DETROIT CULTURAL CENTER NEWSLETTER

It's July in the Cultural Center!

There is no shortage of things to experience in the Detroit Cultural Center this July. The month brings America 250 celebrations, African World Festival, the Michigan Shakespeare Festival, Concert of Colors, free performances, and family-friendly programming across the district. Whether you are looking for music, history, art, or community, the Cultural Center has something worth adding to your summer calendar.

FEATURED

Image courtesy of WXYZ | Photography by Aldo Cruz

Celebrate America 250 in the Cultural Center

This year marks the 250th anniversary of American independence, and Cultural Center institutions are marking the occasion all month long. From art tours at the DIA and history lectures at the Detroit Public Library to the Detroit Historical Society's Quad Anniversary Lecture Series—celebrating 250 years of America, 325 years of Detroit, 75 years of the Historical Museum, and 65 years of the Dossin Great Lakes Museum—there are plenty of ways to connect with history this July. Check out some of our favorites highlighted below.

Image courtesy of the The Wright Museum

African World Festival

Hart Plaza

June 10 - 12

One of the nation's largest celebrations of the African diaspora, African World Festival returns to Hart Plaza for three days of culture, community, and connection. Presented by The Wright, the festival opens with a dynamic night of live performances and spoken word, followed by a weekend packed with world-class musical acts, an artisan marketplace filled with handcrafted goods from black entrepreneurs, a Children's Village with hands-on activities and storytelling, and an incredible spread of food options. Stay tuned for more information about the event in a special edition of the Cultural Center newsletter.

Image courtesy of Concert of Colors

Concert of Colors

Throughout the Cultural Center

July 15 - 19

Concert of Colors returns with five days of free, family-friendly live music from global artists. Check out the performances happening across our member institutions below and watch your inbox for a special Concert of Colors newsletter coming later this month.

Detroit Institute of Arts

July 15, 8PM - 10PM

July 18, 11AM - 10:30PM

July 19, 1PM - 11PM

Hellenic Museum

July 15, 1PM - 2:30PM

July 18, 5:15PM - 6:15PM & 8PM - 9PM

Michigan Science Center

July 16, 10AM - 4PM

July 17, 10AM - 4PM

Detroit Historical Museum

July 16, 10AM - 8:45PM

July 19, 1PM - 5PM

Detroit Symphony Orchestra w/ U of M

July 16, 6PM - 8PM

July 19, 11AM - 7:15PM

The Scarab Club

July 17, 5:30PM - 8PM

July 19, 2PM - 3:30PM

Detroit Public Library

July 17, 1PM - 4PM

The Wright

July 17, 7PM - 10:30PM

College for Creative Studies

July 19, 2PM - 7PM

ON VIEW

Image courtesy of the Detroit Institute of Arts

FORTUNES: A Summer Interactive

Detroit Institute of Arts

On now

This limited-time installation in the DIA's Great Hall invites visitors to play with their own shadows on three 13-foot-tall displays, turning movement and sound into ever-changing visual designs co-created by each participant.

Image courtesy of the Detroit Historical Museum

The Amplification Project: Women Artists of the Arab Diaspora

Detroit Historical Museum

On now

Rooted in the hakawati tradition of Arabic oral storytelling, this exhibition features contemporary Arab women artists connected to Detroit exploring migration, displacement, and cultural resilience through artwork, film, poetry, and sound.

Image courtesy of the Detroit Public Library | Artwork by Timothy Orikri

Luminous Harmony

Detroit Public Library - Main

Opening July 8

Detroit artist Timothy Orikri unveils a 115-piece multimedia exhibition of paintings inspired by the spirit of Detroit. An opening reception will take place on July 8 from 6PM - 8PM, pairing his work with a live musical performance while Orikri creates a new painting on-site—letting visitors watch music become color in real time.

Image courtesy of The Scarab Club

55th Annual Photography Exhibition

The Scarab Club

Opening July 10

One of Detroit's longest-running photography exhibitions returns, featuring 40 selected artists juried by Meredith Fleischer, Founder and Director of The MF Gallery. Opening reception: July 10, 5PM - 8PM.

Featured Artwork: Johnathan Harris | See no evil, 2021

Luminosity: A Detroit Arts Gathering

The Wright

Closing July 19

Last chance to catch this dynamic exhibition celebrating 60 years of The Wright, featuring over 60 works spanning painting, sculpture, photography, and more from present-day Detroit artists, long-departed masters, and the museum's own archive.

THINGS TO DO

Image courtesy of the Detroit Institute of Arts

Open Studio at the DIA

Detroit Institute of Arts

July 1 & 2, 11AM - 3PM

July 3, 11AM - 8:30PM

July 5, 12PM - 4PM

Kick off the DIA's summer Drop-In Workshop series with an open-ended, hands-on session using a variety of materials to create something personal. Drop-In Workshops continue Wednesday through Sunday throughout July and August.

Image courtesy of the Detroit Public Library

Author Talk: Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence

Detroit Public Library - Main

July 1, 6PM - 7:30PM

Historian Dr. Mark Andrew Holowchak explores the Declaration of Independence as both a timely political document and a timeless statement of human equality—examining how Jefferson crafted core principles of liberal political philosophy that continue to resonate nearly 250 years later.

Image courtesy of the Detroit Public Library

The Belle Isle Conservancy Comes to the Library

Detroit Public Library - Main

July 2, 11:30AM - 12:30PM

The Belle Isle Conservancy brings plants and insects that date back to the age of dinosaurs to the Main Branch for a hands-on program exploring ancient species and the ecosystems they once thrived in. For ages 6–12.

Image courtesy of the Detroit Institute of Arts

Stars and Stripes for Art

Detroit Institute of Arts

July 5, 10AM - 5PM

In celebration of America's 250th anniversary, this interactive project invites DIA visitors to place a star beneath their favorite work in the museum—creating a collective map of the collection's most loved pieces and encouraging guests to discover the museum through one another's eyes.

Image courtesy of the Detroit Public Library

Charles Willson Peale: Artist of the Revolution

Detroit Public Library - Main

July 7, 6PM - 7PM

Part of the America 250 celebration, this lecture explores the life and work of Charles Willson Peale—painter, soldier, and founder of one of America's first museums—whose portraits of Revolutionary-era figures remain among the most recognizable of the period.

Image courtesy of the Detroit Public Library

French & Indigenous Women of Early Detroit

Detroit Public Library - Main

July 7, 6:30PM - 7:30PM

Part of the America 250 celebration, Dr. Karen Marrero, Associate Professor of History at Wayne State University, explores how French and Indigenous women shaped the fur trade in early Detroit—and how British efforts to limit their influence after 1763 ultimately fell short.

Images courtesy of the Detroit Public Library

Writing Workshop at the Library

Detroit Public Library - Main

July 8, 6PM - 7:30PM

Check out these writing workshops at the Main Library this month! Detroit illustrator and author DeAnn Wiley leads a hands-on session on creating a children's book, from storyline to publication, while writing coach Talesha Wright helps beginner and intermediate writers discover their voice through guided journaling and reflection exercises.

Image courtesy of the Detroit Bird Alliance

Bird Conservation in Detroit

University of Michigan Detroit Center

July 10, 10AM - 11AM

Birdwatching is booming—but bird populations are declining. Join the Detroit Bird Alliance at the Detroit Center to learn how habitat loss, building collisions, climate change, and cats are threatening local birds, and how community conservation programs are making a difference.

Image courtesy of the Detroit Historical Museum

Guided Tours of History

Detroit Historical Museum

July 11, 11AM - 12:30PM & 1PM - 2:30PM

July 18, 1PM - 2:30PM

Join the Detroit Historical Society for guided journeys through the museum, offering interpretive insights into the exhibitions, artifacts, and stories that have shaped the city's identity over time. Tour add-on: $5.

Image courtesy of the Detroit Historical Museum

Book Talk: Historic Forts of Michigan

Detroit Historical Museum

July 11, 2PM - 3:30PM

Michigan author David Wedge discusses and signs Historic Forts of Michigan, tracing how the state's military posts shaped the Great Lakes frontier — from the first European fort on Michigan soil to the five-month siege of Fort Detroit led by Chief Pontiac.

Image courtesy of Third Man Records

Preserving the Recorded Legacy of Ted Lucas

Detroit Public Library - Main

July 11, 2PM - 4PM

Music historian and archivist Mike Dutkewych presents music and videos from the Ted Lucas Collection, sharing the story behind his effort to catalog, digitize, and preserve the recordings of Ted Lucas and the work that led to the release of the box set Ted Lucas: Images of Life.

Image courtesy of the Detroit Historical Museum

Free Admission to the Detroit Historical Museum

Detroit Historical Museum

July 16, 19, & 23

The Detroit Historical Society is offering free admission days throughout the month in celebration of Concert of Colors, America's 250th anniversary, and the Society's Quad Anniversary lecture series.

Image courtesy of the Detroit Historical Museum

Stars & Stripes O'er the Strait

Detroit Historical Museum

July 23, 6:30PM - 7:45PM

On July 11, 1796, the American flag flew over Detroit for the first time—and with it, the young nation gained a mass of land larger than the original 13 colonies. Curator Emeritus Joel Stone explores this overlooked moment in Detroit's history and its outsized role in shaping the American republic.

Image courtesy of the Detroit Historical Museum

Detroit Historical Museum Block Party

Detroit Historical Museum

July 24, 10AM - 8PM

Celebrate 75 years of the Detroit Historical Museum with a full day of history, community, and family fun. Explore galleries and special exhibitions, browse food trucks and community vendors, and see historic vehicles displayed outside the museum.

Image courtesy of the Michigan Science Center

After Dark: Summer Games

Michigan Science Center

July 24, 6PM - 10PM

Mi-Sci's revamped After Dark series returns with an adults-only evening featuring a one-night-only planetarium show featuring the original Olympians in the night sky in partnership with the Hellenic Museum, virtual sports and board games, trivia, a guest speaker, and cocktails from Byrdie Bar. Tickets: $45.

Image courtesy of the Detroit Institute of Arts

Guest Artist Demo: Phillip Simpson

Detroit Institute of Arts

July 25 & 26, 12PM - 4PM

Join fine artist and muralist Phillip Simpson in the DIA Art Making Studio for a collaborative canvas mural project. Chat with the artist, learn about his career and inspirations, and create art of your own—plus shop exclusive apparel and merchandise designed by Simpson in a Museum Shop pop-up.

Image courtesy of the City of Detroit

Occupy the Summer: Arts & Culture Night

Clark Park

July 31, 5PM - 8PM

DCCA is partnering with the City of Detroit and local artist Bre'Ann White to help curate a free, family-friendly evening at Clark Park. Join us for live music, activities, giveaways, and connections to City and community resources. Come see what’s happening in your neighborhood this summer.

LIVE PERFORMANCES

Image courtesy of the Michigan Shakespeare Festival

Michigan Shakespeare Festival

Hilberry Gateway

Throughout July

The Michigan Shakespeare Festival comes to Wayne State this July with three productions—Richard III, Much Ado About Nothing, and The Beaux' Stratagem. Tickets start at $30 with discounts available for multi-show purchases.

Image courtesy of The Wright

The Big Three: Beauty, Brains, & Bars

The Wright

July 19, 6PM

Anchored by Detroit legend Kalimah Johnson, this Third Thursday celebration brings together three dynamic Detroit female emcees for a night of hip hop at the intersection of intellect, elegance, and razor-sharp lyricism—a bold celebration of Detroit womanhood and Black excellence.

Image courtesy of the Detroit Public Library

Java and Jazz feat. Marcus Elliot

Detroit Public Library - Main

July 21, 6PM - 8PM

DPL's free summer after-work concert series continues with Kresge Fellow and saxophonist Marcus Elliot—a cornerstone of the Detroit music scene who has collaborated with Terence Blanchard, Brian Eno, and Karriem Riggins. Complimentary refreshments provided.

Image courtesy of Wayne State University

Glory

Hilberry Gateway

July 24 - 26

Produced by the student-led Underground Theatre Company, this musical follows four friends in 1933 on a mission to prove that hockey isn't just a sport for men. Told through music and dance inspired by the jazz age, Glory is a thrilling hockey story that proves a woman’s place is on home ice.

Image courtesy of Little Village Detroit

Carr Center Residency feat. Alvin Waddle & Friends

The Shepherd

July 30, 7PM

Join our friends at The Carr Center for their summer residency at The Shepherd in Little Village for a live outdoor performance by Alvin Waddles & Friends.

NEWS & ANNOUNCMENTS

Image courtesy of Travel + Leisure

"There's Never Been a Better Time to Visit Detroit"

Detroit-born novelist Alice Randall explains how Detroit's has become one of the country's most compelling travel destinations in this recent Travel + Leisure feature. It highlights everything the city has to offer, from the institutions of the Cultural Center to the downtown skyline and the small businesses of Midtown.

Image courtesy of Crain's Detroit

Introducing The Peacock Room Antiques Studio

The Peacock Room—located right here in the Cultural Center—is bringing an Antiques Studio to their former Park Shelton location this fall, blending rotating antiques, Detroit historical artifacts, vintage goods, and live programming in a new hybrid retail and events concept inspired by Charles Lang Freer, whose Ferry Street mansion sits just across the street. Read the full story in Crain's below.

POWERED BY LAKE TRUST

CULTURAL CENTER UPDATES

Photography by David Lewinski

DCCA at International Placemaking Week

On Thursday, DCCA hosted a panel at the Michigan Science Center as part of the 5th International Placemaking Week, exploring the role of cultural districts in shaping vibrant, connected, and resilient cities—and how dedicated cultural district organizations can help align institutions, infrastructure, investment, programming, and public space stewardship. Thank you to everyone who joined us for your engaging questions and thoughtful participation. Building on the energy of this conversation, DCCA looks forward to developing future programs that spotlight the leaders, institutions, and big ideas shaping the Detroit Cultural Center’s next chapter.

Images courtesy of the William Davidson Foundation and Hudson-Webber Foundation

Honoring Two Years of Foundation Leadership

DCCA extends its sincere thanks to George Jacobsen of the William Davidson Foundation and Michael Shaw of the Hudson-Webber Foundation for their service on the DCCA Board. Over the past two years, their guidance, support, and expertise have been valuable to the organization and to the continued advancement of the Cultural Center Planning Initiative. Their terms in the advisory seats designated for foundation leadership have now concluded, and we are grateful for their contributions to this important work.

OUR MEMBERS

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Detroit Cultural Center Association is to serve and promote the Detroit Cultural Center’s community of arts and culture organizations through collaborative programming, shared services, and communications. We also aim to enhance the visitor experience by providing a welcoming environment, inclusive programming, and accessibility for all.