Arts & Culture

Backed by grant funding from the state-led Michigan Arts & Culture Council, artistic organizations throughout the Great Lakes State offer a diverse cultural landscape for creative expression and inspiration. Explore the art galleries in Traverse City where artists work with mediums like glassware, fabric and photography. Experience the awe of masterful performance at history centers like Manistee’s Ramsdell Theatre and the Calumet Theatre. Metro Detroit is not only home to the Detroit Institute of Arts, but also the The Henry Ford, and Motown Museum, as well as a rich portfolio of automotive and cultural heritage intuitions. Additionally, minerals and magic are the stars at the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum and the American Museum of Magic.

Michigan boasts several top-notch art schools that provide excellent education and training to aspiring artists. The Interlochen Center for the Arts is a renowned boarding school and artists’ retreat that offers immersive programs in various artistic disciplines, including music, dance and the visual arts. The University of Michigan provides a range of arts and culture academic programs, such as the Center for World Performance Studies and the School of Music, Theatre and Dance. The College for Creative Studies in Detroit focuses on teaching students the ins and outs of their industries. And, the Kendall College of Art and Design at Ferris State University supports students across an array of creative pursuits in the heart of Grand Rapids’ creative community.

Let your imagination run wild with hundreds of art and music festivals throughout the Great Lakes State. You won’t want to miss the Flint Art Fair, which is located on the grounds of the Flint Institute of Arts, the three-day Art on the River Festival in Port Huron or the National Cherry Festival in Downtown Traverse City, which features art competitions and exhibitions alongside its famous cherry-themed festivities.

Marquette’s Fresh Coast Film Festival is the first of its kind: a documentary film festival celebrating the outdoor lifestyle, water-rich environment and resilient spirit of the Great Lakes and Upper Midwest. East Lansing also hosts a yearly film fest, showcasing independent films from around the world that enlighten, entertain, affect, educate and expose the people of Michigan to other cultures, viewpoints and backgrounds.