NW Michigan Art & Culture Summit

The Art & Culture Summit is the gathering for our creative community.

For two full days, artists, arts administrators, performers, funders, educators, and creative thinkers gather to share ideas, build relationships, and celebrate the role creativity plays in shaping our region.

• Inspiring keynote speakers
• Live performances in dance, music, spoken word, and theater
• Educational workshops for artists and arts administrators
• Insightful creative-sector panels
• Hands-on creative experiences
• Time built into the schedule for conversation and connection

The Summit is designed to be both energizing and practical. You’ll move between keynote sessions, workshops, and performances, with intentional opportunities to meet others, exchange ideas, and strengthen professional relationships.

It’s a chance to step out of your day-to-day work, connect with peers, and invest in the creative ecosystem we’re building together.

We are delighted to have Michael Pohlman on site and available for portraits. If you have been putting off your headshots, here's your chance to get yours from one of the region's top photographers for just $50. Reserve your time in checkout.

Info: Welcome check-in & credential pickup for registered attendees.

Info: We'll start our day together with all attendees in the large ballroom at Hotel Indigo for a Welcome Session.

Info: Workshops, Panels, Artist Talks, Mentor Sessions and Headshot Portraits by Michael Poehlman at Hotel Indigo

Info: Check in at registration for your credentials then grab a drink in the Towsley Lobby and enjoy some time with getting to know other kindred spirits from the arts and culture community.

Info: Gather together in the Opera House auditorium for a welcome session with NWMI Arts & Culture Network. Expect a bit of inspiration, performances to set the stage for the weekend, and plenty of social time to enjoy with your creative peers. Omari Rush is a statewide and national arts leader whose work centers on helping creative expression thrive in communities. As executive director of CultureSource in Detroit, he guides regional strategy for strengthening arts ecosystems, supporting cultural organizations, and advancing equitable investment in creativity. His civic leadership includes distinguished service on the State of Michigan Arts and Culture Council—appointed by three governors and twice elected chair—and a recent term as board chair of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, where he helped shape national policy and advocacy for the cultural sector.

Info: For those not checked in yet registration is open for credentials. Start the day right with a cup of coffee and a visit with new friends. Enjoy complimentary coffee and mingling at the Opera House lobby prior to our first keynote session.

Info: Laura Zabel is a nationally recognized advocate for artists and a leading voice in reimagining how creativity strengthens communities and economies. She is the Executive Director of Springboard for the Arts, a St. Paul–based economic and community development organization run by and for artists. Under her leadership, Springboard has become a field-defining force in artist-led community development, creative placemaking, and cross-sector collaboration, with programs and resources reaching more than 20,000 artists each year and replicated in over 100 communities across the U.S. and internationally.

Info: So much to take in during the mid-day portion of the event! Artist talks, panels, presentations, hands-on activities, and practical educational workshops to enhance your creative practice or cultural nonprofit.

Info: Carefully selected mentors will be available to sit one on one with you. Choose your mentor and time slot during check out.

Info: Reconvene at the Opera House for our final gathering of the Summit with keynote speaker Juana Williams. Juana is an independent Detroit-based curator and writer whose practice centers on community, cultural memory, and the global resonance of Black artistic expression. She is the Consulting Artistic Director and Chief Curator of Detroit Salon, an ambitious international initiative that connects Detroit’s artists and cultural narratives with global audiences through exhibitions, convenings, and cross-border exchanges.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Traverse City, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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