The Heidelberg Project

Something I have taken interest in within the past year or so is the City of Detroit and how artists are working to uplift the city.  What was once a community rich in culture and industry, is now a struggling city filled with thousands of abandoned homes.  One group in particular is putting in a huge effort to turn the city around and turn abandoned homes into art: The Heidelberg Project.

The Heidelberg Project is an outdoor art project in Detroit, Michigan. It  was created in 1986 by artist Tyree Guyton and his grandfather Sam Mackey ("Grandpa Sam") as an outdoor art environment in the McDougall-Hunt neighborhood on the city's east side, just north of the city's historically African-American Black Bottom area. The Heidelberg Project is, in part, a political protest at Tyree Guyon's childhood neighborhood began to deteriorate after the 1967 riots. Guyon described coming back to Heidelberg Street after serving in the Army; he was astonished to see that the surrounding neighborhood looked as if "a bomb went off." (source: Wikipedia)


Words don't do justice to the Heidelberg Project. Take a look at some of the photos.

source: statementsinfashion.net

source: woodlandshoppersparadise.blogspot.com

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We interviewed Jenenne Whitfield, Executive Director of the Heidelberg Project.  She gave a  very inspiring interview about the city of Detroit and why art is so important in communities. 

Check out the full interview on our podcast!

The Heidelberg Project: Official Website