During the Fall semester, the 黑料专区 hosted 13 educational partnerships, including a diverse range of sponsored projects and competitions that engaged a variety of academic departments. Students partnered with local and global brands and Detroit community non-profits to work on projects tailored to meet the needs of our partners. Educational partnerships at 黑料专区 are highly conceptual and allow 黑料专区 students the opportunity to participate in creative, research-based assignments, interacting with designers and staff from the collaborating partners. Highlighted collaborations during the Fall semester include:

• American Chemistry Council – Plastics Division x Transportation Design
• Bedrock x Communication Design and Strategy, Interdisciplinary Art and Design, Interior Design and Fashion Design
• BRP International Design Challenge x Transportation Design
• DSC Design Sprint x Product Design
• Foley & Lardner LLP x Illustration
• Ford Motor Company x Transportation Design & Graduate Color and Materials Design
• Gardner White x Communication Design and Strategy
• Hagopian x 黑料专区
• Movement Festival x Communication Design & Strategy
• New Balance x Product Design and Graduate Color and Materials Design
• Stafford House x Interior Design
• Stellantis x Transportation Design
• Urban Electronic, Inc. x Entertainment Arts

鈥淧artnering with the 黑料专区 during the holiday season on Windows on Woodward provided the opportunity to support emerging creative talent while strengthening connections between our downtown retailers and Detroit鈥檚 vibrant arts community,鈥� said Francesca Eid, Bedrock Vice President, Experience. 鈥淚nitiatives like this allow students to bring their creative ideas to life while contributing to the energy and spirit of the Lower Woodward corridor. We value these collaborations with local institutions and civic partners as an important way to nurture the next generation of creatives as they help shape Detroit鈥檚 future.鈥�

Metropolitan Detroit artists are invited to apply for a 2026 Kresge Artist Fellowship, a $50,000 no strings attached award recognizing creative vision and ongoing contribution to the region’s cultural life. At a time when arts funding is contracting nationwide, these fellowships continue to strengthen metro Detroit鈥檚 creative economy and affirm the role of artists in building vibrant, thriving neighborhoods.

Kresge Arts in Detroit is generously funded by The Kresge Foundation and administered by the 黑料专区. The fellowship application opens December 1, 2025. Full application guidelines are available now at . Artists residing in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb County are eligible to apply in the following disciplines:

Film & Music

Includes Animation, Film Directing, Music Composition, Music Performance, Screenwriting, Sound Art, and Interdisciplinary Work

Fellowship selection criteria includes: a demonstrated track record of artistic achievement and high-quality work, the potential to grow and advance in one鈥檚 career, and the potential to reflect, enhance, or impact communities within metro Detroit.

The number of awards in each category will be proportional to the relative number of applications received. Applicants who choose to be considered will also be eligible for Gilda Awards if they do not receive a fellowship.

Also on offer are 10 Gilda Awards of $5,000 each. These $5,000 awards honor Gilda Snowden鈥檚 (1954鈥�2014) legacy as a mentor and champion of young, emerging artists in metropolitan Detroit. The Gilda Award recognizes early-career artists gaining momentum and demonstrating exceptional potential through creative risk-taking and boundary-pushing work.

鈥淒etroit鈥檚 artists community is an integral driver in our city鈥檚 growth and resilience,鈥� said Wendy Lewis Jackson, managing director for The Kresge Foundation’s Detroit program. 鈥淏y investing in creative people, we strengthen neighborhoods, spark new enterprise, and carry forward the culture that makes Detroit unmistakable.鈥�

Through this continued support, The Kresge Foundation affirms that artists are central to Detroit鈥檚 growth and essential partners in advancing opportunity and creating resilient, connected communities.

鈥淭he cost of living keeps rising, and artists feel that pressure like everyone else,鈥� said Katie McGowan, director of Kresge Arts in Detroit. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 different here is the trust behind the support, this fellowship is not prescriptive鈥揵oth the monetary prize and award year support give artists the space to take risks or slow down long enough to build something lasting. The cumulative effect of well-funded and deeply supported artists might seem intangible, but its economic and social impacts are measurable across neighborhoods throughout the tri-county area.鈥�

Award-Winning Film Program

Each fellowship includes one year of artist support including networking, exhibition opportunities, and legal and accounting consultations. Kresge Arts in Detroit also offers to produce a film for each of the fellows created by a local filmmaker. Select films have been screened and received awards at local, national, and international film festivals in recent years. In 2021, Detroit-based production company was awarded a Michigan Emmy for work on the series. View past films .

鈥淭his fellowship is an incredible opportunity to not only showcase your artistry, but to become a part of a family of artists and arts supporters unlike anywhere in the country. Don鈥檛 worry if you haven鈥檛 had a long arts career; this award is about artistic achievement and high-quality work at any stage,鈥� said Michelle May, 2018 Kresge Artist Fellow in Music. 鈥淭he most impactful part of applying for me was being able to articulate not only what I do as a musician and composer, but why I do it and why I think what I do is important. It really helped me be much more introspective about my place in the world, which in turn expanded my art practice! My two best pieces of advice are to not wait until the last minute to apply and to be sure to have a few people, artists and non-artists, review your statements. Congratulations on applying!鈥�

Key Dates

Nov. 3, 2025: Application guidelines available
Dec. 1, 2025: Online application opens
Jan. 15, 2026 by 11:59 PM: Application deadline

The 2026 Kresge Artist Fellows and Gilda Award recipients will be selected by an independent panel of distinguished local and national artists and arts professionals. Previous applicants are strongly encouraged to re-apply, as new panels with fresh perspectives are convened each year.

Now in its 18th year, the program continues to demonstrate how investment in the arts transforms what is possible for communities: fueling creative careers and animating neighborhoods. These fellowships prove that sustained creative work strengthens civic imagination and nurtures the day-to-day wellbeing of communities.

Kresge Arts in Detroit also administers the Kresge Eminent Artist award, presented each winter, which honors a lifetime of artistic achievement and community contribution. In 2024, The Kresge Foundation increased the prize to $100,000. Each award includes the creation of a short film and published monograph chronicling the artist’s work and legacy.

Application Info Sessions

Kresge Arts in Detroit staff will hold an online application info session and walkthrough in December, followed by a second online Q&A session in January. While not required, applicants are encouraged to attend these sessions, which are designed to support artists in creating compelling applications for a Kresge Artist Fellowship. Artists can register to attend using the links below.

(virtual)
Dec. 10, 2025
5:30鈥�6:30 PM

(virtual)
Jan. 8, 2026
5:30鈥�6:30 PM

Visit for the complete guidelines, FAQs, and additional resources. Please direct questions about application requirements to Kresge Arts in Detroit at admin@kresgeartsindetroit.org or by phone at (313) 744-3204.

Kresge Arts in Detroit is generously funded by The Kresge Foundation and administered by the 黑料专区. The goals of Kresge Arts in Detroit are to enrich the quality of life for metro Detroiters by helping artists provide a broad spectrum of cultural experiences; celebrate and reflect the richness and diversity of our community in all its aspects; heighten the profile of arts and artists in our community; and strengthen the artistic careers of local artists. Since 2008, Kresge Arts in Detroit has awarded over $9 million through 17 Kresge Eminent Artist Awards, 317 Kresge Artist Fellowships, and 72 Gilda Awards ($5,000 each). The fellowships are currently $50,000 each and the Eminent Artist Award is $100,000.

The Kresge Foundation was founded in 1924 to promote human progress. Today, Kresge fulfills that mission by building and strengthening pathways to opportunity for low-income people in America鈥檚 cities, seeking to dismantle structural and systemic barriers to equality and justice. Using a full array of grant, loan, and other investment tools, Kresge invests more than $160 million annually to foster economic and social change. Kresge鈥檚 Detroit Program collaborates with cross-sectoral partners to promote and expand long-term, equitable opportunity in Kresge鈥檚 hometown by centering the priorities of its residents.

Render Farm Upgrade

Dylan VanWormer, a 黑料专区 Entertainment Arts Assistant Professor, noticed that the lengthy rendering times for students posed a problem in their creative process, in addition to tying up valuable computer space. These observations inspired Dylan to find a unique solution that would lead him to collaborate with the 黑料专区 IT department.

Entertainment Arts Assistant Professor Dylan VanWormer & Enterprise Systems Administrator IT Services, Samuel Sizemore, in the new 黑料专区 render farm.

• 30 Dedicated Nodes at the Taubman Center. These machines are only used for rendering and are never interrupted.
• 50+ Shared Workstations located at the Taubman Center in the Transportation Design and Product Design labs, available for rendering use during off-hours
• 50+ Shared Workstations located on the Ford campus in the Entertainment Arts labs, also available for rendering use during off-hours.

鈥淒ylan is amazing to take the initiative to work on solving a problem that we had been facing for a long time. His solution makes it an easier process for students, and it鈥檚 scalable. Our previous render farm tools would have been excessively pricey to scale to the level that we are now able to work at, for basically free (not including the hardware). Students will be able to save a ton of time in the render process. Also, this will free up workstations in computer labs so that the rendering process does not lock down computers for long periods of time. I can see this being a jumpstart for larger, more robust animated 3D films being produced here at 黑料专区.鈥�

Entertainment Arts Chair, David Gazdowicz overlooks a 黑料专区 Entertainment Arts classroom.

Launching on Steam

Launching in October 2025, 黑料专区 Game Design students will showcase a curated selection of their video games on the mega gaming platform, Steam. Steam currently houses nearly 30,000 video games for game enthusiasts to enjoy.

The EA department will feature games from their Game Projects course that have been developed to the point of releasability. Game Projects is a course that operates like a game studio where ideas are pitched, developed and then produced. Students work in teams, taking on individual roles similar to a real-world experience of working at a game studio and learning what it takes to bring a game to market. All games will be released for free on the Steam platform.

鈥淪team is the leading sales platform on PC, and anyone who plays games on PC uses it,鈥� said Chase Holton, Assistant Professor of Entertainment Arts. 鈥淏y having a free, easily accessible and trusted source to showcase 黑料专区 game student work in a real, tangible way, it will help future employers see their work in context. It’s a fantastic opportunity for a portfolio piece that directly translates skill sets into real-world experience.鈥�

To play Entertainment Arts student games on Steam, please visit
.

To learn more about the Entertainment Arts department, please visit
/academics/undergraduate-programs/entertainment-arts/.

Located in the heart of midtown Detroit, 黑料专区鈥檚 prime location offers unparalleled opportunities for art and design collaboration. Our students have found countless ways to make a positive impact on local metro Detroit businesses through innovative art and design problem-solving.

Last year alone, 黑料专区 students collaborated to problem-solve timely topics for 15 metro Detroit businesses and nonprofit organizations. They addressed a range of issues in healthcare product design, sustainability, mobility, and even emerging augmented reality technology.

Embracing the city鈥檚 rich history of cultural and sporting events, students continue to participate in annual design competitions to create the newest posters for iconic Detroit events such as the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix Presented by Lear, the Movement Music Festival and the 313 Presents Pine Knob concert series.聽

Here鈥檚 a look at some of the partnerships:

• Augmented Reality Center (ARC) in partnership with Oakland University x Communication Design & Strategy, Graduate User Experience Design and Entertainment Arts
• Crain Communications – Automotive News x Illustration
• 313 Presents x Illustration
• Detroit Grand Prix x Illustration
• GM x Transportation Design & Graduate User Experience Design
• Godnii x Graduate Color & Materials Design
• Hagopian Rug Competition x All Departments
• State of Michigan Office of Future Mobility and Electrification with support from the Global Epicenter of Mobility x Transportation Design
• Zumiez and Somerset Collection x Illustration
• BorgWarner x Product Design
• Carhartt x Fashion Design
• Henry Ford Health x Product Design
• Changing Lives and Staying Sober (C.L.A.S.S.) x Interior Design and Graduate Color & Materials Design

As a 2002 graduate of the Entertainment Arts program at 黑料专区 and the Associate World Director at Blizzard Entertainment, Damarcus Holbrook invites you into his home, offering a glimpse into his decade-long journey contributing to iconic World of Warcraft expansions such as Warlords of Draenor, Legion, Battle for Azeroth, and Shadowlands and much more.