By Katie McGowan, Curator of Education at MOCAD

In August, Jon Brumit and I were hired as Curator of Public Engagement and Curator of Education, respectively. Charged with creating a Department of Education and Public Engagement, we spent our first two months at MOCAD researching similar departments, learning about neighboring institutions and exploring possibilities for engaging our community here in Detroit. Now, after lots of visiting, talking and listening, a structure for the department has begun to take shape.

The programming for the upcoming year centers around plans to initiate a series of month-long artist residencies in which local and national artists create work on-site, present lectures and workshops, and collaborate with the public for Family Day events. Additionally, we’re developing plans for creative collaborations with schools, children and the general public on video and audio projects including the re-launch of a web-based MOCAD Video channel, specialized audio tour projects as well as initiating a series of community-based Drive-in Radio Theater performance events in and around the museum.

Our program is designed to be culturally inclusive, artistically and intellectually ambitious, technologically adept and fun. By including more local and regional artists into MOCAD’s programming, we feel that the Museum will further evolve into a hub of cultural activity in the City.

We’re excited to implement our plans for 2012 and are confident that the New Year will provide all sorts of opportunities to develop the Department of Education and Public Engagement at MOCAD.