MIAD Labs
At more than 25,000 square feet, MIAD offers one of the most expansive maker facilities in the nation. This creative hive will offer you limitless opportunities to bring your ideas to life. Here, you’ll find space and resources to define your creative path.
In MIAD’s labs, you will have access to cutting-edge technology, equipment and machinery. Expert lab technicians are available to help you use all equipment.
Check out MIAD’s 3D & Sculpture Lab, Lubar Emerging Technology Center, Lubar Innovation Center, Printmaking Lab and Textiles Lab.
3D & Sculpture Lab
MIAD’s 3-D and Sculpture lab space boasts approximately 20,000 square feet of workable space for students in all disciplines to work and create. Accommodating needs for students of varying backgrounds, the lab supplies the needed machinery and technology for working in wood, metal, plastics, vacuum forming, model building, bronze casting, ceramics, clay and much more. Found among the open, general space are separate rooms allowing for individual spray booths, tool rooms of shared usage, classroom space, in addition to many individual workstations for needed projects and ideas. True to the nature of the rest of MIAD’s Jane Pettit Bradley building, a wall of windows spans the length of the lab, allowing natural light to flood the facilities opening up the expansive facility even more.
Lubar Emerging Technology Center
The Lubar Emerging Technology Center (ETC) is a place where MIAD students, staff and faculty engage with technologies as they develop. The purpose of the Lubar ETC is to help students learn how to learn to use technology to support their creative practice. All students have full access to the center, regardless of course of study or discipline.
Lubar Innovation Center
The MIAD Lubar Innovation Center connects real-world clients with our best and brightest students.
Through our creative development program, we foster innovative and entrepreneurial thinking to challenge our students’ individual interests, support academic programming and collaborate with corporate and nonprofit partners.
Printmaking Lab
MIAD’s Printmaking Lab is a unique space on the third floor overlooking the Milwaukee River. It includes a full letterpress shop, intaglio relief printing shop, photo darkroom, lithography shop, screen printing and paper making capabilities and a risograph printer.
Textiles Lab
MIAD’s Textiles Lab is a textiles based workspace open to students in all disciplines. Located in the sunlit, room 250, the lab houses the industry-grade equipment and materials. The lab is monitored and maintained by the Textiles Lab Technician and knowledgeable student workers. Curriculum based sewing, such as the Sophomore Industrial Design Backpack project, Concept to Pattern course, Visual Language embroidery project and a variety of NSP projects including clothing design, felting, quilt making and fabric dyeing are accomplished in the Textiles Lab. This lab, open to all students, is designed for technical skill building, conceptual advancement and exploratory research.
News
MIAD alum is state fair Grand Champion Fairtastic Artist
Wisconsin State Fair has named Lauren Marvell ’16 (Integrated Studio Arts) the 2025 Grand Champion Fairtastic Artist for her hand-painted poster featuring this year’s theme, “youth enjoying the state fair.”
Milwaukee Public Market celebrates 20 years with MIAD collaboration
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the Milwaukee Public Market looked to the Lubar Innovation Center at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) for designs reflecting the market and Milwaukee.
Poster designs support professional practice, children’s nonprofit
Each year, Illustration juniors at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) work with Cramer-Krasselt and Penfield Children’s Center to design posters for the Penfield Children’s Center Annual Croquet Ball fundraiser.
Milwaukee Art Museum partners with MIAD Lubar Innovation Center
For its annual celebration of art, flowers and spring, the Milwaukee Art Museum turned once again to the Lubar Innovation Center at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD).
Senior Exhibition 2025: Chelsea Mody and Isabel Enders
MIAD seniors Chelsea Mody ’25 (Interior Architecture and Design) and Isabel Enders ’25 (Illustration – Animation Track) explore how design engages and supports its users in their capstone projects for MIAD’s 2025 Senior Exhibition.