2025 Events

Show event attendee’s Thomas Bell Art studio located at 10229 Joseph Campau Street

Join us during the Hamtramck Neighborhood Arts Festival at Passenger’s new location on Christopher Street, right next to the Fowling Warehouse, where we’ll be hosting a marketplace and live music performances in addition to the opening reception of Ashley Worden’s solo exhibition downstairs at the new Christopher Street Gallery!

Thomas was born in Asheville, North Carolina and became interested in abstract art in 2004 when a teacher gave him an assignment to create a painting influenced by a famous artist. He chose Piet Mondrian and painted a canvas with different shapes and primary colors similar to that of the Dutch painter. The freedom he found within the simplicity of his style became an invitation for him to enter a complex world with infinite dimensions and areas of opportunity open for his honest exploration. That day of artistic realization led him to a place of creative authority, freedom, and further detachment from societal programming, in which escaping aspects of the modern domestication of man has been an interest of Thomas since a teenager. Abiding by intuition, Thomas has strayed away from further classical training after 9th-grade art class in fears he would lose the core authenticity of what he valued most in painting, which is… undomesticated freedom within a mind of pure action flowing with the parameters of what his ability allows.

Thomas’s early paintings featured elementary faces expressing both tension and abandonment felt from the detachment of understanding that close ones had to him as he became involved in expressing himself through his artistic calling. Beyond the figurative aspect of his creations, he became very involved in paint experimentation on all different mediums, including various types of fabrics. Figuring out how large amounts of paint flow and work together when combined with many techniques, Thomas learned how to form aesthetically pleasing and balanced work out of seemingly random but very calculated processes. Creating from a reality that can seem like total discombobulation, he transforms his materials into works of deliberate, organized chaos with a sense of balance and flow that stems from being balanced and in flow with the experience. While the style of his early work departed from the traditional norms he was raised within — so much so that his paintings elicited fear inside of others — he refused to abandon his abstract nature and drive to create.

Finding acceptance from the universe within the worlds of his paintings, his work became more than a hobby, job, or well-connected interest. Painting became a source of life created through the abandonment of all the variables within the perceived norms or rules in which a human should perform while being creative, allowing the conditioned self to escape into pure form of soul and experience, where the root of source expands into his artwork.

Forces attempting to push Thomas to conform to a more conventional way continue to intervene. When intuition calls and one extracts himself from the game forced upon us, one creates realms that do not intervene with any constrictive norms of society and delves into pathways elsewhere.

Constantly innovating and finding the limits of his depths, through the ups and downs of uncertainty, Thomas has grown more strength and bravery to go further into the surface of the unknown.

Join us during the Hamtramck Neighborhood Arts Festival at Passenger’s new location on Christopher Street, right next to the Fowling Warehouse, where we’ll be hosting a marketplace and live music performances in addition to the opening reception of Ashley Worden’s solo exhibition downstairs at the new Christopher Street Gallery!

In the late 00’s, Jerry Downey cemented himself as a staple in Detroit’s on-again, off-again underground warehouse party scene with his “Sexual Tension Detroit” brand and was the mind behind many iconic series, such as “Bathroom Culture,” “Friend’s With Benefits,” and “We Can Get You In Trouble.” In 2018, he even received his first major break as a producer—licensing original music to Big Beat Records—but, despite his accomplishments, Downey had never reached his true potential as an artist due to his lifelong struggle with substance abuse. In 2024, after surrendering to his addiction and some soul searching, Jerry Downey found a new role in the community as a producer and recording/mix engineer working on original music out of his home studio.

Abba Roland is a dynamic and diverse creative artist, musician, composer, and touring singer-songwriter with roots in theatre, dance, and design. She has released two solo albums and has shared the stage with Coldplay, Sia, Bonnie Raitt, and P-Funk. “She is a thought-provoking lyricist with a singular style whose work blurs the lines between sharp comedy and cabaret, providing a unique human perspective.” — Rolling Stone

Abba hosts “Made in Vagina,” broadcasting out of Passenger Recover and Passenger Radio. The show features a range of eclectic artists—from times long ago to new artists—spanning Native American/First Nations, hip hop, classical, country, folk, and psychedelic punk-funk, voicing an empowered, balanced, female- and earth-conscious perspective. The show’s mission is to remind us about community, healing, and fellowship; and although we may all be different, we need the same things (love). “We all come from the same place — Made in Vagina.”

The fashion lines Nowaste Collective and Made in Vagina carry the same message and support recovery and health in our local communities.

Abba has spent much of her time between New York City, Woodstock, NY, and Los Angeles, but now happily calls Detroit home.

River Edwards is a highly regarded, award-winning spoken-word artist who has toured throughout the United States and Europe.

River was the Austin representative on the SlamAmerica bus tour and has opened for many rock acts, including Patti Smith and Ani DiFranco. He has also recently relocated to Detroit.

If “Passenger Recover” was meant to be “Passenger Recovery” or “Passenger Records,” say the word and I’ll adjust.

Step into the world of a computer scientist that fell in love with a costume designer during covid lockdown. Upon approach, it is clear that their home is bursting with creative energy as evidenced by the wildflower garden with a container pond full of fish in their front yard illuminated with landscape lighting for all to enjoy. Inside, visitors are invited to learn about HAM radio, take a tour of the sewing room, meet the dozens of aquatic pets spread through 8 indoor nano aquariums and 2 outdoor ponds, gaze and reflect upon an art collection that features artworks from many local creatives, and if the weather permits, enjoy a hands-on art project in the backyard. Lynn will have some original art pieces for sale and facilitate a free collage creation session. Come hang out with us!

Lynn Blasey is a multi-faceted artist, community worker, and public servant. She uses mixed media collage with paint and markers as a creative tool to process the world around her and partners with clients to develop compelling costumes to enhance their characters and personas for performance art or costumed events. Lynn is also an avid art collector and her collection blends with pieces from Joe’s collection to adorn the walls of the home they share. Joe George is a computer scientist who is passionate about HAM radio, plants, and creating mini ecosystems throughout their home. Joe has also been working to fully automate their home building his own network to operate independently of others and is excited to show it off to anyone interested.

The Hamtramck Night Bazaar is a vibrant evening market that showcases artists, makers, and small business owners from Hamtramck and beyond!

Discover Hamtramck is a platform powered by Hamtramck’s Downtown Development Authority. The DDA is committed to bringing life to our unique downtown, city, and community. The Hamtramck Night Bazaar is one of the ways the DDA empowers small business owners, the community, and artists.

Design your custom Block Print Handkerchief while having some delicious Tea.

INSPIRADO: Global Latino Creatives Take Center Stage at Hamtramck Neighborhood Arts Festival

Saturday, October 4, 2025 12:00 – 1:00 PM at New Dodge Lounge (8850 Joseph Campau Ave., Hamtramck, MI)

Hamtramck, MI’s Disco Walls announces INSPIRADO, a vibrant gathering of global Latino artists and creatives during the Hamtramck Neighborhood Arts Festival on Saturday, October 4, 2025, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The afternoon features an intimate panel discussion from 12:00 to 1:00 PM at New Dodge Lounge (8850 Joseph Campau Ave.), exploring creative practice, cultural storytelling, and collaboration across borders.

Curated by Disco Walls, INSPIRADO invites the public to meet artists, hear their stories, and discover how Latino voices are shaping today’s creative landscape from murals and design to music, film, and community-centered placemaking.

INSPIRADO is both celebration and spark, said Julie Sailus (aka Disco Walls), creative producer and event curator. We’re bringing together global perspectives to honor the creativity that fuels Hamtramck and Detroit while opening doors for new connections, commissions, and ideas.

Event Highlights

Artist Meet & Greet (11:00 AM – 2:00 PM): Connect with global Latino artists and creatives; learn about their work and process.

Panel Discussion (12:00 – 1:00 PM): A candid conversation on culture, career paths, and collaboration, moderated by Disco Walls.

Where: New Dodge Lounge, 8850 Joseph Campau Ave., Hamtramck, MI

Cost: Free and open to the public

About Disco Walls

Disco Walls is a Detroit-based creative production studio and art agency specializing in community-driven projects, public art, cultural storytelling, and artist experiences. Working with partners across Michigan and beyond, Disco Walls connects artists with spaces, brands, and audiences to make art approachable for all.

Czr Prz is an urban contemporary artist working in sculptural fabrication, large-scale aerosol murals, and all manner of design. Born and raised in working class Chicago, Prz’s 20 year creative career has spanned America all the way to Europe. Across their multifaceted media, Prz’s artworks tell stories in the folklorico tradition instilled by his Latino-Caribbean upbringing.

Prz recovered from Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2015, a battle that halted his trips abroad, resuming his creative practice without missing a beat. In the past year alone, Prz has painted murals for CATAN in Albany Park and Paint Memphis Fest in Tennessee. Prz’s fine art fabrication has shown at Modern Eden Gallery in San Francisco and Epiphany Center for the Arts, where he’s the curator behind Idol Hands, a group show centered around craft on view through Feb. 2022. Prz is also one half of Ava Grey, a creative firm based in Chicago’s South Side.

Playing good music for good people.

I’m Raphique I go by Shrinq Mountin i made an album recently titled Emergence please go listen. My live performance consists of looping from scratch, songs from the album, and oud house, live instruments and deep beats.

I’ll be painting one painting for the duration of the festival, which will go home with the highest bidder in a silent auction at the end of the day. I’ll also have on hand some smaller paintings, prints and t-shirts.

Michael Ross was born in the wild, watery woods of Union Lake, Michigan in 1974, got his head straight for a while in the desert green hotspring mountains of New Mexico, and eventually went to school at Oakland University where he learned to love college radio and studied painting under the tutelage of Dick Goody, receiving a BA in Anthropology and Fine Arts. He has no visual influences but enjoys the works of Robert Crumb, Peter Max, Charles McGee and Frank Stella. Also that of John Cage, Yoko Ono, The Grateful Dead and The Fall. And Richard Brautigan and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. He’s very interested in Indian Classical Music and often cites the raga, with its inherent improvisation within a formal structure, as a touchstone for his own work. He has been painting at 333 Midland in Highland Park for the past 11 years. He is a painter, a muralist, a curator and an arts council member in his adopted home town of Pleasant Ridge, Michigan, where he lives with his fantastic four year old, his wife, and a very saucy parrot.

Come see Purple and Grey a small Michigan trio perform live from a backyard porch.

Carie Ann Branch is a Hamtramck based muralist who makes odd art for odd people. Murals, line design, and street art captivate Carie’s imagination. Their art is bold, high contrast, and eclectic, utilizing bold color to express whatever strange thought needs to get out.

Live mural painting of the High Dive’s back patio. Chill cocktails and mocktails in a great bar with even greater people.

Through the lens of book and paper art, the exhibit explores the rumination about time spent and elapsed, the lyricism of nature as well as the possibilities of book structure from intimate to installation. Hatch Art Gallery will be open from 12pm – 9pm, with an opening reception starting at 6pm.

Additional offerings include “The Mechanical Requiem” by Ed Griggs and Luke Macgilvray in The Jail Cell, and several of our resident artists will have open studios over the course of the day. All events at the Hatch Art Center are free and open to the public.

Hatch Art is a grassroots nonprofit organization in Hamtramck, serving the Metro Detroit region. Founded and operated by a dedicated group of local artists, Hatch is committed to uplifting area artists through contemporary art exhibitions, arts-based programming, and more. It thrives through the active involvement of the people it serves.

Erin K. Schmidt has her BFA from Michigan State University. After studying book arts at Bowling Green State University she pursued her MA in Book Arts from Camberwell College of Arts at the University of the Arts London, graduating with distinction. Her work has been exhibited internationally and can be found in private and public collections.

Laura Beyer has over 20 years of printmaking experience. Her work has been collected by esteemed organizations throughout the area, including colleges and universities, private collectors as well as the Detroit Institute of Art.

Trixie’s will host local artists without space in our backyard from noon through 8 pm. We will also have live local acoustic acts starting at 5 pm. At 7 pm the Michigan native and current Vermont based band Jaded Ravins will take the stage. This guitar and bass duo compliments their excellent song writing and instrumentation with beautiful vocal harmonies. All events are free.

A day for the community to walk through, explore, and purchase or appreciate artwork from both local and international artists. The exhibition brings together paintings from Detroit to Bangladesh, highlighting Hamtramck’s identity as a true cultural melting pot.

The Barbershop Art Gallery will have our current exhibition on view, Always On My Mind. The show is a solo presentation by Chicago-based ceramicist, video, and installation artist Laveen Gammie, which puts on display her sensibility for poetic placement and disguised morbidity.

The Barbershop Book Gallery will have on sale our extensive photography book collection, curated by longtime collector and publisher Daniel Eller. Our stock ranges from affordable $10 options up to hard-to-find rare selections.

The Hatch Art Center was originally constructed as a dormitory for nuns and nursing students, and then used for the city’s police headquarters for three decades. The rooms on the second floor are used for artist studios, and art lines the hallway. Take a peek behind the studio door, artists will be present and opening their spaces to the public over the course of the day. Participating artists include Kayce Gifford, Grace Queen, Coral Sifre, Mike Kelly, and more!

Additional offerings include Stolen Moment by Erin K. Schmidt and Laura Beyer in the Hatch Art Gallery and The Mechanical Requiem by Ed Griggs and Luke MacGilvray in The Jail Cell. The Hatch Art Center will be open from 12pm – 9pm, with an opening reception starting at 6pm. All events are free and open to the public.

Hatch Art is a grassroots nonprofit organization in Hamtramck, serving the Metro Detroit region. Founded and operated by a dedicated group of local artists, Hatch is committed to uplifting area artists through contemporary art exhibitions, arts-based programming, and more. It thrives through the active involvement of the people it serves.

Hello, friends!

After Miss Emily Wood wraps things up in her studio, we’re moving the party to the backyard. Enjoy live sets from local electronic and punk musicians and rub elbows with the local color.

6-9 PM

Featuring:

– Permanently Pissed –

Arguably Detroit’s most heroic rabble-rousers. These trash punk champions of glorious, noisy imperfection have been blindly forging their own path for years through both the local and national scenes… amidst a sea of peers that seem content to play it far more benign and safe. This band absolutely rips, and their recorded material does not prepare you for their electrifying live shows. Do yourself a favor and don’t miss this rare backyard performance by the wildest kids.

https://permanentlypissed.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/permanently.pissed/

– Nauseous –

This oddball Detroit rapper has been overpaying his dues and sharpening his lyrical sword in the local scene for years. Nauseous likely rappity-raps circles around your local champion and still finds ways to bend and break the genre rules. A skilled MC and truly one of one.

https://soundcloud.com/nauseousrap
https://www.instagram.com/nauseousrap/

– Polari –

This NYC/Philly expat came to roost right here in lovely Hamtramck and we couldn’t be happier for his arrival. A veteran of the east coast punk and post-punk scene; Nate makes dark, seductive, and even danceable post-punk/darkwave music that crackles with gloomy atmosphere and raw energy. Buzzing synthesizers and relentless drum machines hammer away against dramatic vocals and mangled samples. Come and dance ’til you cry. The debut album drops on a midwest label this December, so come and be a cool guy that saw it live before the album was even released!

https://www.facebook.com/PolariNYC

+ 1 Special Guest TBA!

7 PM!
BYOB!
All positive energy!
Donations encouraged, but it’s free!

See you soon, cool kids…

My name is Joseph Figlioli, creator of Figliography. I am a local to the Hamtramck area. I have been doing photography for a couple of years. I want to show people what I see in the world. I like photographing Architecture, nature and urban areas.

NEW PAINTINGS by EMILY WOOD!

Emily Wood is a Hamtramck artist doing Hamtramck things;comics about life in the city, plein air paintings of Hamtramck, paintings of garbage found in Hamtramck, also rugs, quilts, and ceramics featuring Hamtramck themes. She also wins the award for using the word Hamtramck the most!!!

The public is invited to the small gallery at the Ukrainian American Archives & Museum to view the installation of curated works from various Ukrainian American artists.

This exhibit showcases a dynamic collage of works by Ukrainian American artists. Each piece a thread in the tapestry of heritage, resilience, and creative expression. From traditional motifs to contemporary interpretations, the collection reflects the evolving identity of a community rooted in history and alive with imagination.

High energy primitive punk rock band!!!

Punk band playing in the front yard.

Explore the collected works of two local artists with chill backyard vibes. The musical talents of Brian McKee can be enjoyed 2-4pm!
For anyone feeling creative, painting supplies will be available to produce your own mini work on 3″ round magnetic canvases (supplies limited).

Kevin Greogry is a Detroit based artist who uses art to portray thought and emotion. Self taught and inspired by other artists both local and worldwide, current and past.

Hazzy Dazed produces custom epoxy resin ashtrays, that glow in the dark!

Jaczek Maczka, accordion and vocals
Philip Salatrik, davul

This performance will feature a selection of Polish Folk music performed on accordion and drum.

Join us at Atomic Cafe on Saturday, October 4th, from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM for a compelling art event exploring the theme of “When Worlds Collide.” This exhibition features the works of two extraordinary artists—one Romanian and one American—whose diverse backgrounds and perspectives collide to create a dynamic dialogue through their art. Experience a vibrant fusion of culture, identity, and creativity as these artists challenge and inspire with their unique visions

Luke:
My extensive portfolio is inspired by living abroad; juxtaposing abstract imagery with a retro style rooted in comic fandom. All this set against a painterly expanse with a wink and a nod to old-school punk rock. His work will give you flashbacks of late nights listening to angry music shrieking from your speakers while submerged in a pile of graphic novels. (Black nail polish and Bazooka Joe gum not included.)

Sanda:
The energy I draw from earthly elements and the cosmos are translated directly to my canvas. In this life, intention and purpose are everything. Abstract painting is my purpose, and while I paint, I hold the intention of not only captivating but also healing the soul. My precious happiness, as well as my raw vulnerabilities, enter each piece I create. My work is a testament to the human spirit–a reminder that we are more than just flesh. We are spirits cradled by the spellbinding universe and all its glory.

You’re invited to listen to students as they learn to play on the traiditional, Ukrainian stringed instrument, the bandura. Instructors are happy to answer your questions.

This exhibit showcases a dynamic collage of works by Ukrainian American artists. Each piece a thread in the tapestry of heritage, resilience, and creative expression. From traditional motifs to contemporary interpretations, the collection reflects the evolving identity of a community rooted in history and alive with imagination.

Everyone’s favorite new supergroup Cheddar is back on the OLL stage! (feat. members from Day Residue, Eck, and more)

Australia’s adopted son and and Goner records recording artist Michael Beach: If you’ve given up hope of finding anthemic-yet-arty guitar rock for grown-ups that doesn’t condescend to your intelligence in either direction, add Michael Beach’s Big Black Plume to your wish list. A Melbourne underground stalwart originally from California, Beach has been releasing sick psych-tinged shit for years, just listen to the modular synth majesty that is Drain Brugs. On Big Black Plume, he enlists similarly-minded melders of rock and the avant-garde (members of Tropical Fuck Storm, Comets on Fire, the Dirty Three, and The Necks all make appearances) to help whip up a rollicking longform opus free of musical inhibitions and beholden to no rules. Here you’ll find crunchy riffs dissolving into brainy experimental passages, blousy love songs brushed with resonant electronic elements, spare piano melodies undercut with thin currents of drone, and rousing hard rock ballads with a zillion guitar overdubs melting into shimmering puddles of sunbaked psychedelia. Tune in, turn on, turn it

Bandcamp Cool Band Alert July 2025

Everyone’s favorite new supergroup Cheddar is back on the OLL stage! (feat. members from Day Residue, Eck, and more)

Electric Bug is a garage/psych rock band based in Detroit. Alexander Jarmoluk, Arlo Betley, Merrick Deluca, and Revi Deluca combine vintage combo organ tones with rock and punk influences drawn from a variety of eras.

Mini-Market consisting of all Hamtramck-based artists:

• Kaitlin – @k8noelle.art
• Uta – @fishwithbraids
• Mari Grace – @grace_francis_art

Triples is best! Monster Parade is here, AGAIN! Who has slime, worms, and spider webs? We’re starving and we’re ready for you! Monster love is all love, DUH. Come in your favorite monster gear and walk from Ride It Sculpture Skatepark to Hamtramck Disneyland singing monster chants and signs, after which we will hang at Hamtramck Disneyland with a bonfire and Monster Mash! Light refreshments will be provided.

Not sure about your costume? We’ll be hosting a costume/puppet making workshop from 1pm-4pm at Buffalo Prescott on Sept. 20th for those who want to hang and get ideas!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mmmonster-parade-tickets-1689566682429?aff=oddtdtcreator

Renee is an interdisciplinary artist working within themes of collage, ghosts + telematics. She creates both individually and collaboratively in Detroit and lives at Hamtramck Disneyland.

Monty Etzcorn is a Detroit-based interdisciplinary artist working in puppetry performance and fabrication, drawing, and alternative comics. 

Drop by between 2 & 6 pm to make a Zine! We’ll have all the supplies — you bring the creativity! All ages welcome!

Intersectional Press is a Detroit-based, Black women owned nonprofit publishing house that specializes in amplifying voices, stories, experiences that mainstream media do not. Their practices are anti-racist, anti-capitalist, anti-facist, (& more!). IP a safe space for bodies & brains that want to live in a kind & thoughtful world unapologetically.