In 2006, 11 individuals representing a cross-section of contemporary art interests in Metro-Detroit started meeting regularly to consider how our community might work together to increase awareness of the great art, artists and art venues in the Tri-County area. In just 5 years, this ad hoc committee has established a mission, a long-term vision, and a record of accomplishments.
90+ organizations are now collaborating on exhibitions, programs and events:
- Detroit Gallery Week – a celebration of the great art and artists. Over 50,000 people have participated in hundreds of weekend events at galleries, museums and non-profit art centers in metro-Detroit in the four years since its inception.
- Cooperative advertising programs, with venues sharing ad space in the New York Times, the Midwest Gallery Guide, and the Detroit Metro Times.
- ArtDetroitNow.com – a one stop link to metro-Detroit contemporary arts organizations. In the last 12 months, over 150,000 visitors have visited the site.
- Detroit Gallery Guide – Over 35,000 Guides listing the contemporary art spaces in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties have been distributed to art patrons and enthusiasts living in and visiting metro-Detroit. They are distributed free-of-charge in galleries, museums, restaurants and hotels.
The 5th Edition of Detroit Gallery Week is scheduled to kick-off on Friday, October 5, 2012. Over 90 metro-Detroit contemporary art galleries, non-profits and museums will participate, with special openings, lectures, studio visits and workshops.
We are proud of our accomplishments, but our founding group has always wanted to do something big. We’ve had several stops and stops, but now think we’ve come up with a great idea: DLECTRICITY
Inspired by nighttime arts festivals from around the world, DLECTRICITY, Detroit’s new nighttime, contemporary light art festival, will host 35 local, national and international artists whose cutting edge works of art and installations will illuminate the historic architecture of Midtown on October 5 and 6, 2012. An impressive selection of artists will light up Midtown Detroit and transform the Woodward corridor into an illuminated urban spectacle for thousands of visitors of all ages during this free, two-night first-time event. A complete listing of DLECTRICITY artists and events may be found at www.DLECTRICITY.com.
The DLECTRICITY Curatorial Committee received more than 200 submissions from emerging and established artists, lighting designers, and architects through an open call for entry process. From that, the committee selected 25 projects and performances based on a number of criteria, including artistic merit and how well the project uses various media like light, video projection, interactivity, 3D video mapping, and other creative technologies, as well as how the projects exist within an urban environment. In addition, curatorial committee members invited 10 local and international artists specializing in light and technology projects to bring their expertise to Detroit’s first “Nuit Blanche” event.
Along with the art & light exhibitions, DLECTRICITY will feature several special events over the two-day festival, including the Light Bike Workshop and Parade. The Light Bike Workshop will bring local makers together of Detroit’s bike community, giving riders an opportunity to learn creative ways to “light up” their bikes. Immediately after the workshop, there will be a Light Bike Parade, a 3.75 mile parade showcasing the light bikes of festival and workshop attendees on a ride through Midtown.
Produced by Midtown Detroit, Inc. and Art Detroit Now, the name for the event was inspired by Detroit’s very own Electric Park, which was located on the site of what is now Gabriel Richard Park. From 1906 until 1928, Detroit Electric Park served as a major attraction, beginning as a trolley park and later expanding into an amusement park with the development of electrification. DLECTRICITY is also occurring during the “Nuit Blanche” festivals in New York and Paris, and will be Detroit’s first “Nuit Blanche” event. “Nuit Blanche” events are renowned throughout the world for bringing the best of contemporary light and technology based arts to the streets of major cities like Toronto, Paris, Minneapolis, Miami and New York.
Founding Members
Michelle Peron, CCS Center Galleries
Gregory Wittkopp, Cranbrook Art Academy & Museum
Nancy Sizer, Detroit Artists Market
Becky Hart, Valerie Mercer & Stephanie James, Detroit Institute of Arts
George N’Namdi, George N’Namdi Gallery
Marsha Miro, MOCAD
Dick Goody, Oakland University Gallery
Susanne Hilberry, Susanne Hilberry Gallery
Lisa Gonzalez, Wayne State University Galleries
Marc Schwartz, Community Representative
