The following below is a letter to the Overture Center for the Arts in Madison, Wisconsin. We are asking for the Overture to apologize for the racist treatment of artist Lilada Gee and Annik Dupaty who is employed by the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. We care about our Madison community and residents and they should feel supported and safe. 

To:  Overture Center for the Arts
201 State St, Madison, WI 53703
Attn: Dr. Ed Homes

Dear Dr. Holmes:

We are writing to ask that you and the Overture apologize to Ms. Lilada Gee and Annik Dupaty for the incident that occurred on March 9, 2022. 

As you know, on March 9, Ms. Gee was creating a mural in your building that would honor and celebrate Black girlhood. During her work on this mural, Ms. Gee was coming in and out of the building to get supplies. Ms. Gee was escorted by MMOCA employee, Annik Dupaty. 

On one of her trips into the building, Ms. Gee was accosted by your guest services manager in a racially troubling manner.  To contain your legal liability, you fired the guest services manager and defended your organization’s record on equity in this community. However, to our knowledge, we understand that you have not publicly apologized to Ms. Gee or Ms. Dupaty. We find this disrespectful and appalling. 

We are Madison residents who enjoy and support the arts community in Madison, generally, and we specifically are patrons and customers of the arts at the Overture. While we enjoy the arts at the Overture, we would find it increasingly difficult to do so when one of our artistic residents has been treated so poorly. 

We strongly suggest you reconsider your decision, and apologize to Ms. Dupaty and Ms. Gee.