Keith Mardak, Mary Vandenberg Donate $5M to Milwaukee Youth Arts Center

The Milwaukee Youth Arts Center has announced it will name its primary building, located at 325 W. Walnut Street in Milwaukee, the Mardak/Vandenberg Building — thanks to a $5 million gift from Milwaukee-based couple Keith Mardak and Mary Vandenberg.

“Through the great work of both First Stage and Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Youth Arts Center is opening a door for a diverse population of young people in Milwaukee to develop their talents and build a life-long appreciation for the performing arts,” Mardak said. “We’re excited to contribute to this expansion for students to enjoy for years to come.”

Milwaukee Youth Arts Center will undergo a major campus expansion to meet the growing educational and artistic needs of students, including a newly renovated Goodman Mainstage Hall and Annex.

“We are extremely grateful for this generous donation from Keith and Mary,” said Del Wilson, executive director of Milwaukee Youth Arts Center. “The completed construction of the Mardak|Vandenberg Building will feature two new rehearsal halls, six studios and six small group instruction rooms and will preserve the legacy created by the couple in connecting students, families and neighborhoods for generations.”

In addition to the renovations, three significant works of art highlighting artists from around the world will be donated to the organization by the couple: “An Old Song Without Words,” a painting by 19th century artist William Verplanck Birney completed in 1893; “The Big Round Sound,” a sculpture by Wisconsin-based Richard Taylor; and a sculpture by Zimbabwean artist Samuel Tichafa Masakwa will be displayed at the Mardak/Vandenberg Building.

Mardak is the former chairman and CEO of print music publisher Hal Leonard Corporation, and Vandenberg is the former vice-president of business affairs at Hal Leonard Corporation.