Woodland Pattern is dedicated to the discovery, cultivation, and presentation of contemporary literature and the arts. We are a nonprofit book center, gallery, and performance space, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, providing multi-arts programming and resources that promote a lifetime practice of reading and writing.

For nearly forty years, Woodland Pattern has presented internationally celebrated artists alongside performances by local and regional writers, artists, and musicians. Woodland Pattern also delivers year-round literary arts education to all age groups, and the book center holds a carefully curated and nationally recognized collection of over 25,000 titles of poetry, small press literature, and literary ephemera. Our Native American section is the largest in Wisconsin.

A cornerstone of our community, Woodland Pattern offers a space for people to gather, study, perform, exchange ideas, and build relationships across racial, generational, and other perceived barriers.