Donor Spotlight: Joe and Ellen Checota

“The Milwaukee Art Museum and our other outstanding cultural institutions are here because people chose to invest in them and pass them along to us.”
—Ellen Checota

Joe and Ellen Checota have built their philanthropy around a simple idea: one gift can inspire many more.

In 2025, the longtime Museum supporters made a transformational commitment to Milwaukee’s cultural community, awarding a $5 million challenge gift to the endowment of three institutions, including the Milwaukee Art Museum.

André Allaire, the Museum’s chief development officer, recently sat down with Joe and Ellen to discuss what inspired their generosity and what they hope their support will make possible.

What role do cultural institutions like the Milwaukee Art Museum play in our community?

Joe: The Museum enriches our lives and has enriched the lives of countless people throughout greater Milwaukee. I believe the Museum offers more to our community than many art museums in cities of the same size and even some cities that are much larger.

Ellen: The Museum has a wonderful ability to bring people together and create a powerful sense of community. It also inspires young people to strive for excellence and achievement in artistic pursuits that make life better for all of us.

What inspires you to invest in the Museum’s future?

Joe: The arts opened up a world of enjoyment for us. Along the way, we met many wonderful people who chose to share their financial success with charitable organizations throughout greater Milwaukee. Our goal is to inspire the next generation to pay it forward.

All of our charitable gifts, to the Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, and our scholarship program for trade and technical students at Milwaukee Area Technical College, are challenge gifts that require matching support from other donors. We like to see the money we contribute grow, and we want to inspire more people to get into the habit of giving.

Ellen: People. The Milwaukee Art Museum and our other outstanding cultural institutions are here because people chose to invest in them and pass them along to us. People like the late Bill and Nici Teweles became close friends and inspired us to support the arts in Milwaukee.

As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Quadracci Pavilion, what do you hope the next 25 years will look like for the Museum?

Joe: The Milwaukee Art Museum has become one of the great art museums in the United States. We hope it will continue to acquire and exhibit the exceptional art that has characterized the Museum since Peg Bradley donated her remarkable collection more than 50 years ago.

Our wish for the Museum, and for Milwaukee, is that more people will share experiences Ellen and I have enjoyed, and that the legacy previous donors passed on to us will be embraced by a new generation of supporters.