Oral History Interview: Michael Warlum (1388)

Abstract

In his July 2014 interviews, Michael Warlum overviews his involvement with the community arts development movement during the late 1960s and early 1970s, reflecting on the impact his and Professor Robert E. Gard’s work would have on later generations of community arts developers. He recounts his early years growing up in rural Wisconsin, including his growing interest in the arts and the profound influence of attending UW and working with Prof. Gard. Outlining his work in the years intervening between his departure from UW in 1969 and reconnecting with Maryo Gard Ewell in the 2000s, he shares his perspectives on what he believes art and arts development should look like in small communities in the future. This interview was conducted for inclusion in the Robert E. Gard Wisconsin Idea Foundation Oral History Project and the UW-Madison And Wisconsin Community Arts Project of the UW-Madison Archives Oral History Program.