About Art Detroit Now

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 over the first three editions.
• 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 25,000 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 4th Edition of Detroit Gallery Week is scheduled to kick-off on Friday, September 30, 2011. 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: Light Up Detroit. We are making preparations for a launch in the fall of 2012. Light Up Detroit has the potential to be a transformational art event, challenging a prestigious group of international, national and metro Detroit artists to "light up" buildings and spaces along Woodward Avenue in Midtown using various forms of lighting, including light sculpture, installation, film, video and projections. The kick-off will be buoyed by 24 hours of continuous programming and performances at art venues and participating businesses, and supported by food vendors, shuttles along the walking route and an "Art Parade" organized by students of the College for Creative Studies and Wayne State. The impact of the opening will be long lasting, as many of the installations will remain in place for an indefinite period. We expect tens of thousands of Metro-Detroit residents and out of town visitors to witness and participate in this monumental initiative. We've got lots of work to do, and many challenges ahead of us, the biggest being funding. Stay tuned. 2012 should be a very exciting year.

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