From nationally recognized writers like Jeffery Eugenides and Elmore Leonard, to up and coming authors like Dorene O'Brien, Metro Detroit's literary scene is surprisingly strong. It's a scene fueled by the hard work of many individuals, striving to create opportunities to not only keep publishing and promoting the work of themselves and others, but to maintain a community that's free of the cliques and conflicts that stress the literary scenes of other big cities.

Springfed Arts make their home in the newly renovated Virgil H. Carr Cultural Arts Center in downtown Detroit. The group has been actively building up  a local community among writers for years, by organizing readings, workshops, and conferences. Led by Detroit's iconic poet, performer, and professor, M.L. Leibler, Springfed's members include poets, novelists, lyricists, and anyone else who strives to put pen to page. On September 17 and 18 the group hosts the first annual Detroit Writers Retreat, opening with a night of readings by Thomas Lux, Patricia Smith, Quincy Troupe and Ed Hirsch.

M.L. Leibler performs at Buck Park in Detroit.

All summer long, the group held lunchtime readings at Buck Park in Paradise Valley, right across from the Carr Center. Last Wednesday was the final installment, featuring slam poet Jamaal May and Washington D.C. native Cliff Bernier.

Jamaal May. Hear him perform at the link near the top of this blog entry.

Springfed Arts Director, John D. Lamb

With 53 years of classes, exhibits, and community involvement behind them, the BBAC is a great example of how a well-run, well-supported non-profit can grow in Metro Detroit. Located in the woodsy confines of suburban Birmingham, the center has expanded greatly from its inception. Originally housed in a residence in downtown Birmingham, the group moved into it's present day location in 1963. At the time, the facility was a mere 1,250 square feet. After 2 major renovation the current building now stands at 25,000 sq. ft. of brightly lit studios, offices, and gallery spaces.  Addie Langford, the BBAC's newly hired director, says she was drawn to the job because of the center's mission to teach arts education to people from all over the spectrum of age, ethnicity, and wealth.  "The cultural implication of arts in a community is incredible. It's both evident to see and impossible to see. I think the important part is what you can't see....it gives a sense of place and relationships between people", she says.  It's clear that Langford believes wholeheartedly in the necessity of self-expression, and that the BBAC provides a much-needed space for it.

Addie Langford, BBAC Director

On this particular day, a group of middle-schoolers are taking advantage of the center's jewelry and metals studio to create handsome animal-themed ornaments to wear. Summer arts camp is one of the most popular programs at the BBAC, where kids ages pre-school through late teens practice painting, ceramics, metals, drawing, and other crafts.

T"he Detroit Artists Market (DAM) was founded in 1932, in the midst of the Great Depression.  A group of local art patrons, led by Mrs. H. Lee Simpson, recognized that local artists needed a place to exhibit and sell their work."

Originally called Detroit Young Artists Market, the gallery was created to provide a source of income for artists under the age of 30. In 1936, the gallery’s name changed to Detroit Artists Market (DAM), which reflected the growth of the organization as it began to exhibit both emerging and established Detroit artists of all ages and stature.

Opening this Friday is a show dedicated to the interplay of images and the written word. Wordage, curated by Jack O. Summers, exhibits work in a variety of mediums from a hand-picked group of local artists. The reception begins at 6 at the DAM while the exhibit runs through July 24th. This Saturday, Wordage artist Randy Asplund will be on hand to discuss his creation of illuminated texts.

Yasmin and Daja during their class field trip to Arts and Scraps

A glimpse of Arts and Scraps packed storeroom

Peg Upmeyer co- founded Arts and Scraps 21 years after seeing the need by teachers for basic materials that could be used in hands-on school projects. As a former teacher herself, Upmeyer had also witnessed the waste of usable materials by households and businesses. They've moved 4 times in 21 years, Upmeyer says the hardest part in the beginning was getting people to understand what Arts and Scraps does, "21 years ago, saying 'we want what you throw away to recycle it into materials for kids' was not in the mindset like green is right now. Now, when we call a company and ask for materials, it means something."

She says they've done a lot of business in the last few years, due to the economy. Large chain stores are cleaning out warehouses full of stuff to save on rent and Arts and Scraps's own storehouse has doubled in effect. Their target is under-served kids, Upmeyer says they'll often have boxes of mismatched crayons which volunteers will divide into dozens of small packets for children who may have never been given a new set before.

Arts and Scraps takes anything that's small, clean, and safe for kids to handle. Find out how to donate or volunteer at ARTSandSCRAPS.com.

Audio tour of Scrap Junction.

On Saturday, June 5th the group presents the Fusion Fest, a collaboration with Geetmala radio show host Narendra Sheth. It's exactly what the name implies- a mix of East and West, traditional and modern. In an interview, Washburn told me that one of the biggest challenges her orchestra faced with the project was the method by which Indian musicians performed music. She says classical performers need each note laid out on sheet music, while their Indian counterparts played by ear.

A clip from a previous concert.

The Celebrate Bollywood Fusion Festival takes place June 5th at the Village Theatre at Cherry Hill in Canton.

Those dates are:

June 22 and 23, 2010, at the Furniture Factory in Detroit.

June 29, 2010 at the Planet Ant Theatre in Hamtramck.

Here's some more info for potential auditioners:

Theatres attending auditions will be Abreact Performance Space (Detroit), Blackbird Theatre (Ann Arbor), Breathe Art Theatre Project (Detroit/Windsor), Magenta Giraffe Theatre Company (Detroit), Matrix Theatre Company (Detroit) Performance Network (Ann Arbor), Planet Ant Theatre (Hamtramck), Project Theatre (Detroit), Who Wants Cake? Theatre (Ferndale) and Williamston Theatre (Williamston).

Male and female actors over the age of 18 from all racial and ethnic backgrounds are encouraged to attend. Appointments are required; walk-ins are welcome but are not guaranteed a slot. Actors must make appointments by e-mailing frannie@magentagiraffe.org, including in the body of the e-mail full name, desired appointment time and phone number. Headshots and résumés should not be attached to the e-mail. No appointments will be made by phone. There will be a first-come, first-served waiting list at the theatre each night of auditions; we will do our best to see everyone. Actors should also bear in mind that several theatres will be holding additional general auditions, and all theatres will hold callbacks for individual productions.

Actors should prepare two contrasting contemporary monologues no longer than three minutes total. Actors should bring ten sets of headshot/résumé and all schedule conflicts for the season (one set for each attending company).

From the press release:

Since 2000, he has taught at the Rhode Island School of Design in the departments of History of Art and Visual Culture, Painting, and Graduate Studies. His many reviews and articles have appeared in Modern Painters, Flash Art, PAJ, and Arco Magazine. Recent curatorial projects include El Museo del Ghetto: Jefferson Pinder and José Ruiz at G Fine Art, Washington, D.C.; JamaicaFlux at JCAL, New York; The Shallow Curator at Winkleman Gallery, New York; Points of View at DAC, New York; Dynasty at Gallery MC, New York; and Jack, at Cuchifritos, New York.

His collaboratively produced art has been featured at the Queens Museum, the Delaware Center for Contemporary Art, the Dallas Contemporary Art Center, as well as internationally at the Freies Museum, Berlin; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Srpska; the Incheon Biennial, Korea; the Busan Biennale, Korea; and the Chinese Biennial, Beijing.

Ho will give 2 lectures at the school, both next fall.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010 at 6 pm

“Curating”

Cranbrook Institute of Science Auditorium

Tuesday, October 26, 2010 at 6 pm

“Collaboration”

Cranbrook Institute of Science Auditorium

A still from Ho's 2008 work, 'Lesbian Mountains in Love'

Detroit Flyhouse, a yoga space in Eastern Market, has been working with Living Arts' girls dance ensemble on a aerial dance piece called A Friend Indeed.  Dance Collage will premiere it later this month during Community Arts Day.

Beginning just a few years ago in the mid-2000s, the Detroit Children's Choir is already filling a huge void in arts education within the Detroit Public Schools. Founder and Director Carol Schoch is still involved in the hands-on choral training of the kids. We went to visit a choir practice at the Coleman A. Young Elementary School on the city's westside and got a chance to talk with 2 young choral members, Kennedy and Doria. Hear their impromptu min-performance through the link above.

The Choir extends their reach into the community with neighborhood choirs, which any 8-14 year old can join. Schoch says there's also a touring choir who performs at events throughout the region. The Choir is also looking for volunteers to help with day-to-day operations, schools who are interested in starting a choir program, and sponsors who will 'adopt-a-school' and help the bring the program to schools that can not afford it. Qualified Choral instructors are also encouraged to join and carry out the Choir's mission. More information can be found here.

Det. Children's Choir

Next month, on Saturday April 24th, the Choir presents a collaboration with the renowned Mosaic Youth Theatre for thier 4th Annual Spring Concert.

VSA was created as a national organization 35 years ago by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith. The group aims to help people of all ages with disabilities learn through the arts. The local chapter in Detroit operates out of The Children's Center on on West Alexandrine, just a few blocks south of Wayne State University.

Among other things, VSA offers after-school programs in dance, visual arts, and music for teens from local high schools who might not otherwise have a chance to experience the arts. When I visited last week, about 7 teens were in the midst of a performance with African drums, led by an older, experienced musician. They've been chosen to perform in Washington D.C. this June at the 2010 VSA Arts International Festival.