Inaugural Michigan Arts Festival brings 55 events to Ann Arbor, Ypsi, Dearborn, Detroit, and Flint

The inaugural Michigan Arts Festival is coming to all four of the University of Michigan’s (U-M) campuses Sept. 25-Oct. 26, offering 55 concerts, exhibits, performances, and events that span genres and highlight opportunities to experience the arts across southeast Michigan.

“We want every member of our campus and local community to discover something new and fun that resonates with their interests, to explore the arts in new ways, and to feel inspired to make creativity part of their life,” says Mark Clague, executive director of the U-M Arts Initiative, which is coordinating the festival. “The arts are fundamental to all we do. They serve as a pathway to imagination and experimentation that stretches the mind of every student, staff, and faculty member.”

The Michigan Arts Festival is a collaboration among university offices and with partner organization Ann Arbor SPARK. Many events are low-cost or free, and attendees need only to RSVP.

“Our goal is to showcase arts opportunities and share arts in the area. It can be easy for things to get lost, so the festival came about during this busy time of year to connect the community to all that’s going on,” says Anna Johnson, director of communications and marketing strategy for the U-M Arts Initiative.

One of those opportunities is a speaking engagement with musician, composer, and scholar Rhiannon Giddens, the inaugural U-M Artist-in-Residence. There are also symphony, comedy, jazz, theater, and dance performances; art exhibitions; and the first concert ever to be held in Michigan Stadium — truly something for everyone.

“What the festival is really about is connecting people to the arts in the Ann Arbor area and beyond the rest of the year,” Johnson says.

Michigan Arts Festival events and performances will take place in U-M facilities and community venues in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Dearborn, Detroit, and Flint. People also can try to win prizes for attending festival-related events through a scavenger hunt-style initiative hosted on the Goosechase app.

“This is more than a campaign — it’s a month-long invitation to expand your engagement with the creative world,” Clague says. “We want every member of our campus and local community to discover something new and fun that resonates with their interests, to explore the arts in new ways, and to feel inspired to make creativity part of their life.”

More information on the Michigan Arts Festival is available here.