The Milwaukee County Committee on Finance has laid the groundwork for a significant shift in how two of Milwaukee's cultural institutions, the Charles Allis Art Museum and the Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum, will operate in the future. In a unanimous decision, the committee approved a proposal to hand over the reins of these museums to nonprofit management. The move, aimed at financial independence for the museums, will substantially lighten the load of the County's long-term fiscal responsibilities.

According to a statement on Milwaukee County, Supervisor Steve F. Taylor gave, who also serves as Vice-Chair of both the Committee on Parks and Culture and the Committee on Finance, this transition is "a responsible and necessary decision that addresses Milwaukee County’s financial realities." Taylor outlines that managing all cultural institutions currently funded by taxpayers is unsustainable. By transitioning to nonprofit management, Milwaukee County could reduce its obligations by over $22 million, placing the museums on a viable path forward.

The proposed agreement stipulates favorable terms for the new nonprofit managers of these institutions. Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum will enjoy a three-year lease at $1 per year with the option to purchase the property and its collection by lease end for the same nominal amount. The Charles Allis Art Museum is set to have similar terms, with a one-year lease at $1, after which the property and its collection will transfer to its nonprofit management entity. This agreement also notably includes a stepping-down of support from Milwaukee County, promising continued but reduced operating and capital subsidies through 2028 to aid the museums during the transition.

The groundwork for this important shift in fiscal responsibility was laid by a budget amendment formulated in 2024, steered by Supervisors Steve F. Taylor and Shawn Rolland. As the Milwaukee County strives to balance its books and encourage self-sufficiency in its treasured cultural assets, Milwaukee's storied museums embark on a path towards their new chapter. In the words of Supervisor Taylor, this approach "protects taxpayers while charting a sustainable future for these cultural assets."