Inside|Out
The DIA's Inside|Out program, which brings high-quality reproductions of art from the museum's collection to the streets and parks of metro Detroit, is halfway through its seventh year! The program is currently in three Oakland County communities through July 10. Among the spring activities inspired by Inside|Out were an Instagram meet-up and photo contest in Eastern Market and the newly expanded Dequindre Cut, a walking tour with DIA Director Salvador Salort-Pons in Hamtramck, which drew more than 60 people, and more. The reproductions will be installed in nine new tri-county communities for the summer season, including Beverly Hills, Lake Orion and Oxford in Oakland County.

More than 65 different communities have hosted Inside|Out since its inception, and new cities are eager to participate. Because of the success of the program in metro Detroit, Inside|Out expanded nationally to museums in Akron, Philadelphia and Miami last year thanks to continued support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The program will launch in at least one more Knight community in 2017.

Visit  dia.org/insideout to see a list of participating communities and to download art-finding maps.

© Andrew Potter Photo
Check out these upcoming county events:

Concert of Colors, Thursday, July 15-Sunday, July 17
The Concert of Colors, metro Detroit's annual free diversity-themed musical festival, gets underway this month, and the DIA is hosting for the sixth year in a row July 15-17. Festivities include a performance of Mexican cumbia by Dos Santos Anti-Beat Orquesta, a screening of Finding Fela, John Sims' Afro-Dixie Remix Listening Party and a Mexican cabaret performance by Astrid Hadad. Click here to learn more .

Lake Orion Senior Luncheon Series, Wednesdays, noon-1:30 p.m.  
The Orion Center, located at 1335 Joslyn Rd., is hosting a senior luncheon series featuring talks about the DIA's collection on Wednesdays from noon to 1:30 p.m. Guests will learn about various aspects of the DIA's collection over lunch. Each event is for people ages 50 and older and requires advance registration at least one week prior to the talk. Admission is $6. Call 248-391-0304 ext. 305 to register. Upcoming talks are:

August 3: Your DIA
September 7: Through Her Eyes: Women Artists
October 5: Ordinary People by Extraordinary Artists: Degas, Renoir and Friends
November 2: Picturing Music 

Detroit Institute of Awesome!, every Saturday and Sunday
This summer, Saturdays and Sundays are even more kid friendly at the DIA. The museum is rolling out a new program called "Detroit Institute of Awesome!," beginning this month, featuring a variety of art and activities tailored to kids ages 3-10. Activities are free for residents of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.  Learn more here.

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 planned exclusively for them, at no cost, every Thursday. 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 July schedule is:
  • July 7: Gallery tour: Highlights of the permanent collection 
  • July 14: Lecture: Picture Music
  • July 21: Art-making: Uchiwa (Japanese paper fans)
  • July 28: Film: Antarctica: A Year on Ice

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. 
Of the 39 communities that hosted the 2015 and 2016 Inside|Out installations, nearly half had never participated before. That means the DIA brought 182 reproductions of works from its collection to new viewers.