Posted on Mar 25, 2016

                                             United Preforming Arts Fund (UPAF)  logo

The United Preforming Arts Fund (UPAF) is a nonprofit organization that raises funds to support 15 of Southeastern Wisconsin’s most prominent performing arts groups including First Stage, Florentine Opera Company, Milwaukee Ballet, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Skylight Music Theatre. Attorney Michael Hupy is currently a UPAF Cabinet member and is proud to support UPAF and its mission. Recently, UPAF featured the following story about Attorney Hupy and his family’s dedicated involvement in Wisconsin’s thriving arts community.


The Importance of Giving Back: Why the Hupy Family Supports UPAF

A vibrant arts scene provides entertainment excellence, engages diverse audiences, boosts our economy, educates our kids and enhances health and well-being. In short, the performing arts are vital to our community and our quality of life. 

Attorney Michael Hupy has been giving back to the Greater Milwaukee area for over 20 years, donating to UPAF and championing the performing arts as an essential part of our community. 

The performing arts annually reach thousands of families throughout Southeastern Wisconsin. The Hupy family has been actively involved in the performing arts for decades, sharing their time, money and talents with the Greater Milwaukee area. The Hupy children both participated in the Milwaukee Ballet School for years, and later took what they learned from dance and applied it to their careers. 

Attorney Michael F. Hupy is the senior partner at Hupy and Abraham overseeing 11 offices in three states. Through Attorney Hupy's leadership during the past three years, the firm has donated more than $500,000 to worthwhile organizations and causes. The Hupy family has supported UPAF for over 20 years, and Attorney Hupy is currently a UPAF Cabinet member. He graciously agreed to answer a few questions about his continued support of UPAF.  

Q: Why are you on the 2016 UPAF Cabinet?

A: My wife and I have been committed to the city of Milwaukee since we got married and moved to our Milwaukee home and we certainly try to give back to the community. I am on the Cabinet because our son and daughter benefited greatly from being in the Milwaukee Ballet School and the Milwaukee Ballet. After seeing how the arts impacted my children, I wanted to increase my involvement by supporting UPAF.

Q: What makes supporting UPAF important?

A: Culture and arts are vital to any vibrant city and Milwaukee is fortunate to have so many very fine options both to enjoy and participate in. My wife and I enjoy seeing shows at the Ballet, The Rep and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. I believe that giving back to our city is important to keep those venues running smoothly. UPAF is a vital part of maintaining a first class arts scene in Milwaukee

Q: How have the performing arts impacted your family?

A: The arts have impacted my family beyond the fact that my wife and I enjoy them. The performing arts have also greatly impacted our children by giving them the opportunity to work hard and become superb ballet performers. My son Rex and my daughter Maxine were part of the Milwaukee Ballet School all through grade school and high school. Now, Maxine is living in Hollywood and performs all over the world, dancing and singing alongside world-class talent. 

Rex is no longer in dance but his experience has been a great resume-builder and taught him commitment and how to achieve his goals. He attended the School of American Ballet in NYC as a scholarship student in 2009. He and my wife, Suzanne, attended the New York City Ballet Gala last year at Lincoln Center.

About Maxine Hupy 

Maxine Hupy originally hails from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  She received her formal training and teaching certification from the Milwaukee Ballet School.  She danced with Pacific Northwest Ballet for seven consecutive summers and in June 2011 she graduated from Northwestern University with a double major in Dance and Spanish, and a minor in Marketing.  

Her performance experience ranges from principal ballet roles to music videos to musical theater. She is now a member of Commonality Dance Company and Karmagraphy; both companies perform in Los Angeles.

Jill Erin Wellskopf
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Director of Marketing, Hupy and Abraham