Detroit Institute of Arts’ 13th Annual Community Group Art Exhibition Opens Online for the Second Year on Friday, December 3 The exhibition will feature more than 150 works created by participants in the museum’s Community Group Program

Updated Nov 17, 2021

November 17, 2021 (DETROIT) The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) is proud to present the 13th Annual Community Group Exhibition, featuring artwork made in 2021 by participants in the DIA's Community Group Program. The show opens online Friday, December 3 and will be on view through Sunday, January 2, 2022. In total, seven tri-county community groups participated in this year’s program.

The exhibition will be online for the second year and features over 150 artworks from about 80 individual artists. The online show also includes images of the artists at work as well as audio and video, allowing viewers to see and hear the artists describing their work, motivations, and intent in their own words.

The DIA’s Community Group Program has partnered with human service agencies in the Detroit area for over 20 years, providing meaningful experiences through art with gallery tours and art-making, and creating a safe, nurturing space for participants’ creative expression and socialization. The annual community group exhibition provides a unique opportunity for group members to share their artistic work with museum visitors.

"Working with community members to tell their stories through artmaking and watching them connect with parts of themselves in the artwork we share - it just doesn't get better than that," said Byron Nemela, DIA Studio Programs Coordinator.

Since the start of 2020, the DIA artmaking studio has transitioned the community group program online, providing community group participants with items found around the house and with supplies that staff has dropped off. Resulting projects have included multi-media pieces and portraits, initial tiles, painting, drawing, collage, quilt squares, and ceramic bowl-painting.

This year’s participating groups are:

  • CARE of Southeastern Michigan
  • Grace Centers of Hope
  • Hannan Center
  • Mariners Inn
  • OLHSA (Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency’s Grandparents Raising Grandchildren program)
  • SAGE of Metro Detroit
  • The John D. Dingell VA Medical Center

Share the exhibition online using the hashtag #CommunityArtatDIA!

November 17, 2021 (DETROIT) The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) is proud to present the 13th Annual Community Group Exhibition, featuring artwork made in 2021 by participants in the DIA's Community Group Program. The show opens online Friday, December 3 and will be on view through Sunday, January 2, 2022. In total, seven tri-county community groups participated in this year’s program.

The exhibition will be online for the second year and features over 150 artworks from about 80 individual artists. The online show also includes images of the artists at work as well as audio and video, allowing viewers to see and hear the artists describing their work, motivations, and intent in their own words.

The DIA’s Community Group Program has partnered with human service agencies in the Detroit area for over 20 years, providing meaningful experiences through art with gallery tours and art-making, and creating a safe, nurturing space for participants’ creative expression and socialization. The annual community group exhibition provides a unique opportunity for group members to share their artistic work with museum visitors.

"Working with community members to tell their stories through artmaking and watching them connect with parts of themselves in the artwork we share - it just doesn't get better than that," said Byron Nemela, DIA Studio Programs Coordinator.

Since the start of 2020, the DIA artmaking studio has transitioned the community group program online, providing community group participants with items found around the house and with supplies that staff has dropped off. Resulting projects have included multi-media pieces and portraits, initial tiles, painting, drawing, collage, quilt squares, and ceramic bowl-painting.

This year’s participating groups are:

  • CARE of Southeastern Michigan
  • Grace Centers of Hope
  • Hannan Center
  • Mariners Inn
  • OLHSA (Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency’s Grandparents Raising Grandchildren program)
  • SAGE of Metro Detroit
  • The John D. Dingell VA Medical Center

Share the exhibition online using the hashtag #CommunityArtatDIA!