DESIGN CORE DETROIT ANNOUNCES OPEN CALL FOR SIREN ART WALL, SUPPORTED BY GUCCI CHANGEMAKERS

As part of the 2023 Detroit Month of Design, Design Core and Gucci Changemakers will commission one designer to create an original piece that will debut on the side
of the Siren Hotel.

DETROIT – Design Core, in partnership with Gucci Changemakers, is launching an open call to select a designer who will create an original illustration, painting or drawing that will debut on the Siren art wall located on the side of the Siren Hotel, 1509 Broadway St, Detroit, MI 48226. The open call will run for six weeks, April 27th through May 31st. Deadline to apply: May 31st at 11:59 pm.

Gucci identified Detroit as a focus city for the Gucci Changemakers North America Impact Fund in 2019. Gucci created the fund to accelerate positive social change in diverse communities by supporting grass-roots organizations that are making a local impact. Since then, the House opened its first store in Detroit in 2022 and worked with several local designers to honor the contributions of Detroit to art and culture. Gucci Changemakers commissioned jessica Care moore to create a poem for the Siren art wall in 2022 honoring the style of the Detroit community, entitled “We Wear The Working Day.”

To mark the one-year anniversary of Gucci’s Detroit Store, Design Core and Gucci Changemakers will recruit and commission a designer to create an original piece for the Siren art wall to debut during the 13th annual Detroit Month of Design occurring September 1st - 30th. The reveal will be coordinated with other Month of Design attractions to help increase visibility and stimulate economic activity.

Throughout the process, the selected designer will receive technical assistance and support from Design Core and a curated list of industry mentors to answer questions, provide advice, and encourage successful implementation. “Detroit is a city known for producing a high level of creative talent," said Kiana Wenzell, Co-Executive Director of Design Core. "But in order to thrive, our creative community needs continuous economic opportunities. The goal of Gucci Changemakers initiatives in Detroit is to uplift diverse design talent with ongoing mentorship and promotion. We are excited to continue to grow our partnership together towards this vision today and in the years ahead.”

ABOUT GUCCI CHANGEMAKERS FUND

The Gucci Changemakers Impact Fund is a $5 million grant fund, distributing $1 million per year over five years, to support 501(c)(3) non-profit community organizations that are focused on key social impact areas, including social justice and equity, arts and culture; health equity and wellness; and education. Started in 2019, the program aims to build strong connections and opportunities within diverse communities, while bringing positive change and inspiring solutions for a better future. The Changemakers program has selected nonprofit partner organizations in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Toronto, and Washington, D.C., providing grant funds for selected organizations.

ABOUT DESIGN CORE DETROIT

Design Core Detroit champions design-driven businesses and their role in strengthening Detroit’s economy. It offers services to strengthen, grow and attract design businesses, increase market demand for design services and tells Detroit’s design story locally and globally. Design Core is the steward of Detroit’s UNESCO City of Design designation and is part of the College for Creative Studies.

ABOUT DETROIT MONTH OF DESIGN

The Detroit Month of Design is produced by Design Core Detroit, an economic development non-profit organization housed within the College for Creative Studies. The festival was established in 2011 to connect creatives, introduce them to new markets and consumers, expose Detroit’s design aesthetic to worldwide audiences, and highlight the reason why Detroit is the first and only UNESCO City of Design in the United States.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Website: detroitmonthofdesign.com, www.equilibrium.gucci.com

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