Turkish Coffee Set, 19th century, silver, turquoise and coral; Unknown Artist, Islamic, Turkey;  Lent by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Valerie J. Dreyfus, 1949 (49.147.1-.8)
 
Bitter|Sweet: Coffee, Tea & Chocolate
The DIA's newest special exhibition,
Bitter|Sweet: Coffee, Tea & Chocolate, opens November 20, and residents from Oakland, Wayne and Macomb counties can take advantage of special offers and programs. Tri-county residents receive a $4 discount on adult tickets and a $2 discount on youth tickets (ages 6 to 17). The DIA also provides tri-county schools with free exhibition admission and transportation when they  reserve a field trip in advance . 
 
There will be plenty of exciting  Coffee, Tea & Chocolate programs at the DIA and at tri-county community and cultural organizations. In anticipation of the exhibition opening, the museum is sending three designer coffee and tea service sets from its collection to locations in Oakland, Wayne and Macomb counties. Oakland County residents can see architect Richard Meier's custom set for Italian housewares manufacturer Alessi up close and personal at  Meadow Brook Hall , located at 480 South Adams Rd., Rochester, from November 2 through May 2, 2017. A complete list of community programs will be available soon at culturesource.org/bittersweet.
Check out these upcoming county events:

Director's Cut Talk: Troy Community Center, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 7 p.m.  
Get to know DIA Director Salvador Salort-Pons as he talks about his background, a brief history of the museum and his vision for the future at the Troy Community Center, located at 3179 Livernois Rd. The audience will have the opportunity to ask questions following the talk. The event is free and open to the public.

Ofrendas: Celebrating el Día de Muertos, Friday, Oct. 21-Sunday, Nov. 6
The DIA, in collaboration with the Mexican Consulate of Detroit, will exhibit 14
ofrenda altars, or offerings, created by local artists from Friday, Oct. 21 to Sunday, Nov. 6 in celebration of the  Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead). The exhibition and related programs are free with museum admission and for residents of Oakland, Wayne and Macomb counties.  Learn more here.

Turn your community Inside|Out in 2017
The DIA is seeking cities to host its popular Inside|Out program next year. Inside|Out, approaching its eighth year, celebrates the richness and diversity of the museum's collection by placing high-quality reproductions of masterpieces around town in a grand, open-air gallery. City representatives, downtown development authorities and arts organizations are asked to submit applications by Monday, Oct. 31. Learn more at dia.org/insideout . 

Senior Thursdays, every Thursday at 1 p.m. 
This 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 October schedule is:
  • October 13: Lecture:  Ordinary People by Extraordinary Artists: Degas, Renoir and Friends
  • October 20: Art-making: Sugar skulls 
  • October 27: Film: The Mystery of Picasso  

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's nearly 700 volunteers served almost 63,000 hours over the last fiscal year. That equates to nearly $1.5 million of in-kind support to the DIA! We're thankful for all the hard work our dedicated volunteers-many of whom are Oakland County residents-provide each and every day.