Devon Akmon

Arts to promote mental health goal of new University of Michigan clinical program Michigan ArtsRx is a new clinical arts initiative to assist the mental health of students, UM affiliates, and Ann Arbor residents through arts programming.

UMich is launching ArtsRx, a new clinical-art initiative that harnesses the healing power of music, visual arts, performance, and storytelling to support students and Ann Arbor residents while strengthening community well-being.

Copenhagen: Art, Architecture, and the Joy of Movement
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The Metro: What our museums offer — and why the White House is clamping down on them - WDET 101.9 FM On Tuesday, the White House called for a “comprehensive internal review” of eight Smithsonian museums.

Earlier today, I joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro, hosted by Detroit’s flagship NPR station WDET, to discuss how museums are responding to political pressure amid the White House’s ongoing attacks on the Smithsonian.

Jeff Mills to bring new residency to Detroit's Spot Lite next month · News ⟋ RA The September residency will encompass live performances, film screenings and a public exhibition featuring art and artifacts from his personal collection.

"The September residency will encompass live performances, film screenings and a public exhibition featuring art and artifacts from his personal collection."

Visitor wearing headphones viewing interactive and digital algorithmic art installations, including a central illuminated column with abstract marine-inspired visuals, at Infinite Images: The Art of Algorithms, Toledo Museum of Art.

Digital wall display of colorful rose petals arranged in grid patterns alongside a video portrait of a man, part of Infinite Images: The Art of Algorithms, Toledo Museum of Art.

Large algorithmically generated wall art featuring a grid of colorful gradients and geometric patterns in red, blue, pink, and yellow hues, at Infinite Images: The Art of Algorithms, Toledo Museum of Art.

Additional works on display in the exhibition Infinite Images: The Art of Algorithms at Toledo Museum of Art.

Video of Jardins d’Été by artist Quayola, on view at the Toledo Museum of Art as part of the exhibition Infinite Images: The Art of Algorithms. toledomuseum.org/exhibitions/...

Huge thanks to @ulabeast.bsky.social for taking an interest in the @aadl.org #summergame and reporting on it for a national audience on Morning Edition! And humongous thanks to all the players, staff, partners and volunteers who make it happen, bigger and better, every summer!

Call for Artists! The Ann Arbor Housing Commission has issued an RFQ for public artwork at the new Dunbar Tower. Selected artists will be commissioned to create original works for the building’s interior, exterior, & new community space. Deadline to submit is coming fast: August 31. #A2Council

Cosm presents Willy Wonka Shared Reality cinematic experience Cosm launches second Shared Reality cinematic experience, immersing fans in the world of 1971 classic, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.

I’m not sure how this will compare to Wizard of Oz at Sphere in Las Vegas, but having visited COSM, I suspect it will be a great film to experience in shared reality. I’m especially curious to see how COSM leverages its venue to enhance immersive storytelling. blooloop.com/immersive/ne...

Slide titled ‘RECOMMENDATION 4: Make engagement events more accessible and attractive.’ It explains that inaccessible, unwelcoming, or hostile events deter engagement. Below are ten listed strategies, such as offering hybrid meetings, holding meetings at various times, recording and sharing meetings, enforcing respectful ground rules, compensating participants, training facilitators, and clearly communicating decision-making processes.

That’s something our group of 30 residents, likely the city’s most diverse to date, emphasized over 18 months of work with staff on the Achieving Equitable Engagement in Ann Arbor report. I’m not sure how it’s being used now or whether its impact is being assessed. www.a2gov.org/services/equ...

Glad to see my screenshot of Alan is still making the rounds. A perennial favorite.

Excurio | Horizon of Khufu Explore the last wonder of the ancient world, the Great Pyramid. Welcome to Egypt!

I wonder if immersive storytelling & technologies will make "visiting" historical/cultural landmarks & heritage sites more accessible as consumer tech like VR expands opportunities. Excurio, founded in 2020, is one example creating “immersive expeditions” to explore the world virtually.

YouTube video by Sphere Behind the Scenes of the Sound, Score And Infrasound Technology of The Wizard Of Oz at Sphere

The forthcoming release of The Wizard of Oz at Sphere in Las Vegas looks incredible. An all-immersive experience with 4D effects, real-time AI, haptics, atmospheric scents, and 167,000 sound speakers. Here’s a sneak peek at the score.

The moveable middle, lol.

A red, white, and blue “I Voted” sticker featuring the U.S. flag, Arabic text reading “لقد صوتت” (I voted), and the hashtag #A2Votes, all on an oval white background.

I’m delighted to share that I voted Yes on Proposals A and B in the Ann Arbor special election! Now it’s your turn—have you made your voice heard? #A2Council #A2Votes

Griswold kicked off public comment with blatantly classist rhetoric. #a2council

Toum and hummus on everything. 🇱🇧

I mean, if someone attended preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school — as well as university — then the answer is clearly yes.

In a nutshell, that is leadership.

The generational divide on the CLUP is real. One side wants change—density and diversity. The other wants to keep things the same. This debate will shape our future. #A2Council

An AI-generated brain with glowing nodules rests on a vast blue computer chip interface with orange-red circuits. Text on image reads "Open Call: Singularity. An Exhibition Examining When AI Outthinks Humans. Entry Deadline: July 4, 2025"

There's less than a month left to submit a proposal for the MSU Museum CoLab Studio's exhibition, "Singularity," don't miss out! buff.ly/r47qJJb

A digital art poster featuring a human brain integrated with glowing circuits, resting on a computer chip. The text reads: "OPEN CALL. SINGULARITY – An Exhibition Examining When AI Outthinks Humans. Entry Deadline: July 4, 2025." The background consists of a close-up view of a circuit board with orange and blue lighting.

The MSU Museum's open call for "Singularity," an exhibition that speculates on the future impact of rapid developments in artificial intelligence, is open for submissions until July 4, 2025. Learn more: museum.msu.edu/explore/cola...

Wu-Tang Clan’s new video game project is ‘for the culture’ Wu-Tang is for the (video game playing) children.

"Rise of the Deceiver is an action co-op game in which players, imbued with powers bestowed upon them by the legendary members of the Wu-Tang Clan, fight against invaders that wish to corrupt their home." www.theverge.com/games/681702...

Funding for Smithsonian’s Anacostia, Latino museums cut in proposed Trump budget The proposed cuts coincide with a White House effort to exert greater control over some of the country’s most prestigious cultural institutions.

The Anacostia Museum and NMAL, along w/ NMAAC & NMAI, have played a vital role in expanding the Smithsonian’s work & reach through community-based approaches & inclusive storytelling. Proposed budget cuts would severely undermine their work & the Smithsonian’s broader mission. wapo.st/4jKmyRf

Ask the expert: How Detroit and its people are integral to the rise of techno music Julian C. Chambliss, professor of English at Michigan State University and the Val Berryman Curator of History at the MSU Museum, examines how techno artists in Detroit have contributed to the legacy ...

My colleague, Dr. Julian Chambliss, curated the exhibition Techno: The Rise of Detroit's Machine Music for @msumuseum.bsky.social. Just in time for Movement in Detroit, here’s a great interview exploring “how Detroit and its people are integral to the rise of techno music.”

A decorative metal Band-Aid tin featuring Hokusai’s iconic wave artwork, labeled “FLEXIBLE FABRIC DESIGNS BY HOKUSAI” in collaboration with The Met. In front of the tin is a single fabric bandage with a colorful floral pattern on a green background.

Art for your boo-boo!

Band-Aid x The Met collaboration featuring designs by Hokusai.

Detroit's population grows for second straight year as prior estimates revised upward The Motor City gained nearly 7,000 people from July 1, 2023 to July 1, 2024, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data released Thursday.

This article presents some interesting data. From 2023 to 2024, Detroit saw 1% population growth, as did Grand Rapids & Lansing—cities closer in size to Ann Arbor. Unfortunately, A2's growth lagged behind at just 0.2%. The limited availability of affordable housing is likely a significant barrier.

The World Is Wooing U.S. Researchers Shunned by Trump

The US used to attract many of the world’s top researchers. Sadly, that’s changing. Ongoing budget cuts & political instability are driving brilliant researchers abroad. At MSU, we’re seeing top faculty actively recruited overseas. US leadership in research/innovation is already starting to slip.

A collage of a vinyl record, the Detroit skyline, and stylized text that reads "The Michigan State University Museum Presents: TECHNO The Rise of Detroit's Machine Music. Info line: museum.msu.edu from 2/4/25-7/12/25 at 311 Abbot, East Lansing, Michigan"

Missed any of our programs for "Techno: The Rise of Detroit’s Machine Music?" Check out the recordings of the talks and panels here: buff.ly/5inFZrR Programs hosted with WKAR - Public Media from Michigan State University.