The DIA, in partnership with Spot Lite Detroit and Jerk X Jollof, presents this mid-week After-work mixer and dance party to celebrate the new exhibition James Barnor:  Accra/London A Retrospective.

The DJ will be spinning music infused with high life and afro-rhythms which were popular in Accra and dear to Barnor. The event will also feature live drummers and a West African dance performance, along with food trucks slinging authentic African and African-inspired cuisine.

Mixer:  5:30pm – 8:00pm
Dance Party:  8:00pm – 2:00am

Come early…stay late!

USA/2022—directed by Laura Poitras | 113 minutes

In her essential, urgent, involving new documentary, Oscar®–winning filmmaker Laura Poitras (Citizenfour) intertwines two narratives: the fabled life and career of era-defining artist Nan Goldin, and the backlash against the Sackler family, owners of the pharmaceutical dynasty that Goldin stood up to by fighting to hold accountable the drug manufacturers behind the opioid crisis.

Following her own struggle with opioid addiction, Goldin, now 68, who rose from the New York “No Wave” underground of the ‘80s to become one of the great photographers of the late 20th century, became an unyielding activist at art institutions around the world that had accepted millions from the Sackler family.

Illustrated with a rich trove of photographs by Goldin, who engagingly narrates her own story, including her suburban upbringing, the loss of her teenage sister, and her fight against AIDS in the 1980s, Laura Poitras’s latest film is a remarkable, empowering work that stirringly connects tragedy with personal responsibility and artistic expression. Winner, Golden Lion for Best Film, 2022 Venice Film Festival.

“Overwhelming. A towering work of shocking intelligence and still greater emotional power.” –Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire 

Thomas X, an accomplished Native hip-hop artist from the Red Lake Nation in northern Minnesota, has embarked on a remarkable career journey. Beginning as part of Rez Rap Records, he has grown into a formidable solo artist, captivating audiences with his distinctive style and powerful lyrics.

Beyond music, Thomas X is deeply committed to his community. He serves on the Red Lake School Board and as Executive Director of the Red Lake Boys & Girls Club, underscoring his dedication to the well-being and development of local youth.

Thomas X’s impact extends far beyond the stage. He is a powerful example of how art, education, and community engagement can come together to create meaningful change. Through his music, leadership, and unwavering commitment to young people, Thomas X continues to uplift and inspire both his community and a global audience.

Come together to celebrate the public opening day of the new exhibition Contemporary Anishinaabe Art: A Continuation. This special event will feature an official dedication ceremony for artist Jason Quigno’s sculpture Maawandoonan (Bring Them Together) on the Woodward lawn, along with performances, hands-on activities for all ages, and self-guided tours.

Artmaking in the studio will run from 12 – 2 p.m.

Join DanceAbility Detroit for an afternoon of movement and sound improvisation at the DIA on Thursday, August 14, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

We’ll gather at 1 p.m. inside the museum’s Great Hall. At this “All Aboard” spot, we’ll get to know one another through movement and sound improvisation with our live musician, King Sophia. After a bathroom break, we’ll head outdoors (weather permitting) to the sculpture located to the left of the John R entrance. We’ll wrap up by 4 p.m., though you're welcome to leave earlier if needed.

Wear shades of blue since we are the water and the boat flowing through.

Join us for an engaging Member Lecture with Valerie Mercer.

Lecture by Artist Anita Bates: "The Colors of Memory"

Dr. Anita Bates will present selected images of her paintings and discuss her journey as an artist, exploring how her life experiences have shaped her work. This conversation will focus on her current body of work, which weaves together threads from her creative process over the past 30 years. References include familiar elements such as implied and tactile textured surfaces, along with the introduction of new media such as collage.

Dr. Anita Bates is a 2019 Kresge Arts Fellow and a contemporary artist whose work has been exhibited locally, nationally, and internationally. She holds both a Ph.D. in Education and an M.F.A. in Painting from Wayne State University, as well as an M.A. in Studio Art with a concentration in painting from Eastern Michigan University.

Her research interests center on how museum narratives and visual imagery can be used to promote critical thinking among young viewers, particularly around systems of inequity and representation. She currently serves as an Associate Professor of Teaching and Program Coordinator for Visual Art Education at Wayne State University.

Image: Trilogybeats

Presented in conjunction with the focus exhibition Guests of Honor: Armor as Fashion (on view through April 26, 2026), this lecture will introduce the 17th-century knight, diplomat, and art collector Jean de Croÿ. Dr. Chassica Kirchhoff, Assistant Curator of European Sculpture & Decorative Arts, will explore Croÿ’s self-presentation within the glittering world of the Spanish Habsburg court.

In addition to Croÿ’s story, Dr. Kirchhoff will share the complex, intersecting histories of his portrait by Juan van der Hamen y Léon and the surviving elements of the spectacular, gilded armor featured in the painting.

This program, hosted by the Visiting Committee for European Sculpture and Decorative Arts on the occasion of its Annual Meeting, is free, open to the public, and presented with live American Sign Language interpretation.

Presented with American Sign Language interpretation

Be among the first to experience the DIA's newest exhibition, Contemporary Anishinaabe Art: A Continuation, during this exclusive Member Preview. 

Other exclusive member events this weekend:

• Lecture with exhibition curator Denene De Quintal, 6 p.m. Friday
• Lecture with exhibition artist Jonathan Thunder, 1 p.m. Saturday

Be among the first to experience Reimagine African American Art during this exclusive Member Preview.