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March 12, 2014: The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) has partnered with Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice (DWEJ) and the Detroit Climate Action Collaborative (DCAC) on a pilot tour for students studying humans’ relationship with the environment and natural resources through art. The tour is a prototype and the museum hopes to offer it as part of a school field trip experience next year.
In January, students from Samuel Gompers Elementary-Middle School and the Detroit Institute of Technology College Prep High School at Cody took a tour of environmentally themed artworks at the DIA. Teachers then met with their students to discuss the artworks and how they relate to environmental issues. Every Thursday in March the students create art in the DIA’s studio, inspired by their tours and discussions. Their works will be displayed with the 77th Annual Detroit Public Schools Student Exhibition, which opens April 12.
DIA education staff consulted the Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency to ensure the program aligned with Michigan state curriculum standards. For the tour they chose works from the collection that allowed for discussion about the relationship between the land, water, atmosphere and humans, which included landscapes from the American collection, textiles from the Native American collection, and sculpture from the contemporary collection, among others.
Ed. Note: Media is invited to attend the students’ studio sessions Thursdays in March from 10 a.m. to noon. Please contact Larisa Zade ([email protected]) for assistance.
About DWEJ
DWEJ is a Detroit-based non-profit organization dedicated to improving the environmental and economic health of the community and is the oldest urban environmental justice organization in Michigan. DWEJ champions local and national collaboration to advance environmental justice and sustainable redevelopment. It aims to foster clean, healthy and safe communities through innovative policy, education and workforce initiatives.
About DCAC
In 2011 DWEJ convened several key stakeholders from diverse backgrounds including environmental, government, science, academic, health, business and others, to form the DCAC. The DCAC was established to help Detroit identify short and long term actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, provide expert advice on the most credible, aggressive and economically viable targets, develop a comprehensive climate action plan and ready Detroiters for coping with the impacts of climate change.
Hours and Admission
Museum hours are 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Tuesdays–Thursdays, 9 a.m.–10 p.m. Fridays, and 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. General admission (excludes ticketed exhibitions) is free for Wayne, Oakland and Macomb county residents and DIA members. For all others, $8 for adults, $6 for seniors ages 62+, $4 for ages 6–17. For membership information, call 313-833-7971.
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