at MIAD’s Gallery at the Ave,” said Mallory Steinberg, Bucks Vice President of Marketing. “We encourage our fans to vote for Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game.”

Vote for a Bucks All-Star before January 20 at bucks.com/allstar, visit MIAD Gallery at The Ave to view posters and read the press release from the Milwaukee Bucks!