Galleries, studios, exhibitions open for inaugural Detroit Art Week

The inaugural Detroit Art Week—which actually runs for three days July 20-22—offers visitors a chance to explore Detroit’s contemporary art scene with artist talks, gallery tours, studio visits, exhibitions, and more. It’s meant to show off Detroit’s art scene to an international audience, according to director Amani Olu, but it’s a great opportunity for Detroiters to take in the culture.

The three-day lineup includes a variety of events from intimate gatherings to parties to self-guided museum tours. It kicks off Friday evening with a talk from long-time artists Carole Harris and Allie McGhee at the Detroit Institute of Arts, followed by an opening reception for their latest exhibit.

Photo by Kate Gowman

Museums, galleries, and sites participating in the weekend event include the David Klein Gallery, Playground Detroit, the Heidelberg Project, the Wright Museum, Red Bull Arts Detroit, K.OSS Contemporary Art, Wasserman Projects, Public Pool in Hamtramck, MoCAD, N’Namdi Contemporary Art Center, Library Street Collective, and the Woods Cathedral. A full lineup can be found here.

In regards to the first Detroit Art Week, Olu says, “We aim to inspire art practitioners and professionals, help stimulate the local economy, and show everyone a fabulous time for what will be a three-day unforgettable event.” Originally from Philadelphia and a recent transplant from New York, Olu creates art under the name “Scott Avery” and runs Olu & Company, “a marketing and business consultancy for individuals, businesses and organizations in the arts.”

Detroit Art Week is free to the public and self-guided.