DTW Unveils Art At The Airport Program

METRO DETROIT, MI — The Detroit Metropolitan Airport is getting a new look, thanks to some intricate pieces of art. And, it's a new tradition for the airport.

The Wayne County Airport Authority (WCAA) is celebrating Michigan’s rich culture, with an emphasis on the Detroit Metropolitan area, by launching its first Art in the Airport program, organizers said. The program at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) is the result of several years of internal planning and discussions with members of local arts organizations.

The first phase of Art in the Airport highlights the Detroit Institute of Arts’ (DIA) Inside|Out program. Through the Art in the Airport program, WCAA hopes to enhance the travel experience for DTW customers, while supporting local artists and institutions. In the coming years, visitors to the airport can expect to see rotating exhibitions, fine and performing art series, and possibly custom artwork created for DTW.

“Detroit is a vibrant city known for its art, food, music and cultural diversity,” said Wayne County Airport Authority CEO Chad Newton. “The Wayne County Council for the Arts, History, and Humanities was the catalyst behind Detroit Metro Airport pursuing an art program. We’re grateful to the Council’s Renata Evans and Bettye Misuraca, who first championed this cause more than a decade ago. The Art in the Airport program will be a platform for local artists to showcase their talent, while incorporating reproductions of masterpieces from one of our region’s greatest treasures, the Detroit Institute of Arts. We hope to engage additional cultural organizations as well.”

The DIA has installed 24 framed reproductions of works from the museum, which are displayed throughout the North Terminal and the Ground Transportation Center.

To assist with the development of the Art in the Airport program, WCAA has partnered with Graves+Mallett Art Solutions. The Detroit company is a certified Small Business Enterprise founded by Leslie Graves, Esq. and Denise Mallett, Ed.D.

"Graves+Mallett Art Solutions is delighted and honored to have the opportunity to partner with the Wayne County Airport Authority to take on this groundbreaking project that will forever change the physical and artistic space of Detroit Metro Airport," said Graves.

"Often the passenger experience in an airport involves hurrying, waiting, or checking flights,” said Mallett. “Graves+Mallett Art Solutions seeks to enhance the current experience by stirring emotion and sparking such a sense of wonder that passengers pause and reflect on the artwork.”