Washtenaw Arts

This series focuses on arts and culture in Washtenaw County. It is made possible by the Ann Arbor Art Center, Destination Ann Arbor, Larry and Lucie Nisson, the University of Michigan Arts Initiative, and the University Musical Society.

"Portal to the Imagination" by Rocco Pisto will be featured in the Michigan Water Color Society's upcoming show at the Ann Arbor Art Center.

Michigan Water Color Society to showcase signature members’ work in Ann Arbor exhibition

The Michigan Water Color Society will showcase its members' work in Ann Arbor for the first time in decades in an upcoming exhibition at the Ann Arbor Art Center.

FestiFools founder Mark Tucker at FestiFools 2024.
20 years of FestiFools: Founder Mark Tucker looks back on Ann Arbor’s beloved puppet parade

We chatted with FestiFools founder Mark Tucker about the unlikely origins and enduring spirit of the community puppet parade.

Director Trevor Zhou in Ann Arbor's Nickels Arcade.
“Ann Arbor” film will explore director’s complex relationship with the city he grew up in

Trevor Zhou's debut feature "Ann Arbor," which begins shooting this spring, is rooted in memory, identity, and the question of who one might have been if life had taken a different path.

25 years of celebrating LGBTQ+ cinema: Ann Arbor Film Festival’s Out Night marks big anniversary

This year marks a major milestone for the Ann Arbor Film Festival’s annual showcase for queer cinema.

A performance of "GATZ."
“Great Gatsby” will be read onstage verbatim in New York theater company’s Ann Arbor performance

The New York-based theater company Elevator Repair Service will bring "GATZ," a six-and-a-half-hour production involving a verbatim reading of F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby," to Ann Arbor March 27-29.

Jess Merritt brings “Torch Songs for Today” to Kerrytown Concert House

Singer-songwriter Jess Merritt found a sweet spot where she can fully express both her creative and analytical sides.

Jessica Tharp, owner of Book Love Bar in Ypsilanti.
15 years after Borders’ end, Ann Arbor and Ypsi independent bookstores succeed by playing to their strengths

Despite the collapse of the big-box bookstore, local independent stores have successfully emphasized community, tactile experience, curation, and collaboration.

Edward Shaffran in front of the mural on downtown Ann Arbor's Pretzel Bell building, which he owns.
How does public art influence perception of downtown Ann Arbor?

Public art is playing a growing role in how people experience Ann Arbor’s downtown, not just as decoration but as an integral part of what makes the district special and memorable to visitors.

Participants sing at the inaugural pub sing at Conor O'Neill's in Ann Arbor.
Pub sing brings British tradition of communal a cappella song to Ann Arbor

On March 2, the public is invited to join in singing Irish drinking songs, sea shanties, and other traditional tunes as Conor O’Neill’s offers its second pub sing from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Celtic Room.

Matt Jones & The Reconstruction performing at The Ark
Ypsilanti’s Matt Jones and The Reconstruction make long-awaited return to music scene

Matt Jones and The Reconstruction will return to The Ark for the first time in over a decade to celebrate the release of their new album, "The Good Life."

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