Our Stories

Arts in Education Week

Passed by Congress in 2010, “National Arts in Education Week is a national celebration recognizing the transformative power of the arts in education.” Starting on the second Sunday of September, the week of observation pays homage to the arts’ impact.…

GO-CART Hits the road!

The inaugural season of the GO-CART Community Arts Recreation Trailer hit the road on June 11th!  The project is a partnership between Prairie Music & Arts and Sun Prairie Parks, Recreation & Forestry, taking arts-based and recreational experiences to youth…

Sun Prairie Creates

The Sun Prairie Creates project is a 2nd year collaboration between Prairie Music & Arts and Sun Prairie Community Schools. Built on a hip-hop framework of empowerment, community, and expression, the project exposes youth in grades 2-5 to poetry, dance,…

Make Music Sun Prairie

Join the 3rd Annual Make Music Sun Prairie on Friday, June 21st, 2024! Make Music Day is a global music celebration on the summer solstice each year bringing people of all ages and skill levels together to make music. This…

2023 Impact Report

Over the past year, Prairie Music & Arts has embraced becoming more to the community. Read our year-end Impact Report to learn more about our accomplishments and future goals.

PMA ReceiveS Donation from AAMVA!

Local arts organization Prairie Music & Arts (PMA) received a generous gift of $14,196 from the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) at the annual International Conference held at the Monona Terrace from September 26-28.  A nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts…

Building Resiliency Through the Arts

The Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 Life is complex and rarely presents a straightforward path, with the bumps along the way often offering invaluable learning moments and opportunities to grow.  Never has this been more apparent to me than over…

Community From the Inside Out

Community is defined as a group of people with common interests, and this term lends itself well to the arts. After all, singing and drumming have been around almost since the beginning of time to bring people together during times…

Teacher: Marcus Porter

Art allows the mind to break the mold of the world, we’re all filled with different thoughts and ideas for what life is and how it is taught. Marcus Porter PMA Music Teaching Artist Marcus Porter is from Madison, Wisconsin,…

Teaching Artist: Cora Grover

Art is whatever you want it to be; no one can tell you what it is or isn’t. Art is your form of self-expression, and being able to teach future generations how to do that is why I’m here. Cora…

PMA receives Grant for go-cart project

Prairie Music & Arts was pleased to receive a $15,000 grant from the Sun Prairie Education Foundation to support the new GO-CART partnership with Sun Prairie Parks, Recreation & Forestry (SPPRF), taking arts-based programming directly to youth in Sun Prairie…

Ukulele Program

Prairie Music & Arts offers general music and ukulele classes to elementary students in the Sun Prairie Parks, Recreation, & Forestry Department Early-Release program and the McKenzie Family Boys & Girls Club. Students explore singing, movement, and playing the ukulele.…

Cap Times Grant Award

Prairie Music & Arts was honored to attend the Cap Times Kids Fund award reception on Thursday, November 9th, along with the Explore Children’s Museum and Sun Prairie Parks, Recreation & Forestry department. PMA was awarded a Cap Times Kids Fund…

Art Party-Madison

Imagine yourself in the 1800s; you’re an artist in France, and you’ve been invited to a local salon to meet other creatives like yourself. People are moving about, eating, drinking, and sharing conversation as you enter. While there, you learn…

There’s more to an arts education!

Years ago, I was fortunate to meet a young girl named Katie. She loved playing the piano, singing songs, and drawing pictures. Sadly, when she was 15, Katie’s parents went through a difficult divorce, pushing her into a challenging period…

PMA Receives Grants for M.A.D. Arts

Prairie Music & Arts received two grants to support the M.A.D. Arts – Music, Art, and Drama program for kids. Grant awards will help support partnerships with the Sun Prairie Community Schools and McKenzie Family Boys and Girls programs –…

Teacher Feature: The Path of a Performer-Educator

Sometimes it feels like I fell into being a singer/songwriter and performer by accident, And sometimes it feels like I planned it all along. I’ll try to explain. I started getting serious about writing songs when I was in high…