The Detroit Design Festival kicks off this week! Now in it’s fifth year, this annual event celebrates Detroit as a global center of design and creativity over five days of events including demos, panels, installations, parties and more. The festival is organized by the Detroit Creative Corridor Center. Events take place September 22-26 and are free and open to the public.
AMP and our partners are excited to help showcase the dynamic creative work happening throughout Detroit. We will be participating in several events throughout the week, which we’ve highlighted below.
Make sure to check out the full schedule here. See you at the design fest!
DDF Kick Off
September 17, 5:30-8:30pm
The opening night of the festival, in collaboration with Drinks x Design, will feature live music, open studios, and food trucks at St. Vincent, a boutique office building in Corktown. Mother Cyborg (aka Diana Nucera of the Detroit Community Technology Project) will be spinning tunes! More details here.
“Designing Accountable Development as Process and Product” Panel
September 22, 10:00 - 11:30am
This panel will explore the question: How do you design for equitable and accountable urban development? Panelists include Nina Bianchi of The Work Dept, Linda Campbell of Detroit People’s Platform, and Damon Rich of the City of Newark, NJ. The panel will be moderated by Jenny Lee, executive director of AMP. More details here.
“Resourcing Your Practice” Panel
September 24, 6:00 - 8:00 pm
This conversation will explore various tools and platforms for funding creative work. Presenters include Mike Medow, Chief Operating Officer at AMP, and Pradeep Dalal, Director of the Arts Writers Grant Program at Creative Capital / Warhol Foundation. More details here.
Talking Dolls Art & Design Showcase
September 25, 12:00 - 8:00 pm
Talking Dolls will host a design process exhibition, curated residents exhibition, and interactive 3D installation at their studio space on Detroit’s eastside. Talking Dolls co-directors, Ron Watters, Andrea Cardinal, Mark Dineen, Aaron Jones and Wes Taylor will present their collaborative design process. More details here.
“The Apex of Funk” performance
September 25, 6:00 - 9:00pm
A visual art and live music performance in Detroit’s North End, hosted by One Mile and curated by the Detroit Afrikan Music Institution. This event will include a live concert, DAMI FutureFunk Dance Party, and afrofuturistic design. More details here.
Elsmere/Avis Plaza Design Celebration with Young Nation and The Alley Project
September 26, 6:00 - 8:00pm
Young Nation will present the design for the Elsmere/Avis Plaza that will transform a vacant southwest Detroit structure and lot into active sites of cultural and community development. This project will support the expansion of The Alley Project, a community gallery that displays street art by local youth. More details here.
DDF 2015 Official Closing Party
September 26, 7:00 - 10:00pm
Connect with design professionals and explore the DDF Design Village, featuring more than 25 local, national, and international designers showcasing and selling their work. Featuring music by DJ Mike Medow. More details here.
