Arts and wellness programs for tri-county residents
Arts in wellness is a rapidly growing multidisciplinary field that integrates the arts into a variety of healthcare and community settings for therapeutic, educational and expressive purposes. The DIA has provided arts experiences for tri-county patients and caregivers through a number of different programs, both at the museum and in healthcare settings, over the past 20 years .
 
Program highlights are the Community Group Program, which provides gallery tours and hands-on art-making classes to social services agencies in metro Detroit, including the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Hannan House for Seniors, Piquette Square for Veterans and the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center; Healing Arts, a partnership between the DIA and Children's Hospital of Michigan, which brings engaging art workshops for young patients and their families during a hospital stay; and Minds on Art, a partnership between the DIA and the Michigan Alzheimer's Association that offers stimulating art experiences for people with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers.
 
New this year, the DIA is teaming up with the Arts and Health Michigan Committee, made up of representatives from Beaumont Health, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Monte Nagler Fine Art and the University of Michigan Health System, to showcase the power of art and creativity in human wellness during the Arts and Health Symposium on Thursday, April 21 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the museum. Learn more and register here.
Check out these upcoming county events:

Wayne County Day, Saturday, April 16
The DIA is providing free bus transportation to and from the museum on Saturday, April 16 for Wayne County residents.  Those who take the bus can see the dynamic special exhibition "Dance! American Art 1830-1960" at no cost.The DIA provides this service twice a year for tri-county residents. Round-trip transportation and admission is free, but reservations are required. To reserve a spot and find times and locations, call 313-833-4005 or visit  tickets.dia.org. 

Michigan State University Science Festival, Saturday, April 23, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
The MSU Science Festival is a multiday series of events highlighting science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics. Special events are held across the state with a concentration of activities in the East Lansing and Detroit areas. The DIA's conservation department will present the lecture "Art Conservation: The Intersection of Art and Science," and a Q and A at 11 a.m., followed by gallery talks at 12:30, 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. on April 23. Learn more and see a complete schedule of events at  sciencefestival.msu.edu.

79th annual Detroit Public Schools Student Exhibition, April 30-June 5
Hundreds of imaginative works created by Detroit Public Schools students will be on display in the 79th annual  Detroit Public Schools Student Exhibition  presented by the DIA. The exhibition is free and will be held in galleries at the east end of the museum, near Kirby St. An opening reception for students and their families will be held Saturday, April 30, beginning at 1 p.m. in the Detroit Film Theatre auditorium at the DIA. 
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Senior Thursdays, every Thursday at 1 p.m. 
This new DIA program offers tri-county seniors the opportunity to visit the museum and enjoy programs exclusively planned for them, at no cost, every Thursday. Unless noted otherwise, the first Thursday of each month features a guided gallery tour; the second a lecture; the third an art-making class; and the fourth a film. During months with five Thursdays, the fifth Thursday will feature a guided gallery tour. All programs will begin at 1 p.m. The April schedule is:
  • April 14: Lecture: "Dance! American Art, 1830-1960"; Lecture Hall
  • April 21: Art-making: zig zag photo books; DIA Studio
  • April 28: Self-guided gallery tour of the collection
Advance registration for individuals is preferred, but not required. Call 313-833-4005 to register. Free transportation is available for groups of 25 or more. To book a group, call 313-833-1292. 
The DIA and other metro Detroit cultural institutions are partnering with the Autism Alliance of Michigan this month to present Sensory Friendly Saturdays, an initiative offering programming and quiet spaces for visitors on the autism spectrum and with other sensory processing disorders. The DIA is hosting on April 16 and will provide specially designed hands-on art-making activities led by museum studio staff as well as resource tables from the Autism Alliance of Michigan and the Color of Autism Foundation, among other activities. Learn more here.