Hey Detroiters, welcome back to Culture Canvas.
In the heart of Midtown, near institutions like the Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit Historical Museum and College for Creative Studies, is another cultural facility that often gets overlooked–the Hannan Center. The organization, which provides social services and wellness activities for older adults, is celebrating its 100th anniversary.
Among the centennial celebrations, such as a new exhibit at the Detroit Historical Museum and a 100th anniversary celebration on Oct. 25, is the center’s annual “Emerge!” Arts Festival. This year, artists ages 55 and older were invited to submit original work in any medium that explores aging, creativity, and community in Detroit. The exhibit opens Saturday at the Ellen Kayrod Gallery inside the Hannan Center, 4750 Woodward Ave., and runs until Jan. 14.
While BridgeDetroit Engagement Editor Bryce Huffman and I have a larger story coming about Hannan Center’s 100th anniversary events, here’s a snippet of a conversation I had with Hannan Arts and Culture Director Richard Reeves about the exhibit.
BridgeDetroit: How many submissions did the center receive this year?
Reeves: We had 109 entries and about 98 actual artists ended up in the show. The amount of artwork is 174 pieces. We have a lot of variety–paintings, sculptures, pottery, fiber art, poetry, photographs. The youngest person is 55 and the oldest person is 93.
This year, we’re going to give what’s called a President’s Award. We’re going to ask our president (Vincent Tilford) to pick his favorite piece in the show, and then we’re also going to give some awards we call our staff picks.
BridgeDetroit: What are some of the ways the artists are celebrating the exhibit’s theme–the Hannan Center’s centennial?
Reeves: When the call for entries went out, I gave prompts to the artists, things they might want to look into for submission. And these prompts were like Hannan programming, social connection, Detroit music, dementia, caregiving, social work, ageism, the number 100. Those are things that are true to our Hannan mission, and things that made us last for 100 years.
Some artists took it very seriously and they did research on Hannan and our founders and created artwork based on that. Some people were really attached to caregiving and they looked at all aspects of care. One of my favorite ones was a collage and she (the artist) used Scrabble tiles to spread out the words “100 years.” She even put a butterfly in it, which she didn’t know at the time, but it was one of the Hannan Center’s first symbols.
And there’s another piece that’s really cool where someone played on the number 100. Jimmy Carter was the only president that lived to be 100, so he created a photo made up of 100 squares and they came together to do this interesting depiction of Jimmy Carter. They really had fun with this exhibit.
BridgeDetroit: What are excited for people to see during this exhibit?
Reeves: What I’m most excited about is just to see people come together and look at how creative all the artists are, who are 55 and older. We’ve completely hung the show already and some people have seen it already. Some of them just stop in their tracks because there’s so much art and so much variety. They’re just amazed that our Detroit area people created all this stuff. I’m excited to share that with the community.
As always, have a great week!
Cheers,
Micah
313 Scene
- The 2025 Detroit Jazz Festival drew more than 300,000 attendees to downtown and midtown Detroit over Labor Day weekend, while its global livestream audience expanded significantly — reaching viewers in 43 countries, a 30% increase over the previous year. The Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation recently said an estimated 1.5 million people tuned in via the festival’s website and social media platforms to watch free, live performances from acclaimed and emerging jazz artists from across the U.S. and around the world. (Detroit Free Press)
- Metro Detroit native Tim Robinson stars in the new HBO show, “The Chair Company,” which premiered Sunday. Robinson created the show with Zach Kanin, his former “Saturday Night Live” writing colleague and longtime producing partner on the late, lamented “Detroiters” and the Emmy-winning “I Think You Should Leave” on Netflix. (Detroit Free Press)
- For the first time in its 21-year history, the Windsor International Film Festival is crossing international waters and will showcase two outdoor screenings in Campus Martius Park, organizers have announced. On Oct. 23, programmers will show “The Barbarian Invasions,” a Canadian production which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language film in 2004. On Oct. 24, there will be a screening of 2024’s “Play it Loud! How Toronto Got Soul,” a documentary covering Jamaican music’s influence on Toronto’s music community in the 1960s. (The Detroit News)
- Robin Thicke will headline January’s Detroit Auto Show Charity Preview, organizers announced. The “Blurred Lines” singer will perform at the Jan. 16 black tie gala, which will also see a “special performance” by Detroit rapper Trick Trick. Jalen Rose, the former NBA star, “Fab Five” member and Detroit-bred sports analyst, will emcee the gala. (The Detroit News)
What’s Going on in the D?
- Actor and comedian Adam Sandler is bringing his “You’re My Best Friend” stand-up tour to Little Caesars Arena 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Tickets are still available, starting at $88.
- For its monthly Third Thursday series, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History is presenting the one-act play, “The Dome: Live – Trini’s Story” beginning at 7 p.m. Penned and performed by artist Whitney Johnson, the play reimagines the atmosphere of the Louisiana Superdome against the backdrop of Hurricane Katrina. The event is free but registration is required.
- Shakespeare in Detroit is premiering its latest production, “Jane Anger,” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Boll Family YMCA. Set in 1606 during a plague, the play begins with William Shakespeare, who is experiencing writer’s block. Unhappily quarantined with his peasant apprentice, Shakespeare tries to write his next great masterpiece. Up through the window climbs Jane Anger, a woman with a massive sack and a scheme to change history. “Jane Anger” is directed by Shakespeare in Detroit Founder Sam White. While Thursday’s show is sold out, tickets are still available for Friday, Saturday and Sunday for $49 on Eventbrite.
- Elmwood Cemetery is hosting its inaugural “Elmwood Alight!” events from 7-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The cemetery will offer an immersive experience full of light, art, and sound. Gates open at 7 p.m. with the last entry at 9:30 p.m. Tickets start at $40.
- Nonprofit Michigan Rocky Horror Preservation Society is hosting a 50th anniversary screening of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Masonic Temple. Joining the event are three actors from the cult classic–Barry Bostwick (Brad Majors), Patricia Quinn (Magenta) and Little Nell Campbell (Columbia). Tickets start at $73.