This November, University of Michigan students will head out to Detroit for the day to take part in the annual Detroit Gallery Crawl. The program, called Art Outta Town, aims to provide an opportunity for students to get out of Ann Arbor and gain some exposure to the Detroit art scene.
Hosted by Arts at Michigan, the program is in its third year. Rachel Parke, a program specialist for Arts at Michigan, noted the program isn’t limited to students who study art history or design; it is open to all that are interested in an alternative weekend experience.
The group will leave from campus in the morning, and return from Detroit later in the afternoon. Stops in the city will include the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, the Detroit Red Bull House of Art and other smaller installations.
“It covers a whole gamut of arts and artists that are being featured and most of these galleries are fine art galleries,” Parke said. “We’re going to be going to two different neighborhoods so they will get the opportunity to see some modern art, as well art being made right on the spot.”
Since its inception in 2013, the program has steadily increased each year. Initially, the program took a group of 20 students. Last year, 30 signed up. Parke said the program has expanded because of campus advertising and word of mouth.
Allison Kruske, gallery assistant at the Red Bull House of Art and a University Art & Design graduate, said she believes the program is a valuable opportunity for students to gain some experience in Ann Arbor’s neighboring city, which she added can feel far away despite being only an hour trip by car.
“I think it’s really important, especially for students in Ann Arbor, to kind of branch out of that area and see what’s really happening in a city that has a lot of attention on it right now,” she said. “I think it’s important to not just read about it or hear about it through news outlets, but to actually come down to see and experience the people here.”
In November, when the tour is scheduled to take place, the Red Bull House of Art will be showing work created by its three resident artists.
Kruske said Detroit’s art scene is a great point of access for University students interested in experiencing Detroit.
“Exploring the art scene is a really great way to explore the city,” she said. “With the culture and everything, it’s so much different than Ann Arbor.”
Michaela Mosher, who is the exhibition and gallery manager at the N’Namdi Center for Contemporary Art, said there is a deep diversity in Detroit’s art scene due to newer styles and work that is being produced within a rich context of art history.
“Detroit, especially right now, has a good combination of galleries and institutions that have been around since before it was hip, and also brand new spaces that are just now coming on the scene like the murals in Eastern Market or some downtown galleries,” she said. “I think it’s a benefit to see old and new voices together.”
This November, the N’Namdi Center will be exhibiting work by 90-year-old artist Ed Clark, who makes large abstract paintings.
Matt Fry, the director of the Detroit Artist’s Market, echoed the sentiments of other gallery empoyees, saying one major highlight of art in Detroit is the incredible variety that is present in a very small geography.
“There’s probably never been a better time to visit art galleries in Detroit,” he said. “It is as vibrant as ever and it’s competitive with the other major cities.”