Metro Times: Reckless Eyeballing

Detroit arts patron James Pearson Duffy, 1923 - 2009

James Pearson Duffy, longtime Detroit businessman, consummate patron of the arts, and champion of the Detroit arts scene, died on Tuesday at his home in Grosse Pointe at the age of 86. He was the only child of James F. and Kresge Arts in Detroit fellowship grants.

The $25,000 fellowships provide support for 18 artists living and working in metropolitan Detroit (Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties) whose commitment to innovation and artistic achievement are evident in the quality of their work.

The

Cover of the October-November 2009 Cass Rag, drawn by "Elle."

HEARD OF THE underground publishing explosion? You know, the one that began in the late 1960s and churned out tens of thousands of passionate, self-made, low- and no-budget publications for a generation? The scene hit its zenith around the mid-'90s, with the rise of a “zine” scene that challenged that day's stodgy and unimaginative "periodicals."

But with the advent of the Internet, a lot of that do ...

Tune into WDET now for a Local Moth Spotlight!

As part of their pledge drive, WDET produced a special Moth Radio Hour comprised of performances recorded during the Moth StorySlam, which premiered in Detroit on Thursday, October 1st at Cliff Bell's.

It starts at noon and you can listen here.

StorySlams go down the first Thursday of the month at Cliff Bell's.

For more on the evening, find Metro Times' Wonder Twins' recap here.

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SOUPY SALES, R.I.P.

We lost a true Detroit legend yesterday when Soupy Sales died in a Bronx hospice after years of declining health at the age of 83. Sales -- who was born Milton Supman in Franklinton, North Carolina -- was years ahead of his time in that he delivered a children's show (complete with puppet friends) that surely appealed to the kiddies but featured "inside" jokes that went above the kids' heads but would appeal to the parents who were also watching at home. It's a tradition that would be used by everything from The Simpsons to Pee-wee's Playhouse in subsequent decades.

Sales first came to prominence on Detroit TV before his Lunch With Soupy show went national in 1959. A lot of us (includin ...

Liebler gets national nod, rocks out with Sinclair at Alvin's

Organizing retreats for Michigan writers, putting together local and out of state poetry workshops, hosting open-mic night’s at Music Hall’s Jazz Cafe, publishing in local publications and across the country, M.L. Liebler continues to be one of the most active voices in Detroit’s literary community.

But Detroit word-smiths aren't the only folks to take notice of Liebler's work and commitment.

Poets & Writers, Inc of New York City for recently awarded the poet the esteemed Barnes & Noble 2010 Writers for ...

Sixth Grade through MFA: Meet the Taubman Center for Design Education

Almost Famous: MONA's Jef Bourgeau Takes a DIP

John Baldessari" 24" x 36"h dry paint on canvas by Missy Wiggins

Opening this Saturday and running thru early-October at the Detroit Industrial Project (DIP) space inside the Russell Industrial Center is Almost Famous: A Shortlist. The exhibition is curated by the man behind the Museum of New Art, Jef ...

Remembering Dudley Randall this Sunday

MT columnist Larry Gabriel recently wrote about the poetry and legacy of the late Detroit poet laureate Dudley Randall ("Gift of a poet: Clarity"). It's a cliché to call someone a "major force" in their realm of activity, but Randall was instrumental in creating a publishing house for black poets just as a burgeoning new generation of voices was in need of one. His Broadside Press was the place where Don L. Lee (later Haki R. Madhubuti) and Nikki Giovanni, Etheridge Knight, Sonia Sanchez and others started connecting with national audiences. Significantly, established voices like Gwendolyn Brooks, Margaret Walker and Sterling Brown published on Broadside as well.

from glitches to riches: $3.75 mil for arts & culture raised yesterday

On Tuesday morning at 10 a.m., the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan opened its virtual doors to the public in order to raise funds for Detroit area arts and culture programs. CFSEM pledged $1 million towards a 50% donation match.

Nobody expected what happened next.

In the first two hours CFSEM's website, cfsem.org, had crashed ... multiple times. The number of people visiting the site, making donations was just too much. After the technical glitches were sorted out by the brainiacs that be, the numbers started to come in. At 12:30 p.m., CFSEM learned the first $500,000 had been exhausted. The second half was gone in the hours to follow.

Before day's end, CFSEM scrounged-up another $250,000 for donation matches, and the fol ...