DLECTRICITY, a Festival of Art and Light in Midtown Detroit

The stunning nighttime outdoor festival of art and light, DLECTRICITY, returns to Midtown Detroit Sept. 22-23 from 7 p.m. to midnight. The event, sponsored by DTE Energy Foundation, will showcase the work of 35 international, national and local artists who have been commissioned to illuminate the Woodward corridor with cutting-edge installations of light, video, performance, and other unexpected works of art.
Midtown Detroit, Inc. announced major funders and a new footprint for the event, spanning from the Detroit Institute of Arts to the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit for a more walkable experience.
"We are incredibly grateful to DTE Energy Foundation for returning as the presenting sponsor of DLECTRICITY," said Sue Mosey, executive director of MDI. "We are fortunate to have such tremendous corporate and foundation partners whose support makes it possible to bring these world-class artists and works to Midtown Detroit which has become an international arts destination."
The event features artists from Australia, the UK, Japan and Germany, as well as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, Baltimore, and Cleveland. Detroit's own art community also will be well represented. The event is inspired by other international festivals known for bringing the best of contemporary light and technology-based arts to the streets of major cities like Paris, Sydney, Toronto, Minneapolis and New York.
"The DTE Energy Foundation is committed to investing in and developing experiences that celebrate the arts and energy to bring people together," said Faye Nelson, vice president, DTE Energy; board chair and president of the DTE Energy Foundation. "As presenting sponsor, our continued support of DLECTRICITY allows Detroiters and visitors from across the region to experience this unique arts and cultural event, and enjoy all that Midtown has to offer."
Benjamin Kennedy, Kresge Detroit Program managing director said, "DLECTRICITY has bonded audiences in public spaces with art that has surprised, enlightened and awed us. It promotes art that is of the moment, yet speaks to timeless themes through new means. Within that context, we are particularly proud to support Midtown Detroit's focus on recruiting and commissioning Detroit-based artists and artists of color, and elevating the legacy of the 1967 rebellion and other themes relevant to Detroit residents."
DLECTRICITY debuted in 2012 and in its return in 2014, 150,000 people attended.
"With arts and culture at its core, DLECTRICITY inspires connection and inclusivity, offering a unique chance to advance collisions between Detroit's talented creative community and some of the most influential artists in the world," said Katy Locker, program director for Detroit at the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Knight Foundation is supporting three high-caliber artists, including Rashaad Newsome, Pope.L and Apetechnology as part of the festival.
More than 3,400 cyclists also participated in the signature Light Bike Parade, which is returning this year for an exciting ride through Midtown.