Grassroots Organizing

The Impact of Neighborhood Art Movements

Monday, October 30, 2:00pm – 5:00pm

Organized by Christina deRoos, Director, Kresge Arts in Detroit; and Ryan Myers-Johnson, Assistant Director, Kresge Arts in Detroit.

Moderated by Ryan Myers-Johnson, Assistant Director, Kresge Arts in Detroit. Presented by Brittany Bradd, Executive Director, Brightmoor Artisans Collective; John George, Executive Director, Detroit Blight Busters; and Rev. Larry L. Simmons Sr., Executive Director, Brightmoor Alliance.

For this off-site session, participants will visit locations in the Brightmoor and Old Redford communities on Detroit’s northwest side. Located outside the city center, these communities embody the oft-mentioned challenges of systemic disinvestment, land speculation, and blight. Simultaneously, within these communities resides an intricate network of gardens, farms, and grassroots art spaces that serve as community and cultural hubs. Participants will experience and explore the intersection of art, environment, and community organizing through the lens of Detroit artists leading place-based interventions in residential houses and public spaces, including neglected parks and abandoned lots.

This will be a combination bus/walking tour visiting three locations, including one outdoors. Participants should dress for the weather and be prepared to walk and/or stand for up to 20 minutes at a time while touring each location.

• Sidewalk Detroit
• Brightmoor Artisans Collective