Ahead of the week-long Juneteenth events, the City is also issuing an open call for a local artist to work with high school students to paint a message of resilience and power on Woodward Avenue downtown.
The art students will be comprised of students from the Detroit Public Schools Community District and students from Detroit Heals Detroit, a social justice organization that fosters healing justice for Detroit youth who have suffered trauma and focuses on dismantling systems that cause children pain.
“It’s important to have the youth voice on this project, especially when we’re fighting for black lives,” said Sirrita Darby of Detroit Heals Detroit. “We’re fighting for the next generation. Our ancestors died for us to live.”
The mural will cover the west lanes of Woodward Avenue from Larned to Congress. The street will be closed from Tuesday, June 16 at 6 p.m. until Saturday, June 19 at 8 a.m.
The painting will be completed over a 24-hour period on Tuesday and Wednesday, allowing time for it to dry in advance of the city’s Juneteenth Freedom Rally on June 19.
“In June 1963, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., led the ‘Walk to Freedom’ march down Woodward Avenue,” said City Council President Brenda Jones. “Fifty-seven years later, that history will merge on Woodward Avenue with the message of power, resilience and hope painted by the young people as they demonstrate that Black Lives Matter and Black Voices Matter.”
“Detroit is a Black city, and we’re excited to see a message of Black people’s strength and resilience, a message that is finally being heard around the world,” said Charity Dean, City of Detroit’s Director of Civil Rights, Inclusion & Opportunity.
Artist applicants should send a single-page answer to the call with their:
- name, address, phone number
- painting experience
- prior instances of painting public art or installations
- previous experience working in the community
- the number of volunteers they need and
- a sketch of their vision for the project.
All responses must be sent to detroitartsandculture@gmail.
The project is being funded by the Knight Foundation and Bedrock.
For additional information, please visit www.detroitmi.gov/CRIO.
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