PAINT CREEK AND POLLY ANN TRAILS SELECTED AS SITES FOR DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ART’S 2021 INSIDE│OUT PROGRAM
Eight Art Reproductions will be on Display on the Trails from May through October
Orion Township, Michigan: The Paint Creek Trail and the Polly Ann Trail will host the Detroit Institute of Art’s popular Inside|Out program this year. This innovative program delivers and installs high-quality reproductions from the DIA’s collection to outdoor venues in Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties. Both recreational trails, which are located in northern Oakland County, are two of twenty-four communities and organizations selected for the program’s 2021 season.
“Inside|Out helps us engage and inspire the communities around us. We are excited to bring our world-renowned collection of art beyond the museum walls and directly into COMMUNITY,” said Salvador Salort-Pons, DIA director.
A total of eight reproductions will be placed at sites along both trails as well as along the new Clarkston Road connector in Orion Township. The two trails have recently been connected via a 3-mile long path and bridge over the Paint Creek. The Polly Ann and Paint Creek Trails are part of the bicycling route of Michigan’s Iron Belle Trail network, which extends from the far western tip of the Upper Peninsula to Belle Isle in Detroit.
The artworks will be placed within walking or biking distance of one another allowing trail users to enjoy a pleasant day out on the trails. Pieces will be located in the Village of Oxford, Orion Township, the Village of Lake Orion, and Oakland Township. An interactive map showing the exact locations of the artwork will be available on the DIA’s website for the duration of the installation.
The DIA’s Inside|Out program brings high-quality reproductions of masterpieces from the museum collection to outdoor venues throughout the region. The trails will host the artworks from May through October and plan to host joint events, such as a docent-led bicycle tour of the pieces, during the installation’s six-month long run.
“The Paint Creek Trailways Commission is honored to display this beautiful artwork amongst and within nature on the trail,” said Donni Steele, Chair of the Paint Creek Trailways Commission. “We look forward to showcasing the natural beauty of the Paint Creek Trail alongside the DIA’s chosen masterpieces. Thank you DIA for providing our communities with the opportunity to participate and collaborate together for the benefit of our residents.”
“This will be the second time the DIA art has been showcased on the Polly Ann Trail,” commented Linda Moran, manager of the Polly Ann Trail. “We are excited to be able to work with the Paint Creek Trail in such a wonderful joint venture. The DIA Inside|Out program was so well received by our trail users it is exciting to be able to bring it back again.”
About the Paint Creek Trail: The Paint Creek Trail was the first non-motorized rail-to-trail in the State of Michigan, and traverses through the communities of Rochester, Rochester Hills, Oakland Township, Orion Township, and the Village of Lake Orion. The Trail annually serves approximately 100,000 pedestrians, cyclists, equestrians, anglers, nature enthusiasts, and users of all ages and abilities. For more information about the Paint Creek Trail, visit www.paintcreektrail.org, or call (248) 651-9260.
About the Polly Ann Trail: The Polly Ann Trail is a 16.9-mile-long non-motorized trail in Oakland County and connects the communities of Orion Township, Oxford Township, the Village of Oxford, Addison Township, and the Village of Leonard. The Trail utilizes the abandoned P.O. & N. railroad corridor and traverses through some of the most beautiful and untouched landscape in northern Oakland County. For more information about the Polly Ann Trail, visit www.pollyanntrailway.org/ or call (248) 981-1242.
About the Detroit Institute of Art’s Inside|Out Program: As a part of the tri-county millage passed in 2012, the DIA offers free museum admission to any resident living in Macomb, Oakland or Wayne counties. The millage also supports free programs such as Inside|Out and “Thursdays at the Museum.”
The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), one of the premier art museums in the United States, is home to more than 60,000 works that comprise a multicultural survey of human creativity from ancient times through the 21st century. From the first Van Gogh painting to enter a U.S. museum (Self-Portrait, 1887), to Diego Rivera’s world-renowned Detroit Industry murals (1932–33), the DIA’s collection is known for its quality, range and depth. The DIA’s mission is to create opportunities for all visitors to find personal meaning in art.
Programs are made possible with support from residents of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.
Thanks for the update. We bike both trails spring, summer and fall. Excited to see the art.