Milwaukee Artist Resource Network (MARN) has named musician, artist, designer, inventor and business owner Joe Hausch as its executive director.
Hausch's appointment came in early September and in the role, he will run the day-to-day operations of nonprofit that supports local artists and runs the MARN Art + Culture Hub gallery, cafe and wine bar at 191 N. Broadway in the Third Ward.
Hausch, a 1984 MIAD graduate, runs the Hausch Design Agency, a hybrid creative marketing communications firm, and PHOTAVIA, which, he says, "creates time-relevant, all-inclusive media experiences through art, part video experience and part education.
“From a young age, my parents fostered my love for art, to which I've devoted countless hours," Hausch says. "Over the past 35 years, I've been actively involved with nonprofits and boards, contributing significantly to fundraising, marketing, sharing my expertise and organizing events.
"I am honored to support and be part of MARN's mission, aiding the wide array of artists within the MARN community.”
Joe brings this incredible wealth of talent to MARN and a solid commitment to our local Wisconsin art community. His extensive business experience, years of collaboration with the art community, and dedication to fostering relationships with local businesses will create robust networking opportunities for artists within the local community.
MARN was founded in 2000. It launched a mentorship program seven years later. The MARN Art + Culture Hub opened in 2021.
For more about MARN, visit marnarts.org.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
