Library Street Collective is thrilled to present It Takes a Village, a one-night-only benefit exhibition spanning both LSC and sister gallery Louis Buhl & Co.’s walls and featuring over 70 participating artists to raise funds for the development of a permanent public skatepark in Detroit’s East Village neighborhood. The project is in partnership with Jefferson East, Inc., a neighborhood non-profit organization that serves low-income populations on Detroit’s east side and five historic bordering neighborhoods.
The skatepark will open in spring 2023 alongside the Charles McGee Legacy Park and a retrospective on the late artist’s life and work at the Shepherd. Upon its completion, the skatepark will be fully accessible to the public. Says Joshua R. Elling, CEO of Jefferson East, Inc: "As Jefferson East works to revitalize the east Jefferson corridor, it is vital that residents have safe and engaging places to enjoy. The addition of this new skatepark will be an amazing amenity for residents—young and old, longtime Detroiters and visitors alike. Combined with the Charles McGee Legacy Park, this new public space will be a world-class amenity for all to enjoy."
With the help of NewLine Skateparks, Tony Hawk will lead the functional design of the park, while artist McArthur Binion will oversee elements of the artistic design. It was in 2017 that Library Street Collective first collaborated with Hawk to design and produce Wayfinding with Ryan McGinness, an installation and skate park in downtown Detroit—this being just one of various skatepark projects Hawk has spearheaded throughout the city over the years. Hawk looks forward to continuing to activate the local community with this latest advancement: "I'm honored to partner with Anthony & JJ Curis and all of the participating artists to help bring this public skatepark to life. This community-focused project will be a perfect addition to Detroit’s East Village neighborhood."
It Takes a Village is also a celebration of Library Street Collective’s ten year anniversary, “a milestone we are honored to share with the community of artists who have shaped our mission and allow us to contribute crucial support to the creative renaissance of the city of Detroit,” says founder and partner Anthony Curis. “The occasion signifies a new chapter for the gallery as we enter our expansion into the East Village neighborhood, with plans along with the City of Detroit to designate the area as the city’s next cultural district. A soon-to-be fundamental component of this ambitious development, the skatepark will empower daily joy and play, while uniquely immersing the community in the greater world of art—Library Street Collective’s predominant goal since its inception.”
Featured artists include Tiffany Alfonseca, Daniel Arsham, Trudy Benson, Katherine Bernhardt, McArthur Binion, Morgan Blair, Greg Bogin, Judy Bowman, Davariz Broaden, Kelsey Brookes, Marcus Brutus, Cydney Camp, Canyon Castator, Ryan Travis Christian, Jake Clark, Allana Clarke, James Collins, Richard Colman, Rosson Crow, Timothy Curtis, Heather Day, Sam Dienst, Michael Dotson, Sam Durant, Greg Fadell, FAILE, Shepard Fairey, Beverly Fishman, James Benjamin Franklin, Sam Friedman, FriendsWithYou, Olivia Guterson, Eric Haze, Jammie Holmes, Thrush Holmes, Cody Hudson, Todd James, Kaylie Kaitschuck, Sam Keller, Matthew King, Paul Kremer, Gary Lang, GE Liu, Geoff McFetridge, Charles McGee, Ryan McGinness, Zoe McGuire, Mario Moore, Robert Moreland, Jordan Nickel, Sheila Nicolin, KC Ortiz, José Parlá, Pedro Pedro, Cleon Peterson, Jason REVOK, Jamea Richmond-Edwards, Ellen Rutt, Chris Schanck, Ryan Schneider, Eric Shaw, Adam Parker Smith, Willie Wayne Smith, Phillip K. Smith III, Sheida Soleimani, Jacqueline Surdell, Michael Thorpe, Russell Tyler, Paul Verdell, Julia Wachtel, Natalie Wadlington, Bradley Ward, Wendy White, Tyrrell Winston, and more.
