Art Outta Town

About

Art Outta Town is a program offering a number of off– campus trips each semester for a low student price which includes transportation, tickets, and sometimes food or swag! These trips are a perfect way to explore arts and culture beyond the campus with your residence hall, student organization, or other campus groups, and to meet new people who love the arts.

In accor­dance with the Uni­ver­sity of Michigan’s Stan­dard Prac­tice Guide­lines on Free­dom of Speech and Artis­tic Expres­sion, the Arts Initiative does not cen­sor artists or the con­tent of their work. The content presented on this trip is the work of the artist(s) and is not intended to reflect the views of the Arts Initiative or the University of Michigan. We honor the historical role that artists play in creating social dialogue, we celebrate the power of art and artists to inspire us, and we embrace the opportunities art provides to reflect upon ideas and voices that are not our own.


Events

Art Outta Town: Flint Art Walk

Friday, February 14, 2025
Flint, MI
4pm-10pm

Register now!

About the trip: Join us on a trip on Friday, February 14 to attend the Flint Art Walk and the Take Care Student Art Exhibition Closing Reception at Riverbank Arts! This trip includes round trip transportation from Ann Arbor to Flint and is FREE to attend! The reception will include a variety of artwork by U-M students, a dance performance, and light refreshments. Attendees will then be free to explore the rest of the Flint Art Walk on their own.

About the Flint Art Walk: The Flint Art Walk is a collaboration between a variety of businesses and cultural organizations in Flint's Downtown Entertainment District. Dozens of businesses and art venues participate in displaying the work of local artists. Enjoy open house receptions, free to the public, that promote the diversity of gallery offerings in downtown. Locations vary monthly.

Art Outta Town: Arab American National Museum

Friday, December 6, 2024
Dearborn, MI
4:45pm-11pm

Event has already passed.

About the trip: Join us on a trip to the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, where you’ll have a chance to explore the museum, see a dabke dance performance, and enjoy a Lebanese dinner! This trip costs $20 and includes round trip transportation from Ann Arbor to Dearborn, admission, and food. Space is limited so buy tickets today!

About the Arab American National Museum: The Arab American National Museum (AANM) is the first and only museum of its kind in the United States devoted to recording the Arab American experience. It serves as a touchstone that connects communities to Arab American culture and experiences. Since opening in 2005, AANM’s goal has been to document, preserve and present the history, culture and contributions of Arab Americans. Their exhibitions cover the Arab world and the history of Arab Americans from the first immigrants who arrived in the late 19th century to today.

Art Outta Town: Motor City Comic Con

Saturday, November 9, 2024
Novi, MI
10am-6pm

Event has already passed.

About the trip: Join us as we travel as a group to Motor City Comic Con in Novi, where you can enjoy all the con has to offer, including celebrity guests, artist alley, panels, and more! This trip includes admission and round trip transportation, for $20. The trip is open to all current U-M students. Seating for the trip is limited so register today!

About Motor City Comic Con: Motor City Comic Con is the ultimate destination for all things pop culture, entertainment, and the celebration of creativity! Explore comic books, graphic novels, art, and collectibles in the exhibitor hall, featuring a diverse range of vendors and artists from all corners of the industry. Motor City Comic Con is also proud to host a star-studded lineup of celebrity guests, including renowned actors, comic book creators, voice actors, and industry professionals. Get the chance to meet your favorite artists, listen to their stories, attend panels and workshops, and even get autographs or professional photo opportunities. Cosplay enthusiasts will also find a haven at Motor City Comic Con, as they encourage attendees to unleash their creativity and don their most impressive costumes.

Art Outta Town: Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

Saturday, October 19, 2024
Grand Rapids, MI
9:30am-5:30pm

Event has already passed.

About the trip: Join us as we travel as a group to Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, where you can enjoy a self-guided tour through the gardens and see over 200 captivating sculptures - the perfect blend of art and nature! This trip includes admission and round trip transportation, for $5. This trip is open to all current U-M students. Seating for the trip is limited so register today!

About Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park: Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is a 158-acre botanical garden, art museum, and outdoor sculpture park located in Grand Rapids. A destination marrying world-renowned sculpture and horticultural landscapes, its indoor and outdoor gardens and sculpture galleries hold something for everyone to enjoy.

Art Outta Town: Detroit Institute of Arts

Saturday, October 5, 2024
Detroit, MI
11am-4pm

Event has already passed.

About the trip: Join us as we travel as a group via a U-M Blue Bus to and from the Detroit Institute of Arts, where you can enjoy a self-guided tour through the wide variety of art the museum has to offer - including paintings, sculpture, and more! This trip includes museum admission and round trip transportation, for $5. This trip is open to all current U-M students. Seating for the trip is limited so register today!

About the Detroit Institute of Arts: The Detroit Institute of Arts is the largest art museum in Michigan. Its collection is among the top six in the United States, with more than 65,000 works. In addition to outstanding American, European, Modern and Contemporary, and Graphic art, the museum holds significant works of African, Asian, Native American, Oceanic, Islamic, and Ancient art.

Art Outta Town: Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

Saturday, March 23, 2024
Detroit, MI
12-4pm

Event has already passed.

About the trip: This Art Outta Town trip includes round trip transportation on a blue bus and admission to the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History for $5. In addition to other exhibitions, Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design is currently on display, featuring over 60 of the Two-Time Academy Award winning costume designer’s original designs from iconic films such as Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Malcolm X, Do The Right Thing, and more. Attendees will also have the chance to explore the whole museum on their own.

About the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History: The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History opens minds and changes lives through the exploration and celebration of African American history and culture. In addition to the Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design exhibition, there are exhibitions by several other artists across a wide variety of art mediums, and the museum’s permanent historical exhibit, And Still We Rise, will also be available to see.

Presented by the Arts Initiative, Trotter Multicultural Center, and Black Film Society.

Art Outta Town: Detroit Symphony Orchestra Red Carpet Film Scores

Sunday, March 10, 2024
Detroit, MI
1:30pm-6pm

Event has already passed.

About the trip: Join us to experience a film score concert by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra! We’ll travel together on a blue bus to Orchestra Hall in Detroit, where you’ll have the chance to hear the DSO perform film scores from a variety of classic movies. Tickets are $15 and include round trip transportation and admission to the concert. Space is limited so buy your tickets now!

About Red Carpet Carpet Film Scores: Lights, camera, action—music! Films depend on lush sounds of an orchestra to turn images on a screen into moments that stay with us forever. Experience Academy Award-winning music from Superman, Casablanca, The Godfather, James Bond, and Mission Impossible through the unforgettable sound of the DSO.

Art Outta Town: Hairspray

Sunday, December 3, 2023
East Lansing, MI
4:30PM-10:30pm

Event has already passed.

About the trip: Join us to see the hit musical Hairspray! We’ll travel together on a blue bus to the Wharton Center for Performing Arts in East Lansing, where you’ll have the chance to see this touring Broadway production. Tickets are $15 and include round trip transportation and admission to the show. Space is limited so buy your tickets now!

About Hairspray: Hairspray, Broadway’s Tony Award winning musical comedy phenomenon is back on tour! Join 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV’s most popular show. Can a girl with big dreams (and even bigger hair) change the world? Featuring the beloved score of hit songs including “Welcome to the ‘60s,” “Good Morning Baltimore,” and “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” Hairspray is “fresh, winning, and deliriously tuneful!” (The New York Times).

Art Outta Town: Toledo Museum of Art

Saturday, November 11, 2023
Toledo, OH
12:30 - 6:00pm

Event has already passed.

About the trip: We will travel as a group via a U-M Blue Bus to and from the Toledo Museum of Art, where you can enjoy a self-guided tour through the wide variety of art the museum has to offer - including paintings, sculpture, glasswork, and more! This trip is FREE to attend but registration is required, and space is limited so sign up now to secure your spot!

About the Toledo Museum of Art: The Toledo Museum of Art is an internationally known art museum, with over 30,000 objects spread across 45 galleries. In addition to their wide range of permanent exhibitions, they are also featuring temporary exhibits exploring sculpture, ceramics, and reassessments of American history through art.

Art Outta Town: Holy Bones Festival

Saturday, October 7, 2023
Ypsilanti, MI
3pm

Event has already passed.

About the trip: Explore the Holy Bones Festival in Ypsilanti! We will leave as a group from Ann Arbor and travel to the Ypsilanti Performance Space using TheRide bus. You’ll be free to explore the festival on your own and return whenever you choose on TheRide. This trip includes admission to the event and is FREE to attend, but registration is required.

About Holy Bones Festival: Holy Bones is a celebration of all things weird and wonderful! This year's 5th Annual Festival will feature over 80 local artisans, drag and burlesque shows, food trucks, a short film debut, and more.

Art Outta Town: Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse Live in Concert

Sunday, September 24, 2023
Detroit, MI
1:30 - 7:00pm

Event has already passed.

About the trip: This Art Outta Town trip includes transportation to Detroit’s historic Fisher Theatre and your ticket to see Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse Live in Concert for just $15! This trip is open to all current U-M students. Seating for the trip is limited so register today!

About Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse Live in Concert: This event pairs a screening of the Academy Award-winning animated film with live musicians and turntables featuring a DJ scratcher live on stage. Daniel Pemberton composed a sprawling score of boundary-pushing original music that is complimented with song contributions by Post Malone, Lil Wayne, Jaden Smith, and Nicki Minaj. The hip-hop-based score results in a sonic universe that is woven throughout the fabric of the film, supporting its themes of resilience and universal heroism.

Presented by the Arts Initiative, Trotter Multicultural Center, and SMTD Office for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

Art Outta Town: Chicago the Musical

Saturday, April 1, 2023
Detroit, MI
6:30pm - midnight

Event has already passed.

About the trip: This Art Outta Town trip includes transportation to Detroit’s historic Fisher Theatre and your ticket to see Chicago the Musical for just $20! This trip is open to all current U-M students. Seating for the trip is limited so register today!

About Chicago the Musical: After 25 years, Chicago is still the one musical with everything that makes Broadway shimmy-shake: a universal tale of fame, fortune, and all that jazz, with one show-stopping song after another and the most astonishing dancing you’ve ever seen. Chicago has been honored with 6 Tony Awards®, 2 Olivier Awards, a Grammy®, and thousands of standing ovations!

Art Outta Town: An Afternoon at the Flint Institute of Arts

Sunday, March 12, 2023
Flint, MI
12:00 - 5:30pm

Event has already passed.

About the trip: Explore a wide variety of art mediums in the second largest art museum in Michigan! You’ll have the chance to experience glass-blowing demonstrations, a screening of the film Corsage, and a wide range of art exhibitions including Expressions: Works on Paper by African American Artists and Breaking the Mold: European Cast Glass. Tickets are $6, which includes admission and transportation to and from the museum.

About the Flint Institute of Arts: The Flint Institute of Arts is the second largest art museum in Michigan and one of the largest museum-connected community art schools in the United States. Their world-renowned collection exceeds 8,500 objects. The FIA promotes the power of the visual arts by providing lifelong learning opportunities to engage and educate a diverse regional audience.

Art Outta Town: First Fridays Ypsilanti

Friday, November 4, 2022
Ypsilanti, MI
5:30 - 9:30pm

Event has already passed.

About the trip: Explore the art and culture of Downtown Ypsilanti on Art Outta Town: First Fridays Ypsilanti! We'll travel together on TheRide bus and provide you with a map to all the art exhibitions, activities, and musical performances, so you can explore on your own! This trip is FREE to attend and registration is required.

About First Fridays Ypsilanti: Downtown Ypsilanti has a variety of restaurants, shops, and galleries. First Fridays Ypsilanti opens those venues up on the first Friday of the month for free art activities involving local artists, musicians, and more!

Art Outta Town: DLECTRICITY

Saturday, September 25
Midtown Detroit
6-11pm

Event has already passed.

About the trip: This Art Outta Town trip includes your transportation to and from DLECTRICITY! DLECTRICITY is a light-based art and technology festival in Midtown Detroit! This trip is open to all current U-M students, but seating is limited, so register today!

About DLECTRICITY: DLECTRICITY, inspired by Nuit Blanche arts festivals from around the world, has presented three major light-based art + technology festivals in 2012, 2014 and 2017. Produced by Midtown Detroit, Inc. (MDI), the spectacular outdoor visual light + art celebration takes place in Detroit’s Cultural Center and DTE’s Beacon Park. Attendees are immersed in a landscape of light through groundbreaking installations of video art, new media, lasers, interactive design and engineering, and captivating performance.

Art Outta Town: Yayoi Kusama's Fireflies on the Water

Saturday, February 1
Toledo, OH
11am-4pm

Event has already passed.

About the trip: Transport yourself to a space that seems endlessly expansive through artist Yayoi Kusama's installation of Fireflies on the Water! This Art Outta Town trip includes your transportation to the Toledo Museum of Art and your ticket to the installation! You'll also have time to check out the rest of the museum. This trip is open to all current U of M students. Seating for this trip is limited so register today!

About Kusama: Yayoi Kusama’s artistic practice spans seven decades, and her paintings, sculpture, and installations have left an indelible mark on both the art world and 20th and 21st century popular culture at large. The unbound creativity and complexity of Kusama’s own psyche has exerted a strong influence on the artist and her practice throughout her life. Fireflies on the Water speaks to Kusama’s ongoing investigation into the relationship between ourselves, the space that we occupy, and the ungraspable concept of infinity.

Refunds will not be issued for this trip.

Aladdin

Saturday, December 7, 2019
Lansing, MI
12:00pm-6:00pm

Event has already passed.

About the trip: Discover a whole new world at the hit broadway musical Disney's Aladdin! This Art Outta Town trip includes your transportation to the Wharton Center for Performing Arts and your ticket to the musical for just $25! This trip is open to all current U of M students. Seating for this trip is limited so register today!

About Aladdin: In the middle-eastern town of Agrabah, Princess Jasmine is feeling hemmed in by her father’s desire to find her a royal groom. Meanwhile, the Sultan’s right-hand man, Jafar, is plotting to take over the throne. When Jasmine sneaks out of the palace incognito, she forms an instant connection with Aladdin, a charming street urchin and reformed thief. After being discovered together, Aladdin is sentenced to death, but Jafar saves him by ordering him to fetch a lamp from the Cave of Wonders. Where there’s a lamp, there’s a Genie, and once Aladdin unwittingly lets this one out, anything can happen! Will Aladdin’s new identity as “Prince Ali” help him win Jasmine’s heart and thwart Jafar’s evil plans? Will the Genie’s wish for freedom ever come true?

Impressions to Expressions

Saturday, September 28, 2019
Detroit, MI
10:00am-4:00pm

Event has already passed.

About the trip: This Art Outta Town trip includes your transportation and admission to The Heidelberg Project and the Detroit Institute of Arts for just $10! This trip is open to all current U of M students. Seating for this trip is limited so reserve your spot today!

About the Heidelberg Project and Humble and Human at the DIA: Explore the evolution of the visual arts on this Art Outta Town trip! We'll start by taking a tour through the vibrant outdoor art environment The Heidelberg Project created by Neo-Expressionist artist Tyree Guyton. Then we'll head over to the Humble and Human exhibition at the DIA to view more than forty classic works of art from Impressionist and Post-Impressionists artists Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Paul Cézanne, and more!

The Beach Detroit

Saturday, March 30, 2019
Detroit, MI
10:00am-5pm

Event has already passed.

About the trip: This Art Outta Town trip includes your transportation and admission to the interactive art installation The Beach for just $5! You'll also have time to explore other exciting spots in Downtown Detroit. This trip is open to all current U of M students. Seating for this trip is limited and registrations must be submitted by Tuesday, March 26 (no exceptions). Refunds will not be issued for this trip.

About The Beach: The Beach, by New York-based design group Snarkitecture, reimagines the familiar natural and cultural elements of a day at the beach to create an unexpected and memorable experience for people of all ages. Visitors ascend a ramp before entering an all-white enclosure, where the floor descends towards the highlight of the experience - an ocean of recyclable, antimicrobial plastic balls. Two piers extend out into the ‘sea’, allowing people to stand in the center of the space and watch others, while a separate island in the centre invites exploration and discovery. Visual cues such as deck chairs, lifeguard chairs, umbrellas, and signage recall elements of the typical beach-going experience, however, these elements are made surreal by a monochrome uniformity throughout the interior spaces.

Evita

Saturday, February 2, 2019
Toledo, OH
12:30pm-6pm

Event has already passed.

About the trip: This Art Outta Town trip includes your transportation and ticket to the musical Evita for just $20! This trip is open to all current U of M students. Seating for this trip is limited so register today!

About Art Prize: The Broadway hit Evita follows the rise of ambitious Eva Perón as she becomes the beloved iconic Argentinian First Lady, worshiped by many. The Grammy Award-winning score combines Latin, music, pop, jazz and musical theatre.

DIYpsi Holiday Market

Saturday, December 8, 2018
Ypsilanti, MI
12pm-5pm

Event has already passed.

About the trip: This Art Outta Town trip includes your transportation to and from DIYpsi Holiday Market for free! This trip is open to all current U-M students, but space is limited, so register today!

About Art Prize: DIYpsi is a biannual indie art fair in Ypsilanti. The Holiday Market will feature 90+ of the best indie artists Ypsilanti and the region has to offer for a one of a kind shopping experience that will take care of everyone on your list. You can also enjoy yummy treats, live performances, and make and take activities!

ArtPrize 10

Saturday, September 29, 2018
Grand Rapids, MI
9:30am-9pm

Event has already passed.

About the trip: This Art Outta Town trip includes your transportation to the free event and a sack lunch for just $10! This trip is open to all current U of M students, but seating is limited, so register today!

About Art Prize: ArtPrize is an open, independently organized international art competition which takes place for 19 days each fall in Grand Rapids, MI. The ArtPrize exhibition rethinks the way urban space is transformed, bringing innovative applications of color, light and sound to unconventional spaces. Over 1500 artists will exhibit their work in downtown venues and winners will be determined by public vote and jury. Spend the day looking at art all over the city, voting, and mingling with other voters.

First Fridays Ypsilanti

Friday, April 6, 2018
Ypsilanti, MI
5:30-9:30pm

Event has already passed.

About the trip: Explore the art and culture of Downtown Ypsilanti on Art Outta Town: First Fridays Ypsilanti! We'll provide you with transport and map to a self-guided walking tour of art exhibitions, musical performances, and more! This trip is FREE to attend and registration is required.

About First Fridays Ypsilanti: Downtown Ypsilanti has a variety of restaurants, shops, and galleries. First Fridays Ypsilanti opens those venues up on the first Friday of the month for free art activities involving local artists, musicians, and/or tastings!

From Motown to Hip-Hop

Saturday, February 17, 2018
Detroit, MI
10am-4pm

Event has already passed.

About the trip: This Art Outta Town trip includes a tour of the Motown Museum and access to the D-Cyphered exhibition at the DIA in Detroit for just $12! This trip is open to the whole U-M community, but seating is limited, so register today!

About From Motown to Hip-Hop: Explore Detroit music, then and now! This trip will visit two locations. First, you'll take a tour of the Motown Museum in Detroit featuring historic photos, stage uniforms, and instruments. The tour will include a visit to the original Studio A, where hit after hit was recorded from 1959 to 1972! The second stop of the trip will take you to the Detroit Institute of Art (DIA) where you'll see the exhibition D-Cyphered: Portraits by Jenny Risher. This exhibition features a photographic timeline of the Detroit hip-hop scene from 2015-2017. You'll also have time to visit the rest of the DIA too!

Detroit Gallery Crawl

Saturday, November 11, 2017
Detroit, MI
11am-6:30pm

Event has already passed.

About the trip: This Art Outta Town trip includes your transportation to two arts-rich neighborhoods for just $5! This trip is open to the whole U of M community, but seating is limited, so register today!

About Detroit Gallery Crawl: You've heard great things about the art scene in Detroit, now here's your chance to experience it! On this trip you'll explore two Detroit neighborhoods where you can walk between interesting art galleries, museums, and maker spaces showing a wide range of local, national and international art! In each neighborhood, we'll provide you with a map and information about what you might find at the various locations. Among the stops on last year's trip were Red Bull House of Art, MOCAD, Scarab Club, Detroit Artists Market, N'Namdi Center for Contemporary Art, and Detroit Contemporary... a great introduction to Detroit's art scene!