This post is a part of a series of posts curating adventurous arts and culture experiences in Southeast Michigan. Sign up for email updates (choose “Arts & Culture Adventures” list).

UMS Wallace Blogging Fellow Hailey Dukes is a sponge for all things related to art and culture. Originally from Kent, Ohio, this Detroit-based transplant has spent over three years showcasing and highlighting Detroit music art and culture through her work as a Contributing Editor for with Detroit creative arts agency PLAYGROUND DETROIT and Detroit based publication Grand Circus Magazine. With an inherent passion for writing, a social nature, and a personal draw to cultural happenings of all sorts, she has combined her love and interests to promote a bouquet of talent in Detroit while having fun in the process. 

Detroit’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade
March 11, 12:30pm
Corktown, Detroit

The moment some people look forward to forgetting all year!  Detroit’s classic St. Patrick’s Day Parade is a time for the community to come out, enjoy the parade,  smash corned beef sandwiches, bar hop, and fool in the streets.  Located in a diverse community, the St. Patty’s Day parade brings a mix of cultures out to indulge in the traditionally Irish celebration.

With Corktown being the oldest neighborhood in Detroit and a 19th century hub for Irish immigrants, it is quite the wonder to consider the centuries of Irish citizens, culture and history that has befallen the popular neighborhood.  One of my favorite parts of Detroit is the ethnic diversity and March 11th is another day to celebrate one of Detroit’s popular cultures while having a great time.

The Prince and Michael Experience
March 16, 8pm
El Club, Detroit

Looking back to some my earliest memories on this planet, I recall hearing my parents singing both Prince and Michael Jackson’s music in the car, while cleaning the house, on TV and more. The music was always around me and passed down from my parents to me like a sacred family heirloom.

With these memories in mind, I was naturally drawn to the Prince  and Michael experience at Detroit’s popular nightlife destination, El Club in Southwest. At this event the music, image and impact of these respective artists will be celebrated with music, drinks, pizza and good times.  The event is sure to reverberate iconic music and positive vibes out into the night air so get off the wall and party like it’s 1999!

Sound Bath @ The Schvitz
March 16, 8pm
The Schvitz, Detroit

This month a super cool mash up of music and mood create a one of a kind experience. March 16, a new and exciting event series  kicks off at Detroit bath house, The Schvitz Health Club bringing unique experiences together as one. The promising series will be bringing an eclectic mix of local and visiting DJ talent the  relaxation hub, and event goers can listen to ambient, house, and techno sounds  while enjoying the historic amenities of the renowned bath house. This year, the location has made a huge splash, hosting exciting events and interesting  artisans for patrons’ enjoyment. The building is under new management and has undergone monumental renovations, most recently including a Himalayan Pink Salt Sauna. Come bust a sweat and a move at the Sound Bath debut this month.

Introduction to Weaving
March 18, 10am-3pm
The Guest Room, Ypsilanti

Do you ever sit back and think about how much time you’ve spent stuck on the couch watching Netflix stuck? Why don’t you take some time away from the tube and learn a new skill! The Guest Room in Ypsilanti is offering an introductory course to weaving “in a fun and welcoming environment.” Event goers will learn the basic terminology and process of weaving, exploring variant patterns, colors and textures. The hands-on class believes in a kinetic learning structure so event goers will learn by doing and exit the class with their own loom started and yarn to keep it going after the class is finished. Don’t spend this spring catching up on six different Netflix original series at a time, rather use your hands, calm your mind, enhance your focus and surprise yourself!

Poetry Slam II: Poetic Boogaloo
March 18, 7-9pm
Ann Arbor Poetry, 324 S. State St.

I love a good poetry slam. Attending them, that is! (haha) Although I’m not much of a performance artist,  I love to come out and witness the magical marriage of wordplay and performance that makes for a captivating reading. In a competition style, readers will perform for two rounds, 3 minutes each. Judged by a panel, a winner is crowned at the end of the competition rounds.  In it for the love of the game? Join in at the tail end for judgment free Open Mic Night. Not into performing at all? Sit back and listen to the smooth sounds of your community’s writers.

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This post is a part of a series of posts curating adventurous arts and culture experiences in Southeast Michigan. Sign up for email updates (choose “Arts & Culture Adventures” list).

UMS Wallace Blogging Fellow Amanda Krugliak is an artist, curator, and arts administrator best known for performance and conceptual experiential installations, most notably as curator at the University of Michigan Institute for the Humanities since 2007.

It’s nearly the end of the shortest month after a long winter haul….It’s time for the big thaw…puddles instead of drifts, easing up on that mortal fear of falling….because just when you were ready to throw in that proverbial towel… someone sends you an anonymous Valentine, or you watch Romeo and Juliet in the Detroit Opera House and you were in awe just to be there, or you hear a new song that stays with you all day, and it becomes absolutely clear that you can never hold back spring.

14: A Night Of Teatro and Dialogue
February 22, 7-9pm
Lydia Mendelssohn Theater, Ann Arbor

The U-M Department of Theatre and Drama presents the play 14, written and directed by Assistant Professor José Casas.  The work is inspired by a true-life event in which a smuggler abandoned 30 Mexicans crossing the desert near Yuma AZ, resulting in 14 deaths in the group from dehydration.  The play is based on the interviews and public accounts of Arizona residents, reflecting their different attitudes towards issues of undocumented immigration and their different versions of the truth.  There will be a talk back with the cast and community members at the end of the performance. A reception will follow in the Henderson Room at the Michigan League. Free, no tickets required.

56th Ann Arbor Film Festival 2018 Poster Release Event
February 24, 10am – 12pm
Ann Arbor Art Center

Wahoo!  The Ann Arbor Film Festival, now in its 56^th year, is one of those extraordinary happenings that make you feel like one of the luckiest people on the planet just to live in this smart and creative place.  Under the insightful and steadfast leadership of Leslie Raymond, and the fresh and innovative programming of Katie Grace McGowan, the 56^th Ann Arbor Film Festival upcoming in March is not to be missed.  Join them for the release of this year’s poster, the scoop on this year’s upcoming programs, a cup of jo, baked goods and great company.

Women’s Improv Jam
March 7, 7:30-9:30pm
Pointless Brew, 3014 Packard St, Ann Arbor

Well, thanks to my super cool and talented friend Joe L., (you know who you are) I am kept abreast of those new and interesting things going on that might be under my radar.  This whole idea sounds terrific….drinking artisanal beer and partaking in various forms of improv, either as a participant or a watcher, with the whole irresistible mystique of a “barely has a name on the door” kind of place.  I’m in.  This particular jam invites women, trans, and/or non-binary to join in for this recurring short-form improv.  It doesn’t matter whether you are new to this or a pro, all levels welcome, with a safe, supportive and inclusive environment.  Just pay what you can, and yeah  tell ’em  Joe sent you.

Michele Oka Doner – Fluent in the Language of Dreams
Now through May 5
Wasserman Projects, Detroit

What a great opportunity to see a solo exhibition of renowned artist Michele Oka Doner, who spent her formative years as a young artist in both Detroit and Ann Arbor (a U-M alum); a time of new worlds colliding with artists like Charles McGhee, George Manupelli (founder of the Ann Arbor Film Festival), gallerist Gertrude Kasle, and physicist Lloyd Cross (co-creator of the first holograms–an experiment for which Doner’s sculpture was appropriated) .  This exhibition revisits, for the first time, the large scale floor installation Pages I and II, which she created almost 40 years ago for her first solo museum show in 1978 at the Detroit Institute of Arts. In retrospect and moving forward, the exhibition considers this seminal work as it pertains to the evolution of her dynamic artistic practice rooted in natural forms and breaking new ground.

Parlor Talk: Carlos Nielbock
February 28, 6-8pm
Urban Consulate, 4735 Cass Ave.

As part of its continuing stand-out programming which offers insightful, compelling, and critical conversations that bring community together in a town hall type format , the Urban Consulate hosts Detroit artist and master craftsman Carlos Nielbock, to consider how a community creates more opportunity for non-college bound youth in Detroit, as the city’s economy revitalizes.  Nielbock benefited himself from opportunities to apply his metalworking skills, (part of his now 30 year career in the trades, ) and he would like to help create opportunities for others like himself who aren’t following a  path of higher education.

Like what you read? Sign up for email updates (choose “Arts & Culture Adventures” list).

This post is a part of a series of posts curating adventurous arts and culture experiences in Southeast Michigan. Sign up for email updates (choose “Arts & Culture Adventures” list). 

UMS Wallace Blogging Fellow Hailey Dukes is a sponge for all things related to art and culture. Originally from Kent, Ohio, this Detroit-based transplant has spent over three years showcasing and highlighting Detroit music art and culture through her work as a Contributing Editor for with Detroit creative arts agency PLAYGROUND DETROIT and Detroit based publication Grand Circus Magazine.

Political Banner & Poster Making Workshop
February 10, 12-4pm
Stamps School of Art & Design, Ann Arbor

In February, we celebrate Black History Month to honor the legacy of African Americans in this country. As a black millennial writer and DJ, I have always admired the use of music and literature in the African American fight for equality and have always been fascinated in the many ways that individuals and groups use messaging to create change.

In this drop-in banner and poster making workshop presented by Stamps School of Art & Design, “participants will explore methods of creating messages and visuals along with historical design and composition and how they continue to influence and inspire present day resistance materials.” With provided materials and knowledgeable representatives hailing from Talking Dolls Studio Detroit and Pincause, this event presents the perfect opportunity to learn about visual imaging, make sure your voice is heard, and your cause is represented. Now is a better time than ever to speak up so use your voice, your words, your images and get out there! Find out more here.

Détroit Noir: A Celebration of The Black Aesthetic
February 10, 12-7pm
Norwest Gallery of Art, Detroit

Detroit’s newly opened Norwest Gallery of Art is putting its name on the map with Détroit Noir: A Celebration of The Black Aesthetic’s Opening Reception. I love love love going to check out new galleries and this lovely event will serve as Norwest’s inaugural reception! Self-described as a gallery, “dedicated to contemporary art with a curatorial focus on African and African-American Art…”  Norwest is a unique gallery who, “seeks to gain prominence by being recognized for featuring visually and intellectually intriguing works of art that widely represent and promote African-American and Diaspora Art.” The opening reception, Détroit Noir was curated by Asia Hamilton & Co-Curator Tanya J. Stephens and will feature groundbreaking local artists who are making an impact on the greater Detroit community.  Admission is FREE and open to all, so don’t miss the first glance at this promising event. Find out more here.

Paçzki Day
February 13
Hamtramck, and all over SE Michigan

Ok, so I know this isn’t directly arts related, but in my humble opinion, paçzki are art! When you enjoy the little things in life, you open your eyes to the luminous golden-brown color, the delicate kiss of powdered sugar and a saccharine sea of gushing filling sending your mouth on a journey to Polish heaven. The harmonious elements of this Michigan favorite dominate on Fat Tuesday as we joyously find paçzki in our work break rooms, on our kitchen tables, and in the finest bakeries Metro Detroit has to offer (Although the best are obviously found in Hamtramck.) One of the most beautiful things about Metro Detroit is the mosaic of culture and tradition that brings its citizens together. In a celebration of Polish culture, Michigan celebrates one of its tastiest and highly anticipated dates on the calendar. Want to learn more about paçzki in Metro Detroit? Check out this super quick read from Eater Detroit.

Film Screening of “Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child”
February 10, 1-3pm
Cranbrook Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills

You’ve been sleepin’ if you haven’t heard of the Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring exhibitions at the Cranbrook Art Museum. They are a must see and will be traveling so make sure you get a sneak peek before they’re gone! Lucky for us, Cranbrook is bringing Basquiat’s art to life with a screening of Jean-Michel Basquiat: Radiant Child. The film is jam-packed with documentary footage and understanding of 1980’s NYC, a time of unbridled creativity in the legendary city.  From humble beginnings in Brooklyn to fame and fortune in Manhattan, The Radiant Child puts viewers into the inner workings of a vulnerable yet outspoken artistic genius. More info here.

Kumbuka III
February 15, 7-9pm
Jam Handy, Detroit

Poetry was my first love. When I first began writing, it was my medium of choice and I constantly felt inspired by crafting up words. I loved the freedom of poetry, and how you could really make it whatever you want it to be, from haikus, to limericks, to sonnets, free prose and more. Although I’m not much of a poet, it always pulls on my heart strings when I can see some live poetry, so I was delighted to see Kumbuka III back for another year.

Featuring poetry, stories, songs, and more, this celebration of black history and culture is intimate, impressive, moving, and interwoven. A variety of readings will guide you through decades and centuries past, telling the stories of pillars in black history. As skilled and experienced performers bring all words to life in a friendly and welcoming setting, you can hear a pin drop in the attentive crowd.

Presented by Detroit’s Kaylan Waterman for the third consecutive year, this reading, “celebrates posthumous African American authors with the oral reading of their spoken, sung and written words by living black luminaries in our community.” Last year, I went to this reading alone and a little weirded out because I was by myself. In Jam Handy’s cozy setting I found friends, tasty nibbles, relevant and breathtaking performances, respect, and community. I hope you all find your way to this reading to relish in the same things. More info here.

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