ST. CLAIR SHORES — This year, St. Clair Shores is hosting the Detroit Institute of Art program Inside|Out, as well as a selfie contest for residents to enjoy.
There are 10 pieces of art displayed throughout the city at the parks and different buildings. Residents can find the art at Veterans Memorial Park, Kyte Monroe Park, the St. Clair Shores Public Library, Lac Ste. Claire Park and Marina, Wahby Park, Blossom Heath Park and the fishing pier, Shores Inn Food & Spirits, Welsh Family Park, Kaufman Park and Brys Park.
According to the DIA website, this is the 14th year the Inside|Out program has placed high-quality reproductions of the DIA’s collection in cities throughout Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. Other cities included this year are Sterling Heights, Novi, Rochester and many more.
“From now through October, residents of Macomb, Wayne, and Oakland counties will be able to enjoy a piece of the DIA outside in their own community,” the website stated. “Each community will display a number of reproductions outdoors clustered within walking or biking distance.”
Parks and Recreation Event Director Henry Bowman said to go along with the exhibition, the St. Clair Shores Parks and Recreation Department is setting up a selfie contest.
Bowman also said they are working with Tim’s Bike Shop to host a bike cruise around the city to check out the artwork. The department is also working with the DIA to get a docent for a bus tour.
“So we’re having a lot of fun,” Bowman said.
The artwork is already displayed, and folks can enter the selfie contest. To enter, share a selfie of you and the artwork to the St. Clair Shores Parks and Recreation Facebook page’s post about the exhibit with the hashtag #StClairShoresInsideOut. Prizes will be given out throughout the summer, and they will be given to the most creative selfies.
“Let’s say they dress up to look like the people in the artwork, then, you know, they’ll be in the running,” Bowman said.
Prizes are provided by local sponsors.
DIA Community Engagement Manager Sharon Harrell said there are three main goals to the program: to help the community encounter the art pieces, to engage with them and to increase awareness of the museum and the access of art from different galleries.
Harrell said they have more than 123 art pieces to select and offer between five to 10 pieces to each community that requests to be involved in the program. Each year, the museum wants to have at least five communities in each county. They would like to have five to seven communities participate every year.
Harrell is happy the program has lasted this long.
“We really enjoy it,” Harrell said. “A lot of activities are created by the community partners in those communities. So, we like to see those things happen.”
She added they also get a lot of good feedback from the Inside|Out pieces, as well as increased attendance at the museum.
For a full list of participating cities, visit the DIA’s website at dia.org.