Student Mini-Grants Recipients

Outrage Dance Group Fall Room Rentals

September 9th 2024
Libby Widlak, Outrage Dance

Arts Initiative provided the room rental for Outrage Dance, a student–led dance performance team that specializes in jazz and contemporary. They perform at U-M sporting events, Dance Marathon, and an annual end of year showcase. Outrage Dance serves as an outlet for the student members as they take a break from their day-to-day routine to care for themselves.

Amateur Hour Stand-Up Comedy Showcase

September 27th 2024
Sarah Shaw-Nichols, Amateur Hour Stand-Up Comedy

This grant facilitated a free comedy show with 6 student performers from Amateur Hour Stand-Up Comedy, titled “Five on the Clock.” The audience of Amateur Hour’s show got the opportunity to learn about new backgrounds, interests, identities, and the student performers were able to find humor in situations that used to bring them pain, such as their parents’ divorce or troubling policies that affect their identity.

Bloody Caps: Special Student Premiere

October 4th 2024
Porter Selfridge

This grant funded a screening of the short film "Bloody Caps" — the film's official student premiere. The film was shot in March using an all University of Michigan student crew and was worked on by a student editor over the summer. The event included a screening of the film, a small speech beforehand, and a short Q&A afterwards. Students involved were able to see their hard work on a big screen.

MISC’s Second Songwriter Retreat

October 18th 2024
Daniel Radner, Michigan Songwriters Collective

In the second ever Michigan Songwriters Collective (MISC) retreat, students were able to write, produce and record songs together and engage with the work of their peers. The retreat, open to all interested U-M students regardless of their musical background or membership in MISC, grouped up students to create their own song demos and compete with the other groups. Other activities included a “guess the song” competition, scavenger hunt, and karaoke, encouraging musical engagement and creativity.

October 19th 2024
Reeva Bohra, Michigan Sahana

Michigan Sahana, a classical arts performance group at U-M, performed a fall show based on the theme Shakti, or power. All the performances are based around South Asian classical dance, singing or instruments, with underlying theme of how the students’ art form gives them power. The event showcased South Asian traditional dance forms such as Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, and Odissi as well as classical singing forms and instruments such as the tabla and sitar.

Día De Los Muertos Ball

November 1st 2024
Brenda Gonzalez, Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc.

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a traditional holiday celebrated in Mexico that commemorates the lives of those who have passed. This ball celebrating the holiday included music, authentic Mexican food, and two speakers. One speaker discussed the traditions and history of Día de los Muertos, and the following speaker spoke on this year’s theme, Lives Lost due to Genocide. The ball also included a live performance and opportunity to dance to Latin music, mingle, and learn more about the culture by observing altars created by Lambda Theta Alpha’s own members for their family members.

Helicon’s 10th Annual Student Art and Writing Publication

November 4th 2024
Reese Ford, Helicon History of Art Undergraduate Society (HHAUS)

This mini-grant supported the printing and publication of Helicon Haus’s annual magazine, which features U-M student artwork and writing. While Helicon is under the History of Art department, many students from the Stamps School of Art & Design community, as well as students from other colleges, submit work yearly to be featured. A celebration of the publication’s launch took place at Truth House Co-Operative in which printed issues were distributed. Members of the design committee, larger organization, and those outside of Helicon itself were able to admire the physical zine, enjoying live music from student bands and DJs.

November 9th 2024
Katy Dawson, Basement Arts

Basement Arts presented a series of three free performances of three different shows over a single weekend: “Bottom” by Willy Hudson, “Macbitches” by Sophia McIntosh, and “POTUS (Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive)” by Selina Fillinger. “Bottom” highlights personal struggles with romance and self-love, written by a playwright from the gay male community. “Macbitches” focuses on toxicity in social hierarchies and power dynamics, blending the modern setting of a university theater department with the emotional complexity of Macbeth. “POTUS” offers a feminist exploration of women’s position in relation to power in society. This production was entirely student-led, with each of the three staged readings led by students from diverse academic disciplines. Offering three distinct productions allows Basement Arts to significantly expand the number of students who have the opportunity to direct and bring their creative vision to life.

Celebrasia

November 10th 2024
Anna Wang, Chinese Student Association

This grant funded “Celebrasia,” a cultural showcase hosted by the Chinese Student Association (CSA) that invites various Asian cultural organizations to present their culture to the rest of the U-M community. Celebrasia is composed of two parts, an Asian night-market-inspired festival and a series of performances from A/PIA various dance groups. This year, the theme was inspired by the Chinese guo hua, a style of traditional Chinese painting that simplistically captures the emotions and the spirit of the subject rather than emphasizing realism or detail. Titled “Night at the Museum: Asian Art,” the event’s theme encompassed various forms of traditional Asian art so attendees could learn more about their own culture, as well as many others.

November 13th 2024
Reese Leif

This grant supported a benefit concert for the National Marrow Donor Program, a non-profit organization that connects blood cancer patients with a matching donor for a life-saving blood stem cell transplant. This concert featured various vocal performers of all majors, accompanied by a student pianist. They performed a series of songs about hope, working in tandem with the organization’s mission to tell a story of hope against all odds. In addition to the performance itself, Leif hosted a NMDP donor drive in partnership with their outreach team.

Student Film Festival Project

November 14th 2024
Porter Selfridge, Student Film Festival Project

This student mini-grant supported the Student Film Festival Project, a 10 day short film festival held at University of Michigan. Each year, students sign up either individually or in teams for a filmmaking contest and receive a series of prompts and 10 days to write, direct, and edit a short film! Teams created their films and the Student Film Festival Project hosted a screening for all the films made during the process, which were then voted on that night. Students were able to collaborate creatively and celebrate the results with their fellow students in an engaging and fun way.

November 16th 2024
Irena Tutunari, The Sopranos

The Sopranos is an all-female a cappella group that competes in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) competition every winter. In addition to supporting rehearsal spaces for the ICCA competition, this student mini-grant helped fund the Soprano’s annual fall semester concert. Having this space to rehearse for the group to practice choreography and staging for the competition. The Sopranos arrange their own music by hand and uplift each other through vocal percussion and music arranging workshops. Additionally, by participating in the ICCA competition and preparing for their fall concert, members learn the intricacies of musical performance, sound production and choreography.

Vigilant Ground

November 21st 2024
Paige Ashley

This grant funded Paige Ashley’s senior dance thesis concert, “Vigilant Ground.” A cohort of five graduating students were asked to fully produce a dance concert from start to finish as well choreograph a solo and group dance to be performed in the concert. The production timeline runs over the course of three months, and the five graduating seniors work in close collaboration with each other to produce the concert. Through this work, students learn how to communicate with other professionals for lighting, photography, videography, costuming, and scenic needs. The concept of this performance focused on memory in the brain and how memory recall can either fail or succeed based on the environment you are in. Each dancer was encouraged to explore their own journey within this concept.

The Impro-Fessionals Free Improv Shows

November 22nd 2024
Katelyn Dutka, The Impro-Fessionals

This grant helped the Impro-Fessionals, a student-led and funded improv comedy group provide multiple free themed improv shows in the Angell Hall auditorium. The shows consist of an hour long set of games, scenes, and newly created content performed based on audience suggestions and participation. The October show was themed around the U.S. Presidential Election, while the Impro-Fessional’s November show, titled, “The Good, the Bad, and the Funny,” was Wild West themed.

November 23rd 2024
Mya Waple

This grant funded Mya Waple’s Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance thesis, which intertwines live dance performance with film and choreographing for a camera with a film student co-collaborator. The piece begins with a four-minute section of live performance with 10 dancers on stage. After about three minutes of live choreography, a transitory segment launches viewers into the film, projected on the back wall of the theater. The film is set to be approximately three minutes in length, and continues the aesthetic and theme from the first section. The singer leads viewers on a journey through time and space as he recounts the events of his lover choosing another man. He takes a metaphorical approach, alluding to his lost lover as Cleopatra, Queen of the Kingdom of Egypt, and the dancers embody both the narrator and Cleopatra throughout the piece.

And Then There Were None

November 23rd 2024
Hongyu Chen, Thus Spoke Ann Arbor

Thus Spoke Ann Arbor’s fall production was a twist on the classic Agatha Christie play "And Then There Were None,” incorporating elements of Chinese culture. Thus Spoke Ann Arbor was founded in 2013, and is a student-run organization that is oriented around Chinese theatrical plays. Their primary goal is to promote communications among different cultures and especially to introduce an important part of Chinese culture. In the play, ten strangers are invited to a gloomy mansion on a desolate island. When the first guest dies under strange circumstances, the remaining people begin to panic.

MDraw Art Workshops

December 4th 2024
Nathan Martinez, Mdraw

This student mini-grant supported MDraw’s weekly art workshops, which bring together U-M students from various levels of experience to make art together. MDraw leaders work together to create a welcoming environment, allowing students to share their perspectives on art and make new friends with students they may not otherwise have interacted with. More experienced artists in the club advise newer artists and help them improve their craft. Some of MDraw’s events include a Bob Ross paint-along, chalk art on the Diag, and a figure drawing workshop.

Amateur Hour Monthly Shows and Late Night Specials

December 6th 2024
Sarah Shaw-Nichols, Amateur Hour Stand-Up Comedy

This grant funded two stand-up comedy showcases and one late night talk show by Amateur Hour Stand-Up Comedy. The “La2e Night” special, inspired by talk shows, featured sketches, guest interviews, and a live band and was hosted on North Campus to give students the ability to step away from work and engage with the U-M community without having to travel to Central Campus. The monthly shows, hosted on Central Campus, featured student-written sketches and stand-up material that is workshopped in Amateur Hour’s writer’s room. Amateur Hour’s monthly shows offer a community for students to brainstorm and engage in the creative process together to put on performances.

Love, Cam

December 6th 2024
Austin Mital-Skiff

This grant funded, “Love, Cam,” a short film project designed to explore the balance between intentional and reactive filmmaking. Early one morning, James, bold and mischievous, tricks Cam, his obedient younger brother, into embarking on a cross-country road trip. The pair discovers the world and the fact that very soon, they will be ripped apart. Upon this, Cam writes James a letter: a memento to solidify in time, the rich texture of their brotherhood. This film is based on a trip that Mital-Skiff took with his younger brother in 2017. “Love, Cam” is experimental and abstract in concept, lacking traditional scripted dialogue and a linear storyline. The images transport the audience into James' mind, seeing the memories of the trip sparked by his brother's letter. Being a visual reconstruction of a person’s memory, this film is justified in its fleeting, intertwining, and ambiguous style.

Percussible Me: The Rise of Groove

December 6th 2024
Bradley Rich, Groove

This grant funded the theater rental for Groove Percussion & Performance Group’s fall show, “Percussible Me: The Rise of Groove,” composed of musical acts and skits. Groove is a percussion and performance group that uses unconventional instruments such as buckets, trash cans, oil drums, and many more household items. All musical acts are written and choreographed by Groove members. These acts range from drumming on buckets to pots and pans to playing full band songs with a guitar, bass, drum set, and horns. The comedic skits are also written and choreographed by members. The end of semester show is designed to display the talent of Groove’s members while giving the audience a comedic and entertaining performance.

December 7th 2024
Gonzalo Delgado, Basement Arts

This student mini-grant helped Basement Arts produce three free performances of the play “33 Variations.” The play by Moisés Kaufman explores the relationship between creativity, legacy, and the passage of time. The story interweaves two narratives: one follows the renowned composer Ludwig van Beethoven as he works on his final piece, the "Diabelli Variations," inspired by a simple waltz. The other narrative centers on a modern-day musicologist, Katherine, who is researching Beethoven's work while grappling with her own terminal illness and the complexities of her relationship with her daughter. Students from different majors worked collaboratively with the shared goal of fostering performing arts at the University.

Was/Dear Abigail

December 7th 2024
Abby Widlak

This grant funded Abby Widlak’s BFA dance senior capstone, which included a solo performance, “Dear Abigail,” and group piece, “Was.” For both the group and solo pieces, Widlak collaborated with composers to create original scores. “Dear Abigail” explores how individuals present different facets of themselves depending on the social context, revealing how interactions with various groups can draw out different versions of one's identity. “Was” navigated the nuanced experience of grief and how people move through grief in non-linear ways. Ryan Ardelt, a composer based in Tucson, Arizona, created the music for “Was.” This cross-disciplinary engagement and collaboration offered the audience an immersive and impactful experience.

Passalong: Time and Reality’s Afterworld Undertaking

December 8th 2024
Lauren Issac, Not Even Really Drama Students (N.E.R.D.S.)

This grant funded Passalong, a musical created and directed by LGBTQ+ students and students of color that tells the story of two realms caught in a bitter feud and the connection that grows between the two princesses of these realms. The musical explores themes related to coming of age, partnership, family, and acceptance. The story showcases mythical worlds and royal dynamics, and the characters learn the restorative powers of personal connections to build bridges over wounds once thought never to heal. 54 students participated in directing, composing, acting/rehearsing, creating props/sets/costumes, and held two free performances.

December 9th 2024
Yuchen Wu

This grant funded a student documentary by Yuchen Wu and three student collaborators focused on the topic of worker rights and wage theft issues. The video features three students who are working on “the wage theft project,” a collaboration with the Huron Valley Working Organizing and Research Center to survey Ann Arbor local restaurant staff on their wage condition and help workers learn about their rights under Michigan’s changing wage laws. The documentary captures their learning and growth in leading community change works as they navigate through various challenges. The documentary incorporates a holistic introduction of work rights and wage theft issues to provide context, as well as flash interviews that feature Ann Arbor local restaurant staff, restaurant owners, educators and social workers.

December 9th 2024
Paul Silaghi, Mentality Magazine

Mentality Magazine is a mental health magazine on campus dedicated to openly discussing and prioritizing mental health, with a focus on written content creation and visual design. Their mission is to educate the Michigan community about mental health, share stories of fellow Wolverines, and report on related campus news. This grant funded the creating, printing, and distribution of the edition, giving anyone and everyone the chance to express themselves in writing through prose, poetry, or another form, as well as visually by creating a design that matches their piece. Mentality Magazine does not charge for their magazines in order to spread the word about the importance of mental health as far and as wide as possible.

December 26th 2024
Erin Casey, SHEI Magazine

This grant helped fund editorial shoots and printing for SHEI Magazine’s winter 2024 issue. All printed copies of SHEI are distributed free of charge across campus, ensuring that students have access to the magazine. SHEI’s members collaborate passionately on both editorial and business aspects and supporting the editorial team is essential for the ongoing success of SHEI magazine and our mission to celebrate and promote arts and culture.

January 16th 2025
Craig Darnell, Not Even Really Drama Students (N.E.R.D.S.)

The Adventures of Flashflight is a student-written one-act musical telling the story of Avery, a bullied high-school student who takes solace in the comic books of their favorite superhero: Flashflight, who has the powers of making light and taking flight. Then, to Avery’s surprise, Flashflight enters the real world from the comic pages and helps them handle all of the problems they are facing. Not Even Really Drama Students produces entirely student-written, composed, and directed musicals and focuses on uplifting underrepresented voices through the stories they tell. This grant helped support the production costs of the two free performances NERDS gave.

January 24th 2025
Alison Kisiel, Leim Irish Dance

This grant helped fund Leim Irish Dance’s winter showcase, Greetings from the Emerald Isle. The show featured Irish dances to both traditional and contemporary music such as Abba at a variety of skill levels. Leim welcomed back guest performers including MSU Irish Dance Club, Pure Dance, and Vibrance Dance as well as live music played by Roy Schlomer, Gabe Khouri, and Katie Zhao. The Irish dance club offers lessons to any student who wants to join, regardless of skill level, with a future goal of holding more free workshops to further share Irish dance with the community.

Washtenaw Rock Stars Volunteer Program

January 30th 2025
Jason Chao, Washtenaw Rock Stars

This grant funded Washtenaw Rock Stars, an organization committed to providing high-quality and sustainable musical education to under-resourced communities throughout Washtenaw County at no cost. The volunteers carpool to community centers around Washtenaw County and teach children how to play instruments such as acoustic guitars, electric guitars, keyboards, ukuleles, and drum pads. Volunteers accommodate their teaching to the child’s preferences, offering them the opportunity to explore and cultivate their passion for music.

Tick, Tick, Boom!

February 1st 2025
Kate Ivanov, Basement Arts

This grant funded three free performances of Tick, Tick… BOOM!, a semi-autobiographical musical that traces the journey of its creator, Jonathan Larson, a fervent artist determined to craft the next iconic musical. As the audience followsJon’s artistic path and the obstacles in his way, the story invites them to contemplate the sacrifices required for artistic excellence while highlighting the ways artists like Jon can engage with community through their creative pursuits.

February 2nd 2025
Anna Wang, Chinese Student Association

The Chinese Student Association hosted a Lunar Gala to celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year, offering Chinese and Chinese-American students the chance to reconnect with their heritage through a vibrant showcase of traditional Chinese dances, music, art, and cuisine. The event was also open to the entire University of Michigan community as a way to introduce those unfamiliar with the Lunar New Year to the richness of Chinese culture. Performances featured Revolution Chinese Yo-yo and dance groups like Konnect and CSA’s rXn dance team, showcasing the talents of undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds. Finally, the night concluded with engaging trivia about Chinese culture, charades, and musical chairs, an annual tradition to create a fun and memorable experience for all attendees.

The Art of Self Love

February 4th 2025
Liliana Coker-Rodriguez, Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc.

This mini-grant funded a collaboration event between Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc. and Chi Upsilon Sigma Latin Sorority, Inc. to provide a space leading up to Valentine's Day for students to think about self-love and taking care of themselves through painting. Students painted heart-shaped ceramic trays and engaged in reflection on self love and self care through personal artistic expression. Because Valentine's Day is often associated with expressing love for a significant other, this event provided the opportunity for students to focus on how they express their love for themselves through art and design.

February 6th 2025
Reem Killawi, Students Organize for Syria

The “A Prison, a Prisoner, and a Prison Guard” exhibit at Hatcher Graduate Library ran from January to March as a multimedia exploration of the impact of prisons on countries and communities across the MENA region through the lens of “prison art.” By presenting prison art from various countries in the MENA region including Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, the exhibit depicts a journey into the prison system and demonstrates the ways in which art can be a tool of expression and reconciliation for survivors, detainees’ families and society at large. On February 6, Students Organize for Syria hosted a conversation around the exhibition with the curators of the exhibit, along with artist Marc Nelson. The curators and artist discussed the role of art in social justice, what it means to be "prison impacted," and the evolving definition of prison art.

February 10th 2025
Qiying Feng

This grant funded "Swallows Under Eaves,” a 20-minute historical fiction film about Wu Yi-Fang, a pioneering Chinese scholar who attended the University of Michigan in the 1920s and later became China's first female college president. The film follows her journey of self-discovery, grappling with family loss, cultural challenges, and a pivotal decision to return to China to champion women's education. Rooted in historical events, the project highlights themes of identity, migration, and empowerment. It engages the University of Michigan community and broader audiences interested in women’s history, education, and cross-cultural narratives.

February 15th 2025
Siti Khadijah Sultan, Malaysian Students Association (MiMSA)

This grant funded the Malaysian Cultural Night, which included a short film followed by a play titled ‘Dear Wanita’. The short film and play encompassed the lives of four Malaysian women: Nora, Juwita, Carina, and Ashwin. The play incorporated Malaysia’s diverse cultural elements, including traditional dances, fashion, and lifestyle packaged into a coming-of-wisdom drama. Michigan Malaysian Student Association put on this event to raise awareness of the underrepresented stories, triumphs, and struggles of Malaysian women, which ultimately transcend Southeast Asian borders.

February 20th 2025
Hannah Boike

This grant supported the development of a music video for the original song “Bad Habits,” which addresses struggles related to LGBTQ+ identity and self-acceptance. The music video coincides with the release of a music EP inspired by personal and collective stories from University of Michigan students, exploring themes of identity, relationships, and self-discovery. Ultimately, the project seeks to create a space for art that fosters empathy and contributes to ongoing conversations about LGBTQ+ identity. The central narrative of the music video follows two young women who, unknowingly, begin to develop feelings for each other. However, due to societal norms and internal doubt, they place boundaries on their emotions. In addition to exploring themes of love and self-acceptance, the video also seeks to open a dialogue about the lack of Asian American representation in media and music.

February 22nd 2025
Lukas Nepomuceno, Filipino American Student Association

The Filipino American Student Association put on a performance of a story from Filipino folklore and mythology incorporating live music and cultural dances from the Talaandig community. In addition to competing at the Battle of the Bamboo 2025 competition in Chicago and winning first place in FASA history, FASA staged a community performance on campus. Their project focuses on the Talaandig, an indigenous group from Central Mindanao, the southernmost region of the Philippines. This year, FASA expanded the scope of their efforts by getting in direct contact with people from the Talaandig community and receiving guidance through correspondence and Zoom calls. This grant allowed FASA to directly support people from the Talaandig community as they consulted them about their culture and portrayal of dance, allowing them to tell one of their stories more authentically and better honor them through this performance.

February 22nd 2025
Kylie Schramke, Pure Dance

Pure Dance, a lyrical, jazz, and contemporary student-run dance company on campus hosted their annual showcase, open to the University of Michigan students and the Ann Arbor community. This showcase was a collaborative effort between Pure Dance guest performers from Daebak 3, Groove, Rhythm Tap Ensemble, VeryUs, and Photonix. In addition to Pure Dance’s lyrical, contemporary, and jazz performances, guest performances spanned from K-pop dance teams to percussion ensembles. The Renaissance performance showcased the diversity of performance arts, in addition to Pure Dance, and helped community members develop further understanding and knowledge of the arts.

February 23rd 2025
Oghenekome Otobo-Egwebe, African Students Association

This grant funded “Journey Through Africa,” the African Students Association Annual Culture Show, a student-led performance exhibition celebrating African culture. The show featured acting performances that told stories from African traditions, fashion shows highlighting traditional and modern African attire, and singing and dancing showcasing both traditional music and contemporary Afrobeat. The event’s goal was to create an engaging experience that celebrates African heritage while promoting cultural understanding and appreciation.

Vibrance Dance Company Showcase

March 13th 2025
Evelyn Peterson, Vibrance Dance Company

This grant supported Vibrance Dance’s end-of-year showcase, with two full group pieces as well as six smaller group pieces. Additionally, the showcase featured guest performers from other student-led dance groups on campus. Members of Vibrance Dance volunteer to choreograph dances, and fostering the ability to work with different dancers and skill levels has built leadership skills for Vibrance Dance members. All Vibrance members have a dance background, with many members that have been dancing for as many as 18 years. The showcase gives members a reason to continue dancing past high school in a non-competitive environment. It also presents an opportunity for members to share their experiences with our community. For audience members who are less familiar with dance, the showcase is a chance for them to see a live performance and learn more about it.

The Painted Pinky Pop-Up Workshop

March 14th 2025
Olivia Perez

This project consisted of a pop-up nail salon with student nail artists giving participants a free manicure of their choice. Attendees were also encouraged to bring their own nail polish or paint other participants’ nails. This workshop focused on community building and encouraged attendees regardless of experience to learn from the nail artists and try out nail painting, immersing themselves in a new art activity.

Taubman Architecture Ball

March 15th 2025
Petra Mihalko, Taubman Architecture Ball

This grant supported the Taubman Architecture Ball, a student-run event celebrating student creativity and displaying installation artwork. The ball transformed Taubman College into an art gala for one night, giving students the opportunity to express their creativity outside of class through installations. The theme, ‘Renaissance,’ encourages students to create projects which investigate the current moment, moments before, and how we can birth a new future. The ball gave architecture students a chance to express themselves with completely student-driven work that was displayed there.

The Girly Show

March 15th 2025
Aquila Ewald

This grant funded The Girly Show, a cabaret-style performance that explores and celebrates the diverse experiences of womanhood and femininity through music. The event featured a mix of full-company performances and individual musical numbers, with each performer selecting a song that represents a pivotal moment in their life as a woman. The cabaret performance included choreography, blocking, and live musical accompaniment, creating a dynamic and emotional experience for the audience.

DigiPaint Zine Gallery

March 20th 2025
Eleanor Halloran, DigiPaint

This grant funded DigiPaint’s 2024-2025 Zine Project, a compilation of specifically themed digital art pieces that club members have worked on over the semester. In addition to printing copies of zine booklets to distribute to both members and non-members who have an interest in acquiring a physical collection of student artwork, DigiPaint hosted an exhibit in the Shapiro Undergraduate Library for artists to see their work displayed in person and on a larger scale.

Taste of Taiwan

March 21st 2025
Jeremy Lien, Taiwanese Student Association

This grant funded Taste of Taiwan: Ximending, a cultural celebration inspired by the vibrant spirit of Taipei’s Ximending district. The event modeled a high-energy night market setting where attendees could experience the energy of Ximending through engaging activities. Those who attend enjoyed authentic Taiwanese street food including classics like salt pepper chicken, boba tea, and winter melon tea—while participating in mini-games and educational booths that echo the creative and youthful atmosphere of the district. Taste of Taiwan also featured live performances by student groups like DB3, Funktion, RxN, and Photonix, showcasing music, dance, and performance art that blend traditional Taiwanese symbols with contemporary cultural influences.

Michigan Music Business Conference

March 22nd 2025
Joey Karz, Michigan Music Business Club

This grant supported the third annual Michigan Music Business Club Conference, with 20 speakers and panelists tackling issues across the music industry, giving advice and insight to students. With 400 attendees, the event featured exclusive panels on music law, revenue streams, artist development, and the impact of data on the industry, with speakers such as Jeremy Zimmer (CEO, United Talent Agency), Dennis Dennehy (CCO, AEG Presents), Ron Latiffe (Founder & President of Latiffe Management Group), and Silvio Pietroluongo (EVP, Billboard Charts & Data Partnerships).

The Effect

March 22nd 2025
Reese Leif, Basement Arts

This grant supported performances of The Effect, a theatrical play about two volunteers participating in a clinical drug trial who fall in love, throwing the experiment off-course. The story explores the nature of love and neurology, asking if love exists as something beyond a neurological effect. Directed by University of Michigan student Jeffrey Wagner with an array of talented creative team members and cast members, this production ran for one weekend in the Newman Studio.

Indonesian Culture Night 2025

March 22nd 2025
Dindamilenia Choirunnisa Hardiyasanti, Indonesian Students Association at Umich

The Indonesian Cultural Night (ICN) 2025 featured the theme "Rhythms of Archipelago: The Face of Indonesia", aiming to showcase the vibrant diversity of Indonesia from Sabang to Merauke and encouraging the audience to showcase theirs. The event included traditional music performances such as the gamelan, and traditional dances such as Ratoe Jaroh, Sajojo, and Balinese dances, each representing different aspects of Indonesian culture such as unity, compassion, spirit, and bravery. Other than presenting the traditional costume of Indonesia, the audience was invited to wear their own traditional costume for a contest. Finally, a play centered on RA Kartini, an Indonesian feminist icon, highlighted her advocacy for women's education and its relevance to modern life, particularly in the context of equal educational opportunities for women today.

Generation APA Panorama Cultural Show

March 23rd 2025
Ashley Heo, Generation Asian Pacific American

This grant funded the GenAPA Panorama Cultural Show, a 2 hour long show dedicated to promoting Asian/Pacific Islander American culture in a unique way, incorporating student groups of diverse backgrounds and different performance mediums. In addition to student performance groups showcasing music, dance, yo-yo, martial arts, and more, GenAPA invited Dhruv, a rising star in the music world. Born in London to Indian parents and now based in the United States, Dhruv’s music explores themes of identity, love, and belonging, offering a panoramic view of the complexities of life as a South Asian artist. The event theme “Panorama” displays the rich tapestry of the past, present, and future of the APIA community’s culture.

Double Entendre: Helicon’s Annual Student-Artwork Exhibition

March 28th 2025
Reese Ford, Helicon History of Art Undergraduate Society (HHAUS)

The Helicon History of Art Undergraduate Society hosted a one-night exhibition of student artwork with the theme “Double Entendre.” This exhibition was wholly curated, facilitated, and fundraised by Helicon members. From video projections, to fashion pieces, sculptures, paintings, and more, Helicon Haus aims to encourage, promote, and display the creative powers of the students at the University of Michigan. In addition, the event included live music from student bands.

March 28th 2025
Divya Agarwal, Entrepreneurial Creativity Club

This grant funded an inclusive drag show on campus aimed at celebrating the LGBTQ+ community and fundraising for the Jim Toy Community Center, a resource center for LGBTQ+ people in Washtenaw County. The event featured performances by both professional and amateur drag queens from, creating a vibrant atmosphere of entertainment and self-expression. Attendees could participate in various activities in addition to live performances including entering raffles for the prize of a drag makeover and engaging with the performers to learn about the cultural significance of drag. Through these activities, the show fostered a sense of community, empowerment, and inclusion while raising over $1,200 for the Jim Toy Community Center.

25th Annual Nowruz (New Year) Show: Eshgh (love)

March 28th 2025
Ellia Yarandi, Persian Students' Association

This grant funded the Persian Students’ Association’s annual Nowruz, or New Year, show, with the theme of Eshgh (love). The event invites hundreds of campus community members, individuals affiliated with Iranian communities at other college campuses, and family members to celebrate Persian cultural identity. The show featured women’s and men’s dances, modern and traditional co-ed dances, a skit, a fashion show, musical performances, and brought together Persian and non-Persian students to celebrate the new year and explore the rich cultural traditions of Iran. The event also included a presentation of the background of Nowruz and what this holiday entails for the Persian culture and partnered with Children of Persia, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of underprivileged children in Iran.

Epiphany, or What Would You?

March 29th 2025
Madeline Nolen

This grant supported RC Drama student Maddie Nolen’s senior thesis project, directing "Epiphany, Or What Would You?" a play written by Amy Berryman. It depicts two productions of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night: an all-female production in the modern day, and the all-male production in Shakespeare’s time. The play is a story about queer love that explores how identity, sexuality, and queerness have all changed between 1601 and now.

From the Archives: The 7 Deadly Sins

March 29th 2025
Craig Darnell, Not Even Really Drama Students (N.E.R.D.S.)

This grant allowed Not Even Really Drama Students to bring back their Winter 2021 student-written musical The 7 Deadly Sins (You Meet on Every College Campus) for a free performance. This production of one of their musicals “from the vault” involved the cast list being randomly selected shortly before the performance, and the play being immediately performed with no rehearsals.

What If I Can't Remember

April 1st 2025
Annika Smits

“What if I Can’t Remember” is an invented scrapbook exhibition blending semi-fictitious spaces with visual records from the past. This series of quilted artworks center around capturing a moment and carrying forward the intergenerational practice of quilting filled with labor and love. In this project, the artist sought to honor the legacy of quilting as something more than just a hobby but an artwork that facilitates personal reflection. The exhibit concerns themes of coming to terms with grief, aging, and familial relationships, as well as how heirlooms and keepsakes made with love are a tactile reminder to combat fading memories.

I AM HIM

April 1st 2025
Madison Dennis

This grant supported an installation of paintings displaying a chronology of the artist’s life surrounding her family members, their deaths, and the responsibilities that she have taken on as a result, and will aim to educate viewers on the harsh truths that follow the passing of a family member. The project includes painted images as well as real-life artifacts relating to the artist, her family, and the difficulties she has dealt with since their death. Viewers were able to look into the past, present, and future of death and loss within the artist’s family with omniscient eyes as the legal responsibilities that come as a result of death stare back at them. This installation also included reflective interactive aspects to allow the viewer to place themselves into a different setting and view the exhibition from a recreation of a funeral viewing room. Printed “obituaries” were handed out to viewers, including a checklist of things to think about regarding family members passing away.

A Raisin in the Sun

April 4th 2025
Brianna Anzures, RC Players

This grant allowed the RC Players to present the beloved classic “A Raisin in the Sun”, written by Lorraine Hansberry. The play portrays a few weeks in the life of the Youngers, a Black family living on the South Side of Chicago in the 1950s. When the play opens, the Youngers are about to receive an insurance check for $10,000. This money comes from the deceased Mr. Younger’s life insurance policy. Their future seems uncertain and slightly dangerous, but they are optimistic and determined to live a better life. They believe that they can succeed if they stick together as a family and resolve to defer their dreams no longer.

MP3

April 4th 2025
Ben Michalsky, The Stampede

This grant supported MP3, a collaborative, immersive event celebrating women in the arts. This event featured a music-centered party headlined by female DJs, complemented by a thoughtfully curated art gallery. The gallery showcased solo-style exhibitions from participating artists, allowing them to transform designated wall sections into reflective, personal spaces filled with their artwork. Additionally, MP3 incorporated "Making Days" leading up to the event, where artists gathered to create bold, collaborative pieces to be displayed throughout the venue.

Student Choreography Showcase

April 5th 2025
Gabriele Shepheard, The Dance Student Assembly

This grant supported a student-run showcase of student dance. Students across campus were invited to sign up to be a choreographer, dancer, or part of the production team. Dance majors, graduate students, dance minors, and any other students who are interested in creating or dancing in the show were encouraged to participate. The event provided an opportunity for students to continue to explore creations and ideas developed in composition courses and as a venue for any student to create work that is able to be performed with full costume, lighting, and stage.

milk and moons

April 5th 2025
Isabella Spagnuolo

This grant supported Milk and Moons, a comic follows four characters and their journey of experiencing love over time. This piece invites the audience to dive into the characters' lives, to watch them live the growing pains of changed perception, while being immersed in an installation of the main character, Lou’s, bedroom. This installation of a bedroom holds personal valuables from the main character's life that are presented throughout the comic series. Through the exhibit are written excerpts from the main character, visual 2D animation on the bedroom TV, and audio immersion through the characters’ fictional band.

The Wolves

April 5th 2025
Katy Dawson, Basement Arts

This grant supported Basement Arts’ production of The Wolves, a play about the perspectives and experiences of the girls on a high school soccer team. The play uses the teenage students’ discussions to explore hard topics such as human rights, bodily autonomy, community, and social hierarchy. The play starts with discussion about the news from a recent development in the Cambodian genocide, and later the characters come to the topic of women’s rights to bodily autonomy in America. These discussions ultimately help them process this national and global news as a group.

SIDE MAN

April 6th 2025
Natasha Rodriguez

This grant supported performances of the play Side Man by Warren Leight, an immersive theatrical experience with a creative team completely composed of U of M students across multiple schools. The play follows Clifford, the son of a once-promising trumpet player, Gene, who becomes a casualty of the jazz world’s decline. At its core, Side Man is a story about navigating personal and generational struggles, highlighting how art—specifically jazz—serves as a means of emotional survival and connection. The characters grapple with ambition, loss, and fractured relationships, mirroring the challenges many face today in an ever-changing world.

Paper Street

April 7th 2025
Sophia Cao

This grant provided the materials for Paper Street, a coming of age graphic novel and animation which explores friendship, belonging, and familial themes. The story follows 12 year old Josie Tang who is staying with her strict and overprotective grandma over the summer, and the clash of personalities and cultures. Paper Street explores different types of relationships as well as cultural and generational differences, inspired by the creator’s experience of growing up in a multigenerational immigrant household. The project consists of a comic, an animation, and an exhibition at Stamps, and was printed as a zine.

An Arcadian Reverie

April 8th 2025
Alejandro Cantu

This grant supported the student short film “An Arcadian Reverie.” The film is about a lonely and deaf library janitor, who steals discarded, damaged books so that he can – literally – get lost in them late at night. But one evening, as his overbearing boss starts to catch on, he runs across a person from his dreams. Soon, he disappears to a place that shouldn't exist, far, far beneath the shelves.

I am Jo(sephine)

April 10th 2025
Juliet Bornholdt

I am Jo(sephine) is a student-led production of an Honors Thesis film that focuses on the importance of found family and surrounding oneself with a supportive community. The project aims to start a conversation and critique the issues of heteronormativity and homophobia especially surrounding sports. The film highlights the discrimination that Queer people in sports face on a regular basis, and to open up a conversation of solutions to this binary-gendered sports system.

Adam Solomon's Senior Recital

April 11th 2025
Adam Solomon

This grant funded Adam Solomon’s senior recital at the Canterbury House, with Adam leading and performing in a jazz sextet including current students and alumni of the UM School of Music Jazz Department. The recital included original compositions such as A Turn Towards Harmony, about finding strength through expression and reflection. The final piece, a jazz big band arrangement, featured members of the University of Michigan Jazz Ensemble.

Rust & Resonance, Creative Voices in Print & Connecting the Community

April 11th 2025
Megan Pellegrini

This project included a variety of works surrounding the theme Rust & Resonance, Creative Voices in Print Connecting the Community. This grant funded frames to be utilized by student artists exhibiting in any future U of M Flint exhibition, benefiting students that could not afford to do so. This exhibition is an introspection of the true grit and cultural legacy of the region's industrial roots. Rust & Resonance visualizes a future molded by innovation and community resilience. Through rust, the region has prevailed and transformed into a vibrant community full of strength and perseverance showcasing the true value of care found through community healing.

April 12th 2025
Kendall Brisco

Blood at the Root was Kendall Brisco’s senior directing thesis project, exploring themes of racial injustice, community resilience, and activism through theatre. The play, written by Michigan alum Dominique Morrisseau, is based on the true story of six black male students, known as the Jena Six, who were arrested and charged with attempted murder for an altercation with a white male student. This play illuminates the inadequacies of both the American education and justice systems and shows how a community finds within itself the defiance to challenge the status quo. This project also included a community engagement component—a Cookout event following the final matinee. This gathering served as a space for fun, music, reflection, and dialogue, encouraging audiences to connect with the themes of the play and discuss their real-world implications.

Bear Foot

April 13th 2025
Lauren Issac, Not Even Really Drama Students (N.E.R.D.S.)

This grant supported NERDS production of Bear Foot, a new musical performance that follows campers as they search for the elusive Bigfoot. The musical was entirely written, produced, and performed by students and explored themes of youth, community, and acceptance. Bear Foot reminds viewers to celebrate their differences, rather than diminish them. From light-hearted camp shenanigans to undercover clues, Bear Foot invited audiences to join Camp Lockheart for an adventurous summer! Through the reveal of Bigfoot (and a few other cryptids), the characters are taught how their words and actions can affect others.

Springfest

April 13th 2025
Abby Travis, Music Matters

This grant supported MUSIC Matters' annual music and arts festival, SpringFest. SpringFest is an annual two-day music festival that features student performances, food trucks, student organization engagement, and a celebrity headliner. The first day includes an outdoor daytime festival with student bands and dance performances that blocks off part of State Street, offering a free and open festival experience to the entire campus and Ann Arbor community.

Memory Project Supply Initiative

April 14th 2025
Sumaiya Khanom, Memory Project

The grant supported Memory Project's goal to provide handmade, heartfelt portraits as special memories to children living through poverty, war, violence, and natural disasters. Members of Memory Project receive a photograph and craft a portrait that pertains to the likeness of the child. Memory Project hopes to touch the lives of youth around the world while fostering a sentiment of human connection and intercultural understanding from the University of Michigan, to areas across the world such as their recent portraits of kids from Malawi. Arts Initiative provided supplies such as paper, acrylic paint, watercolors, gouache, brushes, pencils, and charcoal.

Fantastical Figures

April 14th 2025
Lauren Kopp

Fantastical Figures is a series of stylized digital illustrations of lesser known artists and designers portrayed in the fantasy genre, inspired by the depictions of baseball players on collectible trading cards. These digital illustrations were made into life-size cardboard cutouts and displayed around STAMPS and Pierpont. The figures feature Ivan Iler, featured in the Netflix series Metal Shop Masters; Laura Atkins, a self-taught professional painter; and Madeline Kaczmarczyk, a ceramic artist from west Michigan.

Volitare

April 14th 2025
Althea Bradley

This grant funded Althea Bradley’s illustrated and animated music video, a visual introduction to an original story titled “Volitare”. Volitare is an urban fantasy story following two characters from different worlds as they try to investigate a prophecy that threatens both their lives and their world as they know it. This story investigates isolation and regret, as well as colonialism and religious violence. The animated music video showcased the visuals, symbolism, and narrative of Volitare. The video was projected into an immersive exhibition, including a table with illustrated business cards of the two main characters.

SHE HAS TO BE SELF SUFFICIENT

April 15th 2025
Naomi Rodriguez

This grant funded “SHE HAS TO BE SELF SUFFICIENT,” a project exploring the communities and diaspora of Latin America and our relationship with hair; primarily focusing on Afro-Latina identities. The art installation examined the parallels between textured hairstyles and textile practices founded in multiple Latin American communities–both indigenous and Afro-descendant. This 3-walled exhibition depicted wigs of the artist’s mother and of the artist’s younger self, with each wall carrying these stories through the materiality of a beauty supply store. The exhibition was paired with an audio-guided tour of each wig with the artist’s and mother’s stories played in English and Spanish.

Dynamics Around the Dining Room Table

April 15th 2025
Isabella Minkin

The project Dynamics Around the Dining Room Table explored how conversation in a shared dining space can be influenced by everything from the dinnerware to the wall decor. Isabella Minkin’s installation transformed a studio into a dining room of her own design, immersing viewers in the atmosphere. Nine food sculptures adorned the walls and each handmade ceramic plate, cup, and bowl was decorated with fruits and vegetables inspired by the sculptures, along with snippets of conversation from the artist’s personal experiences.

Releve Dance Co. Spring Student Showcase

April 17th 2025
Chloe Outland, Relevé Dance Company

This grant funded the Releve Spring Showcase, a dance performance highlighting a variety of styles including jazz, contemporary, lyrical, and modern. The showcase featured both large group dances and smaller ensemble pieces, all choreographed by Releve Dance Co.’s student members. With two guest performers bringing their unique artistry to the event, this showcase highlighted each dancer’s talent and gave Releve Dance Co. a space to share their passion for dance.

Always, Only, Ever

April 18th 2025
Brynn Aaronson

This grant supported the production of Always, Only, Ever, a student-written play filmed and presented at community screenings in Ann Arbor. Always, Only, Ever opens a doorway into the story of a group of lifelong friends and family as they grapple with the weight of childhood seemingly speeding to a sudden, yet necessary, conclusion. It is a rapid-fire and realistic look at how the lives of young adults can be altered forever over the course of a single night through themes such as mental illness, sexuality, grief, and the crushing realization that time will always, only, ever move forward.

Dissecting Beauty

April 18th 2025
Morgan Granzow

This grant funded an independent exhibition, Dissecting Beauty, a series of oil paintings and a life-size sculpture depicting various anatomical subjects. The exhibition features paintings of bones, muscle and tendon structures, and internal organs in order to highlight the relationship between art and science. The project also includes a life-sized sculpture of a body revealing internal organs sculpted with porcelain. This project’s goal is to highlight the importance of medical and scientific illustration and share the artist’s perspective on anatomy as a form of art.

Jinx Project

April 18th 2025
Clara Christopherson

Jinx Project is an interactive installation similar to an arcade game encouraging viewers who pass by to make healthier choices. The display contains a mechanical figure representing the user and buttons representing healthy and unhealthy food choices. The figure in the box reacts to different options with different facial expressions or bodily reactions, while on top of the box, a figure representing the food industry manipulates the figure using strings. These elements come together to create a story which triggers the user to think about the effect of food on their mental and physical wellbeing.

April 19th 2025
Brett Sherwood, Black Film Society

This grant funded a community-based documentary, “Dear Black Umich,” encompassing the variety of people and organizations that identify as part of “Black Umich.” Specifically, the film contains six sections celebrating Black Beauty, Black Love, Black Arts, Black Academia, Black Struggle & Perseverance, and Black Joy, combining to form an hour-long documentary with countless interviews. In sharing these stories, the Black Film Society hopes to exponentially improve the University of Michigan community by reminding students, staff, and faculty across the University of the vibrant contributions, history, and beauty of Black students and organizations.

Kiss Me, Kerrytown! A Cabaret

April 19th 2025
Koralynn Kennedy, Golden Theatre Company

This grant supported Kiss Me, Kerrytown! a cabaret based around love songs from golden-age musical theatre. The cabaret was completely student-led and organized, and showcased love songs surrounding romance, friendship, family, and everything in between. The cabaret highlighted the time-honored tradition of writing songs and musicals about love in difficult times and the beauty of sharing love through art.

Shadowed Embraces

April 19th 2025
Robert Farr-Jones

This grant helped fund a senior capstone recital presented by four current SMTD BFA dance seniors for their Bachelors in Fine Arts in Dance. As a culmination of their work over the past four years, they presented an evening length performance, Shadowed Embraces, that involved various students including dance majors, minors, and non majors. The recital included six performances directed and created entirely by current students, including stage management and lighting design. Dances included “Consuming,” “Love, Mary,” “i’m not ready//they must be fed,” “Light Encounters,” “Before,” and “A fire must be tended to.”

Exhibiting Patience

April 21st 2025
Kristabel Kenta-Bibi

This grant funded Exhibiting Patience, an interdisciplinary dance project that combines performance, cinematography, and visual art to explore themes of love, connection, and self-discovery. The project included a choreographed dance piece inspired by Samara Joy’s jazz song “Tight,” performed by 16 dancers in the University and filmed to create a final music video.

April 21st 2025
Paulina Pérez Balderrama

This grant supported an installation consisting of a series of ceramic pottery and darkroom film photographs encompassing the histories of the borderlands between Chihuahua, Mexico, and Texas, U.S.A. The exhibit explores intersecting social, cultural, and political factors and their importance of identity creation and definition in this area. Hand Dance: Land As Witness uses clay gathered from these areas to materialize knowledge of our cultural past and present imbued in land, enabling a deeper understanding of the intangible, shifting essence of borderland identity, capturing the tension between ancestral ties to land and the imposed boundaries that fracture cultural continuity, personal history, and collective memory.

Bear's World

April 26th 2025
Cicely Hassell

Bear’s World is Cicely Hassell’s Sophomore Studio project, an animation that expands on a game and two animations involving Cicely’s original character, Bear. For her Sophomore Studio project, she created a doll and a doll house replicating Bear and produced a stop motion animation. Bear's World is a reflective nostalgia piece, reminiscing over aesthetics that were once popular in design such as Frutiger Aero and Y2K futurism and critiquing the current world of design.

Late Night @ BA

April 27th 2025
Amber Walters, Basement Arts

This grant supported Late Night @ BA, a diverse series of events and performances by Basement Arts throughout the Winter 2025 semester. Performances included a Queer BIPOC-centered ballroom walk on February 15, a cabaret celebrating Latine cultures on February 27, the return of the Mx. Lady Walgreen Drag Pageant on March 29, and a film festival collaborating with student organization 48 Frames on April 27. All of the events focused on amplifying marginalized voices, inviting a wide range of people to get on stage and express themselves and their identities.

Material As Flesh: Race, Labor & The Body

April 28th 2025
Katelyn Ma

This grant funded a workshop for Katelyn Ma’s sophomore studio piece, that taught the audience different ways to work with plastic in art that have previously been inaccessible as well as the role of plastic in industrialization. The center of the workshop was Katelyn’s sculpture that she can interact and perform with. The material is made out of a combination of plaster, foam, cement, cardboard, and found objects. Exploring the intersection of body and plastic in a post-industrial world, the artist strives to create intimacy between self and object by merging into a human cyborg.

Seeding Dialogue

April 30th 2025
V Shin

This grant funded 'Seeding Dialogue,’ an event promoting conversations on seed justice, particularly within the context of digital technology development, and grounding these learnings in the artistic and craft practices. The event included workshops such as paper making, watercolour with natural dyes, and stamp making with linoleum and potatoes. These activities will be prefaced with a facilitated discussion of readings related to seed sovereignty and seed justice.

Touch of Blue Contemporary Jazz Concert

May 1st 2025
Allison Gaines, Touch of Blue: New American Vocal Ensemble

This grant aided with Touch of Blue’s semester-long project and final concert at the University of Michigan Museum of Art that highlights new arrangements and compositions by contemporary vocal jazz artists. The goal of Touch of Blue’s concert was to highlight contemporary jazz composers and bring attention to the importance of uplifting vocalists, composers, and artists of color. The concert consisted of solos and group arrangements by contemporary composers, with a hired six-piece instrumental section to further diversify the programmed setlist. The concert also featured student art installations and live projections that supplement the pieces being performed.

May 1st 2025
Itamar Yahav, Wolverine Soft

Cor Draconis is a game built by the Wolverinesoft Studio team. It is a hexagonal tile-map city builder where players are tasked with building a town and rebuilding a powerful dragon, who was slain by monsters, to protect the lands. Players take on the role of a wizard who was the head of a group of vagabonds and is now building out their town. Players can accumulate resources to build and upgrade structures, hire adventurers to take on dungeons, and try to rebuild the once great dragon.

May 2nd 2025
Allison Wei, The Michigan Asian American Creatives Project

This grant supported the Michigan Asian American Creatives Project, a collection of interviews of Asian American artists who are either from or currently working in Michigan, across a variety of creative fields; writing, visual arts, performing arts, food. Among the 15 interviewees total, there is a Grammy-award winning singer, a Broadway actress, a James-Beard award nominated chef, a Guggenheim winning poet, and a Hollywood fashion designer. The project aims to provide more accessible creative role models for Asian American students in Michigan.

Worn Shapes

May 3rd 2025
Dana Gray

Worn Shapes is a costume collection and accompanying recorded runway show that aims to highlight and distort body ideals and trends from a fashion/costume history-focused lens. The collection draws upon historic understructures from the 17th century to now as a framework for understanding our rapidly evolving, unrealistic, and deeply harmful body ideals. Worn Shapes takes historic silhouettes, such as corsets, girdles, bum pads, bustles, panniers, hoop skirts, and shapewear that have been used under clothing to constrict the body and bring them to the forefront of the garments as visible, exaggerated elements, from a body positivity lens. By emphasizing and distorting these forms on the outside of the body, the exhibit critiques the unrealistic and harmful beauty standards embedded in our relationship to our bodies and clothing.

We're Not the Same

May 5th 2025
Claire De Vries

This grant funded We're Not The Same, an Honors FTVM senior thesis 20-minute narrative drama short film. The film delves into what the main character Mia’s life would have been like if her father had not left during her childhood. As Mia begins her college journey, the reasons behind his departure come to light, leading her to an intense obsession with her half-sister, Isabella. Mia becomes tormented as she sees Isabella lead the alternative life she believes she could, and should, have had. The storyline resonates with the universal sentiment of yearning for a different, easier life, emphasizing the perpetual contemplation of alternate paths.

Swaranjali

May 31st 2025
Pranav Balasubramanian, Michigan Sahana

This grant funded Michigan Sahana’s Swaranjali, which translates to “musical offerings” in Sanskrit. This winter performance showcase, open to all University of Michigan students free of charge, was designed to be accessible and enjoyable even for those without prior knowledge of Indian classical music or dance. The program featured performances celebrating various South Asian classical art forms, including: Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Carnatic and Hindustani vocal styles, and instruments such as tabla, guitar, violin, and mridangam. Through these diverse performances, Michigan Sahana aims to foster cultural appreciation and create a space where students can engage with the richness of South Asian classical traditions.