Dear Crabby, Why is the Promised, One Time Only, DIA Millage up for Renewal?

Dear Crabby, Why is the Promised, One Time Only, DIA Millage up for Renewal? Sincerely, Art Vote   Dear Art, Because voters are stupid and the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) knows it. The one time only, 10-year millage we passed in 2012 was promised to be ONE TIME. The money they were collecting would go into a endowment to create a fund that the Detroit Institute of Arts could live off of for years and years. Well, we didn't even get to end of the 10 years did we. But that's part … [Read more...]

Piety and Drama in Baroque Art

Piety and Drama in Baroque Art at The Pontiac Creative Arts Center June 25 6:00 p.m. During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, a religious change rocked Europe and altered the way people engaged with art. From incidents of aggressive destruction of images in the north and an explosion of theatricality in the south to the appearance of printed images across the continent, the pious struggled to win souls and outline religious belief through brand new approaches to visual … [Read more...]

Oakland County Board of Commissioners votes to help maintain DIA Collections

On Wednesday, August 14, 2013, the Oakland County Board Chairman Michael J. Gingell, in partnership with Oakland County Commissioner Kathy  S. Crawford introduced a resolution in support for the maintenance of the Detroit Institute of Arts Collection. The resolution would support the Oakland County Art Authority canceling their existing contract and tax for the DIA, if the existing art collection is effected by the bankruptcy process. With bankruptcy looming and the financial future of the … [Read more...]

Travel with the OPC and DIA

“Come Wonder Around” the Detroit Institute of Arts with OPC Leisure Travel on Sunday, September 15, 2013. The trip departs OPC at 9:00 a.m. and returns at 3:00 p.m. Upon arrival at the DIA, you will enjoy a reception with baked goods and coffee, then explore the galleries with a self-guided tour, visit the DIA gift shop, and if you wish, treat yourself to lunch at the CaféDIA. If you are 50 years of age or older, and a resident of Rochester, Rochester Hills, or Oakland Township, we would … [Read more...]

Dear Crabby, How do I survive the Art Institute?

Dear Crabby, My girlfriend loves art and always wants to take me to different museums to stare at walls full of art. I really want to enjoy it, but I find it rather difficult. What can I do? Sincerely, Knott A Picasso Dear Knott A. Picasso, Being the art-lover that I am not, I have actually found several ways to enjoy the art museums. You see, since Mrs. Crabby does love art, she likes to drag me along to The Detroit Institute of Art whenever she can. After barely surviving my first … [Read more...]

Fabergé: The Rise and Fall

Bea Smits from the DIA Speakers Bureau will give a preview of the current DIA exhibit, Fabergé: The Rise and Fall on Thursday, November 29 at 7:00 p.m. at the Rochester Hills Public Library. The exhibit features more than 200 precious objects from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, home of the largest collection of Fabergé in the United States. The show traces Karl Fabergé’s rise to fame, highlighting his business savvy, artistic innovations, and privileged relationship with the Russian … [Read more...]

Sue Ann Douglas Responds to the upcoming DIA Tax vote

Sorry Mr. Beal but ‘Ain’t Gonna Happen!’ just isn’t good enough. I’m still not convinced that the collection is protected from a bankruptcy or emergency manager and now I’ve found two separate examples of where the DIA representatives have told the media that they would litigate to buy time while Detroit’s solvency problems were resolved if there was an attempt to sell the art. More money down the drain but their Plan B tells me that my concerns are on point. I have an idea on how to protect … [Read more...]

DIA asks, ‘You voting?’

Voters in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties will find a proposal on the Aug. 7 ballot seeking a new tax for the Detroit Institute of Arts. The DIA is seeking 0.2 mills for 10 years to replace the financial support it used to receive from the state and the city of Detroit, which is no longer provided. If levied, it would provide free general-admission to county residents, including school field trips, and allow the DIA to focus its private fund-raising efforts on its endowment fund. Under … [Read more...]

Citizen Opinion: Ambiguous, Deceptive Ballot Language for DIA Tax Should Be Voted Down

By Sue Ann Douglas, 18 Year Oakland County Commissioner – Retired When go to vote, you may think that the millage request below is for a facility or facilities in Oakland County. Well, it is NOT for an Oakland County facility. It's for the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA). "OAKLAND COUNTY ART INSTITUTE AUTHORITY MILLAGE The Oakland County Art Institute Authority established pursuant to Public Act 296 of 2010 to allow for continuing support of art institute services for the students, … [Read more...]