• CONTAINER will highlight 12 Detroit-based creatives per season across music, fashion, visual art and food
  • Includes immersive showcases, a mobile shipping container venue and audio and digital storytelling powered by WDET
  • Gilbert Family Foundation supported the project with a $250,000 grant

 

DETROIT-(MAY 28, 2025) — Gilbert Family Foundation, The LOVE Building and WDET today announced the launch of CONTAINER, a groundbreaking multimedia and multi-platform program dedicated to showcasing Detroit’s most promising creative talent across music, fashion, fine arts and food.

CONTAINER supports and retains Detroit-based artists by providing access to platforms, strategic support, and community-focused opportunities. Rooted in the belief that local creatives deserve to thrive in their own city, the program invests in their growth and visibility.

“Detroit is a container—designed to hold, nurture and elevate artistic talent until it overflows into opportunity, visibility and investment,” said Kwaku Osei-Bonsu, project manager at CONTAINER. “Our goal is to help creatives grow and thrive here in a city built to hold them.”

Gilbert Family Foundation is dedicated to supporting programs and partnerships that share a goal of providing universal access to arts and culture experiences for Detroit residents and contribute to the economic growth of Detroit. This $250,000 investment will support CONTAINER’s artist showcases, mobile programming, digital storytelling and community-centered events that amplify Detroit’s creative voices and connect them to lasting opportunity.

“Detroit’s creative community is one of its greatest assets,” said Laura Grannemann, Executive Director, Gilbert Family Foundation. “By investing in CONTAINER, we’re helping to build a future where Detroit artists are not only seen and celebrated, but also supported with the resources, exposure and opportunity they need to thrive in their hometown.”

CONTAINER will feature 12 creatives each season. The first 12 were selected by a committee made up of leaders from Detroit’s core creative institutions. The next 12 will be selected directly by Detroit area-residents at large through a nomination and voting process that will launch in September. Participants will receive customized support that includes:

LOVE@Nite showcases: High-impact, collaborative events for CONTAINER artists to present their work through immersive experiences in food, fashion, music and visual art. Designed to celebrate each artist’s practice while building community, these showcases foster visibility, collaboration, and cultural exchange. The series kicked off with the CONTAINER Takeover on April 24 and continues with new showcases on May 29 and June 12, each spotlighting a different group of artists. The season will culminate on July 10 with a full-program celebration featuring all 12 creatives in the most expansive and immersive LOVE@Nite event yet.

 

  • Audio and Digital Content: WDET will produce artist vignettes aired on FM 101.9, shared online, and distributed as a podcast series.
  • Quarterly Convenings: Intentional gatherings designed to spark collaboration among participants while connecting them with institutions, potential funders, and long-term support networks.
  • CONTAINERtour: A mobile, branded shipping container will transform into a dining room, performance space, gallery or boutique depending on the artist’s discipline, and will be activated at multiple locations across Detroit from August through October 2025.

“Think of this as the Detroit Homecoming for our creative class,” said Kwaku Osei, Executive Director, The LOVE Building. “CONTAINER is about building a movement that honors the tremendous talent here as well as Detroit’s role on the global cultural stage.”

Through this initiative, WDET, The LOVE Building and partners across Detroit aim to not only highlight the richness of Detroit’s creative community but also actively catalyze careers, collaborations, and new cultural infrastructure.

“For 76 years as Detroit’s public radio, WDET has worked to tell untold stories, amplify voices and partner with outstanding community organizations,” said Mary Zatina, General Manager, WDET. “CONTAINER achieves all these goals while delivering outstanding information to the community.

For more information, upcoming dates and ways to get involved, visit: The LOVE Building.

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About Gilbert Family Foundation

Gilbert Family Foundation is a private nonprofit foundation founded by Jennifer and Dan Gilbert to accelerate a cure for neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and build economic opportunity in the city of Detroit. The Gilbert Family Foundation supports groundbreaking, cutting-edge research in hopes of eradicating NF1, a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerves anywhere in the body. Additionally, the Foundation supports the economic stability and mobility of residents in Detroit by investing in wealth-building opportunities and breaking down systemic barriers.

For more information on the Gilbert Family Foundation, please visit gilbertfamilyfoundation.org.

About the LOVE Building

The LOVE Building is a community-rooted hub in Detroit created by and for social justice organizations dedicated to cultivating liberation, justice, and joy for all Detroiters. Home to a majority Black- and POC-led tenant partners, the LOVE Building is a response to exclusionary, profit-driven development models. It serves as an experiment in community-first development—prioritizing accessibility, equity, and tangible benefits for longtime residents. Through collaboration, shared resources, and a commitment to inclusive design, the LOVE Building seeks to model a more just and livable future for Detroit and beyond.

 

About WDET

WDET is Detroit’s Public Radio Station and a community service at Wayne State University. For over 60 years, WDET has provided an independent voice for Detroit through a mix of news, music and cultural programming that’s unique as the city and region we serve.