The University of Michigan Arts Initiative has announced its winter 2025 recipients for the Arts Initiative Project Support grants, awarding funding to 11 faculty-led projects across the university.
The funding program supports efforts that expand access to the arts, encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, and engage campus and community audiences in creative learning experiences.
“One thing that makes our Arts Initiative special is our ability to offer an emphatic ‘yes’ to so many great ideas percolating in our creative community through project funding,” said Mark Clague, executive director of the Arts Initiative. “The artists, thinkers and innovative doers in our Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint communities set an example for all in how the arts can propel every aspect of the university’s core research, service and learning mission.”
More information
AIPS offers up to $10,000 in funding per project, with an additional $5,000 available for proposals that incorporate visiting artists. This cycle’s funded projects range from performances and exhibitions to campus-wide collaborations that connect the arts to areas such as environmental science, social justice, media and technology.
Grants awarded to UM-Flint, UM-Dearborn, the Michigan Sustainability Community, the Prison Creative Arts Project, the School of Music, Theatre & Dance, the Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series, the School of Social Work and the School of Public Health will support diverse initiatives designed to expand access to the arts, encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, and engage broad campus communities in dynamic, creative learning experiences that contribute to the vitality of Michigan’s arts ecosystem.
Below are the winter 2025 recipients along with the project lead:
Boat for Maksym and Other Stories
Irina Bondarenko, statistician lead, School of Public Health
This project invites audiences to explore the role of empathy and compassion in times of crisis through the lens of Ukrainian artists and poets. Through exhibitions, lectures and campus-wide discussions, it will raise questions about the limits of human agency and individual responsibility in the face of overwhelming force.
“Concert Black”
Mattie Levy, community engagement coordinator, Residential College, LSA
A musical-theatre opera crossover show, “Concert Black” explores the personal and professional journeys of three Black classical musicians as they navigate the world of academia. The project will culminate in a public workshop reading of the full production at the Keene Theater, inviting audience engagement and feedback to inform future iterations.
Carillon Livestream: Broadening Access to an Iconic Campus Instrument
Tiffany Ng, associate professor of music, SMTD
This project will enhance access to the Burton Memorial Tower’s iconic carillon concerts by installing an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant livestream system. The new setup will offer virtual access to more than 150 performances each year, expanding audience reach and accessibility and deepening engagement.
Michigan Youth Mariachi Festival
Brian DiBlassio, associate professor of music, UM-Flint
The Michigan Youth Mariachi Festival will bring together youth and communities from Flint, Pontiac, Detroit and Ann Arbor to celebrate the art of mariachi music. The festival will provide education and cultural exchange through workshops and performances, building bridges across generations and cultures.
Flint Dances
Beth Freiman, lecturer IV in theatre and dance, UM-Flint
This project will bring together a range of Flint-based dance programs, groups and institutions for a celebratory evening of performance at the UM-Flint Theatre, showcasing diverse dance styles and the vibrant talents of community members.
Peace through the Lens: Arab and Jewish American Film Initiative
Jennifer Proctor, associate professor of journalism and screen studies, UM-Dearborn
This educational program launching fall 2025 brings together Arab and Jewish American filmmakers with students in Journalism and Media Production and Arab American Studies. Collaborative projects, master classes, screenings and public discussions will foster cultural exchange, professional development and community engagement. By amplifying diverse voices and promoting respectful dialogue, it seeks to challenge stereotypes, build empathy and contribute to peacebuilding efforts.
What the *trash* is a megajoule?!?
Joseph Trumpey, professor of art, Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design
This campus-wide installation will visualize the environmental impacts of student energy use by translating a week’s worth of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions into everyday objects. Through large-scale campus installations and facilitated discussions, this project spotlights the impact of pro-environmental behaviors and increased awareness of energy consumption in driving meaningful change at U-M.
Spiral Quartet Project
David Jackson, professor of music, SMTD
This project will commission and record new works for trombone quartet, building a dynamic new repertoire for collegiate musicians. The works will be shared and available for free via YouTube and playable sheet music, fostering access and musical innovation across institutions for college-aged trombonists.
InterPlay’s Art and Social Change Weekend+
Gwynneth VanLaven student, and Osvaldo Rivera, lecturer II in social work, School of Social Work
The Art & Social Change Workshop and Performance through “InterPlay” will tap into ancient techniques of storytelling, dance and song to present strategies for community-forging dialogue through art. Following a two-day workshop, participants will share a public performance with the broader U-M community using “InterPlay” techniques — an approach rooted in somatic improvisation that empowers both performers and audiences to explore social change through embodied knowledge and collective discovery.
PCAP Curatorial Residency
Nora Krinitsky, lecturer III, Residential College, LSA
This project will establish a curatorial residency for justice system-impacted creatives, connecting them with artists in the “30th Annual Exhibition of Artists in Michigan Prisons.” The Resident Curator will collaborate with incarcerated artists across Michigan, engaging in thematic analysis and co-creating a public-facing artistic response to the exhibit. The project will culminate in a public exhibition, presented to gallery visitors and participating artists in March-April 2026.
Penny Stamps Speaker Series
Brittany Barnes, assistant to the director of the Stamps Visitors Programs, and Chrisstina Hamilton, arts programming director, Stamps School
Presented by the Stamps School, this renowned public lecture series brings leading artists, designers, writers and thinkers to campus for free, public events. Funding support will strengthen the streaming service, amplify marketing initiatives and expand opportunities for student engagement with visiting artists.
