Inside Southwest Detroit is proud to be back once again to present a small series of short films at this year’s SW Fest! Join us on Saturday, August 23, 2025, at the historic Senate Theater, starting at 12:30 PM on the indoor stage.

Blessing of The Lowriders Profile Series: Every morning on his way to work, Checo passed a local shop with lowriders parked out front—some slammed low to the ground, others perched on three wheels with one corner stretched skyward. He was hooked.

Blessing of The Lowriders Profile Series: Jose began transforming the car, starting with painting the frame and slowly building it from the ground up into a rolling chassis.

This week the City of Detroit painted over a powerful community-supported mural that was transforming a local viaduct into a memorial for 8-year-old Laura Fernandez who passed away in August.

Inside Southwest Detroit is proud to be back to present a small series of short films at this year’s SW Fest! Join us on Saturday, August 24, 2024, at the historic Senate Theater, starting at 1:20 PM on the indoor stage.

For decades, Mary has welcomed fellow artists into Detroit’s arts spaces, guided children in valuing their creative potential, and facilitated artistic works and sessions throughout the community. Her enduring dedication and influence, even without expectation of payment, inspired Rosado to nominate her.  

Inside Southwest Detroit is proud to present a small series of short films at this year’s SW Fest at Senate Theater on Saturday, August 19, 2023. This set offers three short films. Each film highlights storytelling about, in, or relevant to Southwest Detroit and/or features contributions by local filmmakers.

The Creative Connections project will stimulate economic and creative capital through the deployment of high-speed broadband infrastructure as well as the construction and renovation of four indoor and outdoor community spaces where residents build businesses, develop and nurture creative and entrepreneurial networks, and non-profits provide programming focused on community, youth, art and culture.

In Southwest Detroit our residents are strong and engaged. For each other and in community. They are not only in service of their own interests. They are in solidarity in fights against a system that routinely prioritizes money over human wellness when making decisions about what is important. But what exactly does it mean to be in solidarity?

Local artist Freddy Diaz spends his final days at the house where he grew up with the family.

Young photographers have learned to use digital and film cameras, developed photographs in our community darkroom, created hundreds of free family portraits, and had their work featured in an exhibition and publication. This year, we are expanding that work!

For Alan Chin, co-founder of Facing Change: Documenting Detroit, photography is more than art—it’s a way of navigating life’s complexities, building community, and unlocking potential.

Through the use of sunlight, plants, and a bit of chemistry, the young artists created their own lumen prints and cyanotypes, turning everyday objects into beautiful compositions.

In the glow of a red light, alchemy happens. Tongs gently agitate paper in a bath. Images begin to emerge. Faint outlines sharpening into tangible memories. 

After completing the "Art of Storytelling Through the Smartphone" workshop with Anthony Valadez, students had the opportunity to see their work come to life on the big screen. Their shorts premiered together as a 6m29s short film at the historic Senate Theater during Southwest Detroit’s annual SW Fest.

Houston-based DJ Rosez, with Salvadoran roots, brought her passion for music and community to Inside Southwest Detroit as part of the Porch On TAP artist residency.

Tune in to Sounds For Plant Lovers, Volume 35 on Mixcloud to hear the young student DJs guest host alongside Anthony Valadez and share their personal soundtracks and stories.

Anthony Valadez, a DJ, cultural strategist, and storyteller from Los Angeles, was welcomed as the artist-in-residence for the Porch On TAP workshop series at Inside Southwest Detroit. Valadez is supporting youth to express themselves creatively using music, storytelling, and filmmaking.

This summer, eight young photographers joined the internship program at Inside Southwest Detroit, learning technical and creative photography skills while honoring the community's past and shaping its future.

Aurora Trotter models action and exploration and encourages students to experience dance physically before judging if it's for them or not... Developing a daily practice is a way to kind of automate the things we’re passionate about. In dance we can teach our bodies how to be, how to act, and what to do when we ask it to.

Creativity took center stage as Andre Moore led handmade zine-making workshops based on simple collaging and book assembly approaches for elementary and middle school youth at The Alley Project.

In her first-ever writing workshop, Samantha introduced the concept of "constrained writing," explaining how limitations or rules can ignite creativity. Rules and constraints can be powerful tools for channeling creative expression, especially for youth. Parameters can serve as guiding lights.

Recreational critique can help to generate excitement, instead of fear, around feedback: "Rather than fearing the red pen, or having an anxiety around what's going to be said about it, imagine being able to wait in excited anticipation for what is going to be given to you, by your peers…”

Opening night of The Archivists marked a powerful beginning to a month of shared learning and exchange. The exhibition opened to a strong and welcoming crowd, bringing together artists, organizers, students, neighbors, and partners from Detroit and Chicago.

In the days leading up to the opening of The Archivists, the exhibition came together through a potluck style of collaboration with everyone bringing a pair of hands and something to pass.

The days are getting shorter (and more damp) and that is part of why we value our annual mid-fall gathering as one of the last opportunities to connect before wintering as a community. This year we celebrated on Dia de Los Muertos with a showcase of art from Porch on TAP residency with Mark Tucker with student-made luminaries, snacks, and some music.

Students from Escuela Avancemos visited The Alley Project as a way for participants from this summer’s Photo 101 to share about their experiences with their friends, explore TAP, and learn about ways that photography is changing people’s lives in their community.

Camilla Cantu is a musician and independent artist from Southwest Detroit. She believes in developing spaces in the Detroit community that uplift other women artists through mentorship, relationship building, and providing resources for up-and-coming creatives.

The PoTAP residency with Mark Tucker is being celebrated through weekly workshops ahead of Dia de Los Muertos at The Alley Project. This year students will be able to show off their works at an outdoor showcase at The Alley Project.

For years The Alley Project has welcomed Rebel Nell to visit and to learn histories as layered as the paint they will work with. They eventually select surfaces and harvest paint from the alley, among other places, to make jewelry with. This year, the youth get to join in as they learn how to make their own jewelry.

Mark Tucker is an artist born in Vermont, living in Michigan, whose current creative work revolves around community collaborations making large-scale public art sculptures, theater sets, and unique outdoor spectacles celebrating the Arts as a catalyst for creative community engagement.

A handful of creatives from around the neighborhood have come together to share time and space with Demaciiio for some basics in aerosol, oil paint, and mural planning.

Almost 10 years ago we were introduced to Amy and Diana, business partners, who were starting a company that made jewelry from decayed, flaking paint of local murals. Now, we are honored that Rebel Nell has joined us at The Alley Project for a residency where youth and neighbors will be able to learn how to make their own jewelry, Rebel Nell style, from start to finish!