Celebrate the rich historical tapestry of Taiwanese heritage in a dynamic live presentation by 4th generation tea master, Ai Fang and her sister, Kuei Fang, whose family business, now called Jhentea, has been growing and processing tea since 1850.

Explore the far-reaching and inclusive culture of tea drinking through an introduction to tea processing and brewing techniques and various tea wares and mats, tracing the development of tea culture across Taiwan by showcasing the history and lifestyles revolving around tea drinking on the island.

With tea ceremony demonstrations, tea and desert samplings this program will be an engaging afternoon of cultural exchange.

In the DIA’s Lecture Hall, followed by tastings in FJC Dining Rooms A/B as supplies last.

This program is free with museum admission. Capacity is limited – seating begins 30 minutes prior to performance start.

Weekend Family Programs at the DIA are generously presented by the MSUFCU Desk Drawer Foundation.

Join the DIA and the Friends of Asian Arts and Cultures in celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month!

To honor the significance of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month to the community, our Opening Ceremony features special guest speakers and three music performances that span genres and cultures.

Featured Performances:

• Mongolian Tribute Songs to Genghis Khan | Performed by The Throat Singer
• Champa Mueng Lao | Performed by Team Sitthideth
• The Drinking Song (茶花女－饮酒歌) and Altar Rendezvous (敖包相会)| Performed by Jie Wang & Jinsheng Zhang

For families with children of all ages. This program is free with museum admission. Seating is limited – arrive early as seating begins 30 minutes prior to the performance.

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPIHM) programs are developed in partnership with the DIA’s auxiliary group Friends of Asian Arts and Cultures (FAAC) with support from Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission (MAPAAC).

Weekend Family Programs at the DIA are generously presented by the MSUFCU Desk Drawer Foundation.

Join the DIA and the Friends of Asian Arts and Cultures in celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month!

In conjunction with the AAPI performances in Rivera Court on the same day, we invite you to view the works of locally based Asian American artists in the Great Hall. With special demonstrations by Kyoko Fuji, calligraphy, and Zhongou Xu, dumi ink painting, at 11 and 11:30 a.m., this display gives insight to the ways in which cultural heritage and tradition influences visual art across varied media.

Featured artists:

• Anthony Lee
• Benjamin Byung Kim
• Boisali Biswas
• Hiroko Lancour
• JenClare Gawaran
• Julius GC Hwang,
• Kyoko Fujii
• Luzhen Qiu
• Nobuko Yamasaki
• Rhona Lee
• Shinming Shyu
• Si Mo
• Zhongou Xu

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPIHM) programs are developed in partnership with the DIA’s auxiliary group Friends of Asian Arts and Cultures (FAAC) with support from Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission (MAPAAC).

Weekend Family Programs at the DIA are generously presented by the MSUFCU Desk Drawer Foundation.

Celebrate the voices and stories of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities at the DIA throughout May in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! In collaboration with AAPI community groups and professional artists, the museum will showcase a dynamic mix of traditional and contemporary dance, music, art, and more. This year’s celebration and performances include Chinese, Filipino, Hmong, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Mongolian, Taiwanese and Vietnamese cultures.  

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month programs are developed in partnership with the DIA’s auxiliary group, Friends of Asian & Asian American Arts & Cultures.

All programs take place onsite and are free with general museum admission unless otherwise noted. 

Friday, May 2

• 6–8:30 p.m. | Drop-in Workshop: Uchiwa Paper Fans – Artmaking Studio
• 6–8:30 p.m. | Drawing in the Galleries: Japanese & Korean and Indian & Southeast Asian Art Galleries

Saturday, May 3

• 10 a.m.–3 p.m. | Cultural Display & Demonstrations – Great Hall
• Noon–4 p.m. | Drop-in Workshop: Uchiwa Paper Fans – Artmaking Studio
• 1 p.m. | Opening Ceremony – Music Performance – Rivera Court
• 2 p.m. | Celebration Show – Dance Performance – Rivera Court

Sunday, May 4

• Noon–4 p.m. | Drop-in Workshop: Uchiwa Paper Fans – Artmaking Studio
• Noon–4 p.m.  | Drawing in the Galleries: Japanese & Korean and Indian & Southeast Asian Art Galleries

Friday, May 16

• 7 p.m. | Music Performance: Masayo Ishigure – Rivera Court

Friday, May 23

• 7 p.m. | Music Performance: Asian Sound Revolution – Rivera Court

Saturday, May 31

• Noon–4 p.m. | Guest Artist Workshop: Shingo Brown – Artmaking Studio
• 2 p.m. | Cultural Demonstration: Taiwanese Tea Culture presented by Jhentea – Danto Lecture Hall

Sunday, June 1

• Noon–4 p.m. | Guest Artist Workshop: Shingo Brown – Artmaking Studio

See "The Rooster's Crow" Automaton Clock come to life in the DIA's European Medieval & Renaissance galleries during its once-monthly day of operation!

Throughout the day, visitors can see this rare 16th-century clock's mechanical rooster flap its wings and open its beak every fifteen minutes, and witness the figures of seven princes parade around an enthroned emperor as the clock strikes each hour.

Winding the clock for one day each month is vital to maintaining its fully functional condition. This important conservation work offers a unique opportunity to see a work of Renaissance art and technology in motion.

Tammy Lakkis is a producer, DJ, and songwriter based in Hamtramck, Michigan, known for her genre-defying and transnational approach to electronic music. She gained recognition for her all-hardware live sets, which oscillate between dreamy vocal house and dance floor heaters. 

Her 2021 EP Notice, released on Shigeto’s Portage Garage Sounds, put her on the map as an unconventional, one-stop-shop weaver of sound—its title track was featured on NPR Music’s 100 Best Songs of 2021. Her knack for storytelling shines through in her bold and dynamic DJ sets, which fluctuate between extremes in genre and tone, often nodding to her ancestral nostalgia for Arabic percussion and melodies.

Create a simple puppet on a stick with moving parts using a variety of art-making materials.

Watch your colorful design shrink to nearly half its original size in a toaster oven, then turn it into your own keychain or pendant!

Many people doodle as a fun, spontaneous way to express ideas. Grab some drawing materials and see where your creativity takes you!

Learn how Detroit artist Dominick Lemonious integrates American Sign Language into his prints and paintings, and create your own work of art using a variety of colorful mark-making and collage materials.

Dominick Lemonious, a Detroit-based multidisciplinary artist, combines American Sign Language with figurative art to tell powerful stories. After earning a Business Marketing degree in 2017, he pursued his passion for art, studying under master artist Hubert Massey. He also curates Push Gallery at the Liquor Basket Gratiot, highlighting Detroit’s vibrant artist community and honoring the historic Black Bottom neighborhood.

This event is made possible in part by the PNC Foundation.