News Summary
Detroit is hosting the Sustain-A-City exhibition, featuring environmental art on billboards throughout the city. The event celebrates local artists and promotes discussions about sustainability and urban resilience. Curated by Design Core Detroit, the exhibition includes 16 unique artworks and aims to inspire community involvement in addressing environmental challenges. The use of billboards as a medium allows for broader public engagement with art, contributing to Detroit’s identity as a UNESCO City of Design.
Detroit is currently hosting the Sustain-A-City exhibition, which features environmental art displayed on billboards throughout the city. The exhibition opened on Saturday as part of the Detroit Month of Design, showcasing the creative talents of local artists and encouraging discussions around important environmental issues.
This significant event is curated by Design Core Detroit, a nonprofit dedicated to bolstering the local design community and promoting Detroit as a center for creativity and innovation. The exhibition contains the work of 16 local artists who each offer their unique interpretation of sustainability, highlighting the vital relationship between art and environmental themes.
Visitors celebrated the opening with a festive atmosphere at Robert C. Valade Park, where a DJ provided music, and guests enjoyed snacks from the Café at Valade and the Shed Bar. As attendees mingled, they recognized the role of art in generating conversations about urban resilience, sustainability, and social equity.
One of the standout elements of the exhibition is its innovative use of billboards as a medium for public art, described by participating artist Douglas Jones as a form of “guerrilla marketing.” This approach allows for greater accessibility, as it invites the public to engage with art outside of traditional galleries, making it a part of the everyday experience.
Among the featured artworks, nine pieces are displayed on a digital billboard at the intersection of 14th Street and Michigan Avenue until September 14. Additionally, a work by artist Megan Rizzo, also known as Daisy, will be presented on a static billboard at Schoolcraft and Grandmont through October 5.
The current theme of the exhibition focuses on sustainability in design, a critical issue particularly relevant to Detroit, which is recognized as the United States’ sole UNESCO City of Design. Asia Hamilton, the exhibition’s curator and climate resilience program manager for Detroit’s Office of Sustainability, underscores the need for addressing environmental challenges such as poor air quality and flooding, which are often overlooked by residents but have profound implications for community health.
Young voices from Detroit, including 25-year-old Kamryn Gardner, expressed their hopes for a future where environmental sustainability intersects with social equity and community empowerment. This sentiment reflects a growing aspiration among Detroiters to harness the city’s creative spirit for positive change and a more sustainable urban landscape.
The opening event also included discussions around the interplay between sustainability, social equity, and urban resilience, fostering an environment for critical dialogue among attendees. The initiative not only aims to promote awareness about environmental issues but also emphasizes the importance of community involvement in addressing these challenges.
Through the collaboration of local artists and organizations, the Sustain-A-City exhibition aims to inspire conversations around community health and environmental sustainability, contributing to Detroit’s ongoing efforts to redefine its identity and leadership in sustainability on a national and global stage.
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Additional Resources
- BridgeDetroit: Sustain-A-City Detroit Art & Environment
- Axios: Month of Design 2025 Schedule
- Visit Detroit: New Interactive Exhibition on Aerospace Innovation
- CleanTechnica: Ford F-150 Lightning Towing a 1913 Detroit Electric
- Detroit Free Press: Opinion on Child Care 2025
- Wikipedia: Urban sustainability
- Google Search: Detroit environmental sustainability
- Google Scholar: sustainability in design Detroit
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Urban Design
- Google News: Detroit sustainability art
Author: STAFF HERE DETROITMI WRITER
DETROIT STAFF WRITER The DETROIT STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREDetroitMI.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Detroit, Wayne County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Movement Electronic Music Festival, Detroit Grand Prix, and America's Thanksgiving Parade. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Detroit Regional Chamber and Focus HOPE, plus leading businesses in automotive and healthcare that power the local economy such as General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and Henry Ford Health. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREGrandRapids.com, HERENorthville.com, HERENovi.com, and HEREPlymouth.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Michigan's dynamic landscape.
