City skyline over Lake Monona.
Planning

Newville Park Sculpture

Project Details

  • Associated Project

    Newville Park Reconstruction

  • Location

    1867 Beld St, Madison, WI 53713

  • Alder District

    District 14

  • Status

    Pre-Design

  • Estimated Completion

    2027-2028

Newville Park

  • Artist - Babette Wainwright

    Babette Wainwright started as a painter, but in 1998 found a passion for working in clay. Her sculptures are informed both by her African roots, and by the work of the pre-Colombian people of Haiti, the Arawaks. In 2000, she earned an MFA in Ceramics at UW Madison. She has since been working in both mediums, using the female image as a vehicle for conveying her sense of uprootedness, and her spirituality.

  • Proposal

    Project proposal for Babette Wainwright's Lullaby

  • Community Feedback

    Meet Babette Wainwright and hear about her art at the Wednesday, September 9, 2026 virtual meeting of the Madison Arts Commission. Register to attend here.

    To share comments now, email madisonarts@cityofmadison.com

Project Timeline

  1. Madison Arts Commission Initial Vote

    At their meeting on October 12, 2022 the Madison Arts Commissions voted to have staff prepare a proposal for a mother & child sculpture, to replace one once on this site.

  2. Madison Arts Commission Proposal Vote

    At their meeting on June 16, 2026 the Madison Arts Commissions will vote to on a proposal to license Lullaby by Babette Wainwright (or a similar commission) for Newville Park.

  3. Community Engagement

    The artist will share a bit about their history, the lullaby sculpture, and their project intentions at the Wednesday, September 9, 2026 meeting of the Madison Arts Commission. Register to attend after September 4, 2026 here. 

  4. Design Updates

    After Babette receives community and commissioner feedback on their initial concepts, she will prepare  an updated design proposal for final comments (if needed).

  5. Review and Approvals

    The final design will need to be approved by the Madison Arts Commission, as well as possibly the Board of Parks Commissioners, Finance Commission and the Madison Common Council.

  6. Fabrication

  7. Installation

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