The City Office of Arts, Culture and Entrepreneurship seeks works by young artists for exhibit in the new Children’s Gallery at Butzel Family Center
- Mayor Duggan’s new Youth Affairs Team to curate works by youth ages 10 to 18
- All artwork must be submitted by March 7, 2025, at 11:59 PM.
- The exhibition will open during the Grand Opening of the new ACE headquarters at the Butzel Family Center this spring.
- The youth initiative is sponsored by the City of Detroit, the Kresge Foundation and the Hudson-Webber Foundation.
The City of Detroit’s Youth Affairs Team (YAT) and Office of Arts, Culture and Entrepreneurship (Detroit ACE) are issuing an Open Call to Detroit youth artists for an inaugural exhibit at ACE’s new art gallery at the Butzel Family Center.
The 2025 Youth Artists Exhibition titled “This is How We Do It: Detroit Youth Look to the Future,” invites young artists ages 10 to 18 to submit artwork reflecting Detroit’s past, present and future through values of unity and hope. Youth are invited to submit their drawings and paintings or photos of any sculptures or other physical mediums to demonstrate their vision of Detroit’s future by March 7, 2025. The exhibition will open during the Grand Opening of the new ACE headquarters at the Butzel Family Center this spring.
The youth exhibition is the third installment of ACE’s annual initiative that gives Detroit’s young artists opportunities to highlight the rich culture and creativity that exists around every corner of their city. This initiative is designed to show talented artists that they can become excellent and keep that excellence in Detroit rather than move to other cities. The youth initiative is sponsored by the City of Detroit, the Kresge Foundation and the Hudson-Webber Foundation, who also are sponsors of the annual Detroit ACE Honors that celebrate artists who have given 25 years or more of service to Detroit. ACE will add Detroit Youth Honors to this year’s ceremony.
"We have tremendous talent of all ages in Detroit," said Mayor Mike Duggan. "Thanks to the support of the Kresge Foundation and Hudson-Webber Foundation, this exhibition will give young artists in Detroit the opportunity to have their work displayed inside the new headquarters for our Office of Arts, Culture & Entrepreneurship when it opens this spring."
“Detroit has always been at the forefront of supporting and nurturing artists and the cultural bearers that make our city a dynamic place,” said Michelle Johnson, senior program officer with the Kresge Foundation’s Detroit Program. “The new ACE office at Butzel – and ACE’s efforts to engage youth and the next generation of artists with this exhibition opportunity – is another strong example of our city’s dedication and investment into the arts and the next generation of artists.”
ACE, formerly housed at the Marygrove Conservancy arts campus, is moving next month to Butzel Family Center at 7737 Kercheval Avenue on the city’s east side. The ACE headquarters will be on the center’s second floor and will include three offices and the gallery, which will host seasonal exhibits of work by young artists.
Young artists interested in being selected for the exhibit should email a letter to [email protected] with the following information:
- Name, address, email address and phone number
- Parent or guardian’s name, email address, and phone number (if under 18)
- One paragraph describing how their art fits the theme
- Name of the artwork
- High-resolution photo of original artwork (jpeg, pdf, or png file)
- All artwork must be submitted by March 7, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Late submissions will not be considered.
Selection Process
Submissions will be evaluated based on:
- Creativity, quality and originality of the design
- Relevance to the outlined theme
- A panel of young judges curated by the Mayor’s Youth Affairs Team
Questions?
For inquiries, email [email protected]. All questions must be submitted by February 28, 2025.
About YAT
Founded in 2023, the City of Detroit Youth Affairs Team is a dynamic, youth-led group mentored by the Department of Neighborhoods (DON). The team is committed to attracting and retaining Detroit's young talent while amplifying the voices of youth within the city and its hundreds of neighborhoods.
About ACE
Detroit ACE partners with organizations across the region to enhance and grow investment in fine and performing arts, culture and history with a special focus on artistic entrepreneurship and support for Detroit’s creative workforce.