News in brief: Money for the arts, free ride milestone, sculptor needed

Funding will help arts organizations

What’s happening: More than $11 million in multi-year general support will be awarded to arts organizations across the region to strengthen Southeast Michigan’s cultural landscape, the funders of the Detroit Arts Support Program recently announced.

As a part of this collective announcement, the Erb Family Foundation is granting $6 million in funding to 72 arts and cultural organizations in the tri-county area over the next three years. In this round of funding, the Foundation increased the total funding for this program and added 11 new partners. Altogether, 107 arts and cultural organizations across Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties will receive multiyear general operating support through the Detroit Arts Support program—a shared initiative with The Kresge Foundation and the Hudson-Webber Foundation.

Why it matters: Detroit Arts Support grants provide unrestricted operating support to nonprofits in the performing, visual, and literary arts, as well as to arts service, education, media and broadcasting, and cultural organizations. General operating support is not tied to a specific initiative, allowing nonprofits to use these grants to support their day-to-day work, and lessen the impact of unexpected costs such as canceled events or shifting funding priorities. This type of support for an organization’s core work helps them to sustain and grow their business over an extended period of time. Grant recipients range from small to large organizations, spread throughout the region, including Motown Historical Museum, Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit, and Signal-Return. Find the full list of Detroit Arts Support grants here.

What they are saying:  “These investments reflect our enduring commitment to Southeast Michigan and the broader Great Lakes region, and they build on our vision of creating lasting impact during the Foundation’s final decade,” said Melissa Damaschke, president of the Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation. “As we continue moving through our spenddown, we are deeply committed to supporting our partners to help carry Fred and Barbara’s legacy forward, creating a better world for current and future generations.” 

Source: Detroit Arts Support

Program offering moms and caregivers free rides to the doctor’s office hits milestone

What’s happening: The Rides to Care program has provided 20,000 free round-trip rides to doctor appointments for new and expectant mothers in Detroit. The program launched in November 2024 offers free transportation for women who are pregnant and individuals who take care of an infant up to one year of age to and from prenatal and postnatal appointments.

The Rides to Care service operates Monday through Saturday and provides transportation to healthcare providers in Detroit and up to five miles beyond city limits. It eliminates a major barrier to receiving consistent care for both expectant mothers and new parents.

Who is eligible for Rides to Care?
• Any expectant mother who is a Detroit resident
• Any mother/primary caregiver/guardian who is a resident of Detroit with an infant child (up to one year of age)
• Post-partum visits for a mother up to one year following birth

 What types of health care visits qualify for free transportation?
• Prenatal: Healthcare appointments to help keep you and your baby healthy during your pregnancy
• Postpartum: Rides to healthcare appointments for up to one year following the birth of your child
• Newborn pediatric: Up to your baby’s first birthday to help your baby stay healthy

What they are saying: “Every one of these rides means a Detroit mom and baby is getting the care they need to stay healthy. Hitting 20,000 rides shows just how well this program is working,” Mayor Duggan said at an event celebrating the milestone. “When transportation isn’t a barrier, moms don’t miss critical appointments, and that makes a real difference for their health and their baby’s future.”
 
For more information: Call (313) 961-2229 or visit here.

Source: City of Detroit

A new statue for Joe Louis celebrates achievement beyond boxing

The City of Detroit is celebrating Joe Louis’ life outside the boxing ring with public artwork that focuses on Louis’ life and accomplishments away from boxing, where he became a global icon and national hero.

The City of Detroit’s Office of Arts, Culture and Entrepreneurship has issued an open call for call for a sculptor to create a statue of the late Joe Louis honoring his life as an equestrian and his work to encourage more African Americans to embrace the world of horses.

The statue will honor Louis’s groundbreaking impact on equestrian sports, particularly for African Americans during a time of deep racial segregation. In 1939, he and his manager purchased Spring Hill Farm on land that is now part of River Bends Park in Shelby Township.

Recognizing the barriers Black horsemen faced in mainstream competitions, Louis created the nation’s first All-Negro Horse Show, which gave African American riders and trainers a prestigious platform to showcase their skills. He built a track, installed bleachers and box seating and turned Spring Hill into a place of pride and possibility. He also had a collection of about 20 different horses. Louis sold the Michigan farm in 1946, but he is credited with sparking a lasting interest in horse riding among many Black Americans, paving the way for greater inclusion in equestrian culture.

The statue will be the second “Outside the Ring” piece that focuses on Louis’ life and accomplishments away from boxing, where he became a global icon and national hero. In October, the City unveiled the first Outside the Ring statue celebrating Louis’ success in golf.  For this commission, the City has a single required design element — the sculpture must feature a horse.  

The deadline for applications is December 30, 2025. For details on the application process, click here. The commission for the new Joe Louis statue is $175,000. 

The new statue, the third commissioned by Detroit ACE, is part of the City’s efforts to increase the number of public art pieces that highlight Detroit’s rich American and African American history.

Source: City of Detroit