SEEN, is a collective of moving image makers, researchers, and curators who aim to disrupt the system of pay to show festivals and censored queer spaces. Based out of Milwaukee Wisconsin, we formed at the end of 2018 and launched our programming works at the start of 2019. Since our inception we have worked with many community driven and alternative Art spaces in Wisconsin, and now Chicago! Started in a downtown gallery with a decolonial focus, Genesis, we now primarily operate out of Cactus Club in Milwaukee: A historic, artist-run Punk venue and community space. We are, and have always been, a donation based operation that focuses on self-defined, non-conformist queer work in the underground. Originally with an additional Scene, as in a sequence in a film, Seen|Scene rebranded in 2021 as the SEEN you know today. With this we committed to maintaining our no submission fee stance, paying Artists for participation, continuing our community focus, became vocally anti censorship, and released our Manifesto.
Spaces we’ve programed:
Genesis | Milwaukee
Cactus Club | Milwaukee
_underscore | Chicago
Blue Room | Sheboygan
Paradigm | Sheboygan
Walker’s Point Center for the Arts | Milwaukee
UWM Union Cinema | Milwaukee
Epiphany Center for the Arts | Chicago