Detroit Month of Design explores what design can do for community and culture

September 16, 2026

Detroit is celebrating its annual Month of Design throughout September, featuring numerous artistic exhibitions and cultural events across the city. The festival, organized by Design Core Detroit, showcases local and international artists while operating under this year's theme "Design moves the future," which emphasizes how design practices can improve urban communities' quality of life. Notable exhibitions include Zahra Almajidi's "Casting the Net" at Playground Detroit, which explores Iraqi Marsh Arab heritage through metalwork and found objects, and "Anyspace?

Who is affected

Zahra Almajidi (Detroit artist exploring her Iraqi heritage)
Marsh Arabs/Ahwaris (southern Iraqi people whose traditional crafts inspired Almajidi's work)
Almajidi's family (displaced from Iraq in the early 1990s)
Detroit artists, designers, and community members
Canadian artist Stefan Novakovic
Detroit-based artists Cézanne Charles and John Marshall (rootoftwo creative studio)
The Vision nonprofit organization
Local performers including One Single Rose, Bowdre, Jacob Ardor, Luke Watson, and SPRNG4EVR
London Harris and Layla McMurtrie (The Vision co-founders/organizers)
Griot Detroit storytelling collective
Festival attendees and local vendors

What action is being taken

Multiple exhibitions are currently on display as part of Detroit Month of Design
"Casting the Net" is being shown at Playground Detroit until October 3
"Between Your Love and Mine" installation is on display until September 30
"Anyspace? Whatever" exhibition is running at MOCAD until Sunday
Design Core Detroit is organizing the citywide festival throughout September
The Vision is preparing for its second InVision Arts and Culture Festival scheduled for Saturday
Vantage magazine's third issue is being launched at the InVision festival

Why it matters

Detroit's designation as the first and only UNESCO City of Design in the United States highlights the city's cultural significance and creative community. The Month of Design festival serves multiple important purposes: it provides platforms for underrepresented voices and cultural heritages (like Almajidi's exploration of Iraqi Marsh Arab traditions), fosters community engagement through interactive art experiences, and demonstrates how design practices can address urban health, well-being, and quality of life. For artists like Almajidi, whose family was displaced due to political violence, these exhibitions offer meaningful ways to reconnect with cultural roots and process intergenerational trauma through creative expression. The festival also strengthens cross-border cultural connections, as exemplified by installations exploring U.S.-Canada relationships, while supporting emerging local artists and making art accessible to all Detroit residents.

What's next

Eastern Market After Dark event is scheduled for Thursday
A panel discussion with artists Cézanne Charles and John Marshall is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. Friday
The second InVision Arts and Culture Festival takes place from 4-9 p.m. Saturday at 17340 Lahser Road
"Casting the Net" exhibition continues until October 3
"Between Your Love and Mine" installation remains on display until September 30

Read full article from source: bridgedetroit.com