The Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project moves to the Ross School, but has always been a collaborative effort involving faculty from Ford, Ross and other schools as well as students from across campus. This includes those from the College of Engineering, Stamps School of Art & Design, Law School and School of Information.

Hunter’s work in progress, Paradise: The Myth of a Liberal North, layers Detroit’s history, geography, and social relations through art. Hunter uncovered two Detroit neighborhoods and archived images. The project involves digitally woven images using a jacquard loom and physically removing ​“signs of life” from the piece. 

From the beginning, the Brightmoor Maker Space’s vision has been centered around community ownership. While U-M played an initial role as a partner, the goal has always been for the youth to manage and operate the space, shifting away from university control. Students run the day-to-day activities while oversight comes from the founder of Detroit Community Schools Bart Eddy.  

Jessica Frelinghuysen has a studio in Detroit at ​“Cave,” an artist collective. It is there where she connects with the community through her work as a performance artist. In describing her creative practice, Frelinghuysen explains that it is focused on social dynamics and how human beings operate. Her work has taken on many forms over the years, with many of her creations taking the form of wearables that make a point about the human experience. 

As a child, Annica Cuppetelli watched her grandmother sew, and it inspired her to pursue an undergraduate program in fiber and textiles.

Museum founder Olayami Dabls, an artist and storyteller who grew up in Detroit, wanted the museum’s exterior to tell the same story as the strands and jars of colorful beads displayed inside. Since 1998, the African Bead Museum has drawn visitors from around the world. He partnered with U-M recently on the AfricanFuturist Greenhouse, designed to mimic bead patterns.

Today, Eglash applies his knowledge in a number of areas — including working with under-represented students in Detroit. His work has earned the Joan Durrance Community Engagement Award from U-M as well as a new research grant from the National Science Foundation. 

Creativity, collaboration and education are at the forefront of Andrews’s career as an artist and teacher. He is currently developing a space in Detroit that hosts community space and art studios, as well as what he calls a “mixed reality clothing project.”

“We’re aiming to connect hands, hearts, minds, and bodies through this project. And we hope you’ll join us in the effort.”
~ Stamps pro­fes­sor Nick Tobier, co-founder of the Bright­moor Maker Space.