The Southern Wisconsin Art Guild, Inc. (SWAG) is dedicated to promoting the visual arts in Southern Wisconsin.
The Southern Wisconsin Art Guild, Inc. is a friendly, active organization of artists and art supporters who are working to find ways to bring artists and the community together.
We welcome artists of all levels, as well as those interested in supporting the visual arts in southern Wisconsin. Our mission is to advance the common good and welfare of communities by providing support and opportunity for visual artists and their work.
SWAG was founded in late 2021 to rescue an art fair that was held in Paoli, Wisconsin. Artists were hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020 and 2021. Many art fairs were canceled and artists suffered significant financial hardships. Art lovers were deprived of the opportunity to enjoy amazing art. After the Paoli Art Show had been canceled two years in a row, the previous promoter decided they would no longer organize it. Not wanting this popular event to end, a group of seasoned artist friends came together to form the Southern Wisconsin Art Guild, Inc.
In 2021, the art show was renamed Paoli Art in the Park. To this day, we are dedicated to the continued success of this event, and plan to organize it annually, for the benefit of the community and the artists of southern Wisconsin.
We continue to seek out additional opportunities to support the visual arts in southern Wisconsin. We have scheduled regular meetings, art exhibits, and educational presentations.
Ann Kleckner
Southern Wisconsin Art Guild President