Brittany McCauley’s story doesn’t begin in a gallery. It starts on the ground floor of Detroit’s creative hustle—drawing at twelve years old in a summer program at the College for Creative Studies’ Community Arts Partnership (CAP). That same program introduced her to the world of paid art, handed her the tools to build a real portfolio, and laid the foundation for what would become a flourishing career. Today, Brittany stands tall as a professional illustrator, muralist, and teaching artist—returning to CAP not just as an alumna, but as a mentor, pouring into youth what Detroit once poured into her.
This summer, stories like Brittany’s won’t be the exception. They will be the intention.
A new citywide effort is rewriting what youth employment looks like in Detroit. One hundred and forty-five high school students between the ages of 14 and 17 will receive hands-on arts training while earning $12.50 per hour through the Summer Youth Arts Employment Training Initiative. These young artists will work 20 hours per week, gaining not only technical skills but the confidence that comes with being paid for your talent—something too often denied to young Black creatives.
The initiative is not coming from one source. This is community-led and coalition-powered. Matrix Human Services (MHS), Detroit Excellence in Youth Arts (DEYA), Heritage Works, and seven community-based arts organizations are behind the effort. Their vision is to mold the next generation of creative professionals by building bridges between art, culture, and economic empowerment.
“Matrix Human Services is proud to help provide Detroit youth with paid opportunities that inspire creativity, build confidence, and develop workplace readiness,” said Starr Allen-Pettway, CEO of Matrix Human Services.
That’s more than a mission statement—it’s a declaration of direction. Youth in Detroit are not being asked to just sit in classrooms this summer. They’re stepping into studios, stages, and spaces that honor their imagination and cultivate job-ready discipline.
Seven partner sites across the city will serve as creative hubs for the program:
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CAP at College for Creative Studies
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Jit Masters
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LaShelle’s School of Dance
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Live Coal Gallery
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Que Blackout Youth Theatre
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Matrix Theatre Company
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Motor City Street Dance Academy
This lineup reflects Detroit’s artistic DNA. It’s intergenerational, neighborhood-rooted, and steeped in the tradition of movement, expression, and storytelling. These are not just training grounds—they are cultural beacons that affirm that young Black lives are worthy of investment, of structure, and of imagination.
“Detroit’s youth have immense talent and potential,” said Nafeesah Symonette, Executive Director of DEYA. “We are thrilled to work alongside Matrix, Heritage Works, and seven dynamic youth arts organizations to offer creative outlets and job readiness skills that will benefit young people now and in the years to come.”
DEYA’s role in this goes beyond coordination. It’s about shifting how Detroit defines readiness and opportunity. The program is structured to build transferable skills: discipline, collaboration, professionalism, and confidence—all rooted in cultural creativity. This is how we move from short-term summer jobs to lifelong creative careers.
Heritage Works adds another layer. Known for its work in arts education and creative workforce development, the organization is anchoring the initiative with a deeper educational lens. This ensures the students are not just doing the work—they’re understanding the history and significance behind it.
And that’s critical. Detroit’s young artists are not detached from legacy. They’re shaping it.
The initiative’s funding comes through the State of Michigan MiLEAP grant and Grow Detroit’s Young Talent (GDYT) program. GDYT has long provided thousands of youth with summer employment across the city. But this arts-focused layer signals a shift—an understanding that the creative economy is not an add-on, but a necessity for a thriving city.
Brittany McCauley’s story is the blueprint. What began as a first job through CAP has now come full circle. Her journey proves what’s possible when you nurture a young person’s vision early, validate their skill, and create a clear path from passion to profession.
“My experiences with CAP not only shaped my artistic career but ignited a desire to help young artists find their footing,” she said. “I’m passionate about giving back—supporting the development of emerging talents and providing them with real art employment opportunities, just as I once received.”
This is how legacy is built in Detroit—not through symbolism, but through systems of support. When young people are paid for their artistry, they learn to value themselves differently. When their work is mentored and their voices are amplified, they start walking differently. And when community leaders invest in their ideas, they begin to see their power—not as something to wait on, but something to walk in.
The Summer Youth Arts Employment Training Initiative is not just about employment. It’s about equity. It’s about shifting what access looks like for Black and Brown youth who have always had talent but have often lacked the resources to turn that talent into income and impact. It’s about changing who gets to be called “professional” and what kind of work gets labeled as “valuable.”
For so long, the arts have been cut from budgets and overlooked in workforce development strategies. But Detroit is doing something different. By embedding creativity into economic opportunity, this city is reclaiming its roots as a birthplace of innovation—from Motown to muralists—and handing that legacy to the next wave of visionaries.
This initiative also calls into question what we as a city prioritize. Do we funnel youth into low-paying, repetitive jobs that lead nowhere, or do we invest in building skill sets that reflect their interests and stretch their imaginations? Do we treat young people as liabilities or as culture-bearers and community contributors?
This summer, the answer is clear.
Matrix Human Services, DEYA, and Heritage Works are not waiting for national spotlights to validate Detroit’s talent. They’re planting seeds now. Seeds that will bloom into Black-owned studios, community art spaces, production companies, dance troupes, and more. Every hour a student spends in this program is an hour invested in Detroit’s cultural economy—and that’s not just good policy. That’s liberation in motion.
These young people are not being saved. They are being seen.
Every brushstroke, every dance step, every line delivered on stage is a radical act of ownership. These are not hobbies. These are futures being shaped with precision, support, and care. And they are being shaped right here, at home, through organizations that know the city’s rhythm because they help keep the beat.
As Detroit continues to navigate economic shifts and educational disparities, efforts like this should not be the exception. They should be the standard. This is how we build equity from the roots—through programs that center community voices, pay youth for their labor, and offer a map toward self-determination.
There are 145 young people preparing to walk into studios this summer with talent in their hands and possibility in their eyes. They will walk out with paychecks, mentors, new tools, and an understanding that their creativity is not extra—it’s essential.
To learn more or apply, families and youth can visit SummerArtsJobs.
Detroit is not waiting for change. It’s creating it—with intention, with culture, and with the fierce belief that every young artist deserves a seat at the table. And sometimes, they don’t just sit at the table—they paint it, dance on it, or design the one that comes next.
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