This event has been cancelled and will be rescheduled for Spring 2014.
DETROIT—Sept. 14 marks the first day of Detroit Bicycle Festival week and the eve of Detroit Design Festival. It also marks the second ArtRide, a bike tour to kick off eight awesome days filled with dozens of bike riding events and creative projects across Detroit.
For ArtRide 2013, Forward Arts will be showcasing Detroit’s “Big Three” of arts: the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Opera House, and Detroit Institute of Arts. Participants will enjoy major art institutions, their history and art, and a creatively scenic bike ride to set the mood.
Forward Arts is known for its collaborative programming, unique event aspects and environments, and its targeting a younger demographic while remaining open to everybody. In 2010, ArtServe and a couple of Detroit artists approached Forward Arts about creating a bike-based arts event in Detroit, based on a Chicago event. Forward Arts loved the idea, and thus, ArtRide was born in 2011.
Since both the bike and creative movements in Detroit are growing, Forward Arts Detroit has planned a bike tour to feature the best art organizations in Detroit for this year's ride. According to Executive Director Dominic Arellano, “We had been wanting to get these organizations together for a collaboration since before we launched in 2010, so this is a milestone for us.” Collaborating for a great event, each location will have its own special programming in store for ArtRiders.
Perhaps the biggest news for ArtRide is the event's expansion into 3-5 Michigan cities in the coming year. With interest growing for this type of event, several communities will be hosting ArtRides of their own, with locations to be announced in early 2014.
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
ArtRide will begin at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and its beautiful Orchestra Hall. Participants will tour of one of the most perfectly acoustic halls in the world, designed by renowned Detroit architect C. Howard Crane (who also designed Detroit landmarks Fox Theater, State Theater, and another ArtRide’s stop, the Detroit Opera House). The tour will end with Detroit Symphony Orchestra member performance. The DSO has some of the best musicians in the world, and seeing one perform up close is truly a treat.
“ArtRide is exactly the type of community engaging activity the DSO aspires to each time we open our doors,” said Anne Parsons, DSO President and CEO. “We are honored to welcome the riders to Orchestra Hall and to join our fellow arts organizations in helping to deepen Detroiters’ connection with their cultural gems.”
Detroit Opera House
Next stop will take ArtRiders to Detroit Opera House, where a performance from the Michigan Opera Theatre’s Community Opera Program kicks it off. After, a tour of the beautiful Opera House, boasting the largest stage in Michigan. We’ll learn about the theatre’s history, including how 2013 Kresge Eminent Artist and opera world superstar David DiChiera re-started the Detroit Opera House in 1996.
Opera House General Director, David DiChiera: "ArtRide is a fantastic collaboration to expose people to the scope, history and excitement that Detroit's cultural gems bring to the city. We love it!"
Detroit Institute of Arts
The final bike stop will be at the Detroit Institute of Arts where DIA tour guides will lead ArtRiders on a tour their public art outside the DIA and on some of the College for Creative Studies property. ArtRiders will get access to some of the history of the art, artist, and site location. Finally, ArtRiders are invited to enjoy the DIA’s new “Community Living Room” space, which will close the same weekend for the season and open back up in 2014.
“The Detroit Institute of Arts is happy to partner with Forward Arts on ArtRide,” said Kathryn Dimond, DIA Community Relations Director. “Riders will be able to see some great outdoor sculptures and be among the first to see the newly painted Gracehoper sculpture by Tony Smith on the DIA’s northeast lawn. We look forward to a fun day.” The huge, iconic sculpture on the front lawn was just under conservation efforts by the museum and boasts a new paint job that took over 7 weeks to complete.
Tickets ($20) are on sale now at Eventbrite, or they can be purchased from the Forward Arts website. The ride will be sweeper and SAG-supported. The bike ride portion will be just under 10 miles at a leisurely pace. Parking is available in the DSO parking lot located on Parsons, or the south side of the DSO.
The 2013 ArtRide planning committee is fitted with Detroit bike and arts community leaders including Detroit Spoke Director Erika Fulk, Detroit Greenways Coordinator at Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance, Todd Scott, local writer and advocate, Jeri Stroupe, and Forward Arts Executive Director Dominic Arellano.
Sponsors for this year's ArtRide include the Detroit Bicycle Festival 2013, Healthy Detroit, D:hive, Detroit Spoke, Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance, and Great Lakes Coffee Detroit, and media sponsor, Mode Shift.
Forward Arts Mission
Forward Arts is an arts program and project management organization that includes initiatives that support and serve the community. Its aim is to grow, sustain and preserve Detroit’s vibrant arts communities and industries. As a model for innovative business practices, Forward Arts mission-based yet business-oriented organization provides support and opportunities to artists, art organizations and administrators.
Art of all forms, both in the past and present, have always played a major function in the Detroit area, both to the community and the rest of the world. Major changes lie ahead for our region and cities and Forward Arts believes the arts should be a part of that change.
Forward Arts adheres to three guiding principles: develop and cultivate Detroit’s creative industries by providing support, opportunities and leadership for artists and art administrators; support existing art organizations through partnerships, consulting, and business development; and lastly, preserve Detroit’s artistic history and legacy through education and documentation.
For more information, please visit www.forwardartsdetroit.org. For press inquires, please contact Dominic Arellano at Dominic@ForwardArtsDetroit.org
