This episode shines a spotlight on the Michigan Institute for Contemporary Arts (MICA), exploring its vital role as a catalyst for community transformation through quality arts programming. Daedalian discusses with event coordinator Melissa Marciniak the importance of art in reducing stress and fostering connections within the community. They delve into various events organized by MICA, including festivals and jam circles, emphasizing how these initiatives enhance social engagement and creativity. Melissa shares her personal journey with MICA, reflecting on the joys and challenges of her role in coordinating events and exhibitions.

Website: Michigan Institute for Contemporary Arts

We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer. World are to be found within us. If we change ourselves, the tendencies in. The world will also change.

This paraphrased quote from Mahatma Gandhi is the basis of the program you are about to hear. I'm Daedalian. And this is Shining Stars, a program dedicated to searching out and bringing attention to individuals and organizations that are fostering positive change within our community and within our world.

Hey, this is Daedalian.

Today we're going to dive deeper into what Micah does with event coordinator. Is that correct?

It is correct.

Melissa Marciniak.

Yes. Hello. Thank you so much for allowing this today.

Yep. Happy to have you in the studio to talk a little bit about it.

Okay, so I just said it, and I know what it means, but it's a lot of three syllable words to say. A catalyst for community transformation through quality art programming. So let's put it in some basic terms. What exactly does that mean?

Absolutely. We really thrive on bringing the community together. Right.

And one way to do that is through arts, whether it's visual arts, music, anything, food as well. You know, that's something else that just brings everybody together, gives you something to relate to.

It enhances the way that you think about things, gives you different perspectives because you're meeting new people, you're learning about their perspectives on this one thing that everybody is looking at, but you're getting all these different ideas from it. So really, you know, transforming and changing how they look at the world and how they look at each other and how they relate with one another.

Right, right. And I'm on Micah's email list, so I ended up getting an email one day that really kind of caught my interest.

It was talking about reducing stress by looking at art. Do you have some of that information? Like, yes, because it was just interesting.

So I'm not a science girl. Right. But yes, I got the same email as well. And basically what happens is it change changes the actual blood flow to your brain. What is it called?

The anterior insula, I believe.

I think that's the name of it. Yeah. We'll have to consult the email again.

But basically, it's Just, it's responsible for creating pleasant emotions and pleasant thoughts, which in turn can, you know, just make you think more positively and reduce your stress and get rid of some of the cumbersome things that you're thinking about that life can, can bring to you every day.

I can definitely agree with that and I know the effects. In fact, I recently went to Chicago and my, my main goal was just to go to the Art Institute of Chicago and it was, it was a blast.

The culture there is just amazing. We have the best neighbors all around us.

The business own, the other businesses, their staff, the residents that are there in the townhouses and, you know, the lofts and the apartments. It's just such a great community. And we bring in so many different people from other areas. You know, with, you know, other businesses in the area.

As elderly, you know, people come from all over to see some of these places and to come to these music festivals that we bring on. And there's just something about Old Town and Micah. Some of our staff have been around since early 80s and early 90s helping to build this community.

So there's a lot of history there.

Yeah, you go down there and it's really great sometimes just to look at the architecture even, you know, there's not as many classic buildings as there used to be, but there are still some really great classic buildings in Old Town and always easy to find your way around. And kind of like you mentioned earlier, the people there are just really. Just friendly and great to be around.

They really are. We actually have a lot of jokes between a lot of us with the buildings because they are.

They have been there for forever and we really thrive on taking the foundation that's already there and deciding and making those decisions on how we can just build on the foundation that's already there and keep the historicness of the buildings.

Now, are you a Lansing resident? Have you been here pretty much your life or how long you been here in Lansing?

Yeah, I've been here my whole life. I graduated from Holt, but ever since then, once I branched out, I moved into Lansing and haven't left.

Gotcha. And how long have you been with the Michigan Institute for Contemporary Art?

Since January of this year, actually. So this is my first year of putting on the.

Coordinating the festivals and doing these art exhibits inside the gallery and renting out the gallery for events. So I also coordinate those events too.

Okay. Okay.

So, yeah, some really great stuff.

So you've only been with Micah for a short time.

Really?

What's been the most enjoyable part about being a part of this organization for you?

I've been a festival goer for a really long time.

So now being behind the scenes and the people that I've gotten to meet in my own little community that I've gotten to build now that I've been here has just been amazing. It's. I'm having the time of my life and I'm getting so many similarities and so many things that are showing me that I'm right where I need to be.

That's awesome. It's great to be. Feel connected to what you are doing. For sure.

Yes.

So Micah probably best known for putting on a lot of different events in the area. Festivals, what exactly? You know, I think Jazz Fest is the first one that comes to my mind.

But beyond that, what else is Micah putting on as far as festivals and events goes?

Yeah, we rent out our gallery space for different events, so it could be personal events. A lot of businesses have used our gallery for their parties and mixers and networking events, workshops. We work with other businesses as well.

Just like Urban Beat to do the Burning Desires, which is poetry as well. We also have a jam circle in our gallery which is free to the community. It's from three to five every fourth Sunday of each month.

And we just have a jam circle. You come with your voice or with your instrument, or if you're just a music enthusiast, you can come and listen.

But we go around the circle and we just jam together on different songs. You can. It's a great way to meet.

This happens on a monthly basis.

It does.

Okay.

Yeah.

Okay. What about Arts Night Out? Do you. Are you involved with that?

We were involved with that this year. We just had our last one. Arts Council puts that on. Lansing Arts Council puts that on.

And it's a great way to see all of the different galleries and businesses and get artists in each of these locations showcasing their stuff. This year we. Or this month we had Beth Charles in our gallery and we had her reception that day.

We had great foot traffic, great community coming out and just viewing the art and getting to know one another. And it was a great time.

Okay, so do you switch out artists like on a monthly basis in the gallery? Is it. How long do they stay? How long?

Typically? Yes. Typically it's month to month. There are some times that we might work with A certain artist and their show is a little bit longer.

Especially during festival season when we're a little bit busy kind of changing the festivals around, we might work with that artist to have a two month show instead. And plus that's better for that artist to have more foot traffic during those festivals as well.

That makes sense. As far as like getting the artist in there. Is it generally Micah approaches an artist or is it the other way around?

It's a little bit of both.

Okay.

We have a lot of people that come in the gallery one on one and we have a QR code right in the gallery. They can also go to the website and they submit their artwork in their bio.

And then we have a review team and they review everything and we reach out to them that way.

And then also if we see somebody, if we're out at another art gallery, we might approach an artist and give them that information for the submission as well.

And this art's usually on sale too, correct?

Yes.

So you can actually help support the arts just by purchasing painting yourself.

Exactly.

In fact, I think I got another Micah email that said 83% of folks want to either own or already have a little bit of artwork in their collection. They give you kind of a step by step to go through, you know, how you could build your art collection.

And one of the things they recommended was starting off local because obviously most of the time you're going to find something probably within your price range to start off with.

Exactly.

Yeah. Yeah. So you have been with Micah since February. This has given you the opportunity to work on a couple of festivals. Have you found it overwhelming?

Is it pretty easy flowing? What do you think?

Yes and yes.

Okay.

There are times of both. Right. It is all worth it in the end.

But everything that means something is going to have some stressful moments because that means you're passionate about it, you care about it.

And ultimately I really care about the music that we're bringing into the community and the events and, and I just, I'm so passionate about it that it just really, it really makes a difference for me personally too. So even those stressful moments, I, you know, you just work through it and it's all worth it in the end.

When you're standing there in the festival while everything's going on and you're just, you just stand there and you take a look around at everybody and you take your deep breath and you're like, yep, this is what this is for.

So you've had a chance to work on Jazz Fest and Blues Fest. And do you like, actually coordinate the monthly jams too then?

That's actually Julie Ross. So I attend them just as a vocalist and just to meet people and to kind of make sure that everything is going okay.

I'll be there at the gallery just in case anybody needs anything. But she hosts that. She brings snacks and waters for everybody. But I help her promote and get the word out there.

Very good. And you know, it's cool that you've got the artists in there, of course, and it's cool that you do the different things that you do.

But occasionally I've seen Micah where there's nothing happening in there. But that's also because you guys, as you've brushed over a couple times, rent out the space as well.

So who would you typically rent it to and what would be the advantage to renting there at Micah?

So a lot of nonprofits like to rent from us because, you know, we're also a nonprofit organization. We're actually working with Eve coming up soon for one of their events. I actually booked the gallery myself for my daughter's open house.

So it could be a personal thing, a birthday party, some kind of party like that. We're working with Choose Lansing for one of their events as well. So a lot of different types of places.

Bigger companies, smaller organizations as well, and individuals depending on what they need.

And if they, you know, if their party can fit into our space, then we can accommodate a lot of different types, whether it's a mixer or a sit down dinner type of thing. And an advantage is decoration. You really don't have to do a whole lot because we've got art on the walls already.

There's a piano in the gallery, as if they want to have some entertainment and things like that too.

So even when the art's up, it doesn't matter. You guys will still rent that space out.

Oh, absolutely.

And it sounds like based on what you're talking about, if it's, you know, you're having an open house for a student in there, that it's affordable as well.

Yes.

Cool. So very often, you know, when Terry.

Terry comes in or you come in and we start talking about Jazz Fest and Blues Fest, we're always trying to make sure we get a call out to volunteers. But I've never quite understood, is it beyond just the festivals that you need volunteers?

It is.

Okay.

Even with the festivals, this is a year long thing. We're already planning for next year. So even with the festivals, it's a year long thing.

We need volunteers behind the scenes that are helping us get things together. We also have docents that work in the gallery, which means they come in for a certain set of hours on certain days.

And they're just there for customers who come in who might want to buy art or who are just checking out Old Town and, you know, being a part of the community. So they also come in and help to keep the gallery open and sell art. And we also work with other organizations like Prus Pets has a thing going on.

And we'll get volunteers for other businesses in the area to help with certain events as well.

Prusepets always a great place to visit and I think also a stress reducer in some ways.

Oh, my gosh, so much.

You know, let's. Let's take art out of the equation and throw animals and puppies and kitties and all the other stuff they've got there.

Just always, always fun to visit. Yes. Well, we hit on a lot of stuff. Is there anything you were thinking of that I didn't get a chance to talk to you about?

I mean, we want to get the website out there, of course, so definitely.

It'S michaarts.org m I c h a r t s.org you can learn a lot of history about Old Town, a lot of history about Micah. You can see the current exhibitions that are going on at the gallery.

We also have an exhibition over at Capitol View Apartments, which is right around the corner from Old Town. So you can see that exhibit as well. You can see all the past exhibits.

You can submit your submission for art if you are an artist or if you're a musician. You can also submit all of your bios and things like that for the festivals. There's a lot to find on the website and donations as well.

Very good.

Melissa Marciniak, the event coordinator for the Michigan Institute for Contemporary Art, thanks so much for coming in and talking with me here on Shining Stars.

Absolutely. Thank you too.

And of course, thanks to Micah for doing everything they do here in our community. Always appreciate art. Before we go, I do have one final question for you, and it is a question that I ask of all my Shining Star guests.

If you had the chance to snap your fingers and put one thought into the collective consciousness of the entire human race at one time, what would that thought be?

Lead with kindness and understanding.

Okay.

It's going to help you connect with people and learn to meet them where they're at, because we're all at different stages and phases of our lives.

That is true.

And there's a lot that we can relate to. So if you're always leading with kindness and understanding, we can get through a lot of issues with one another.

Outstanding. Great answer, Melissa. Snap your fingers. Make that happen.

Absolutely.

Remember, we can all contribute something good. To this world, no matter how big or how small. Thanks so much for listening to Shining Stars and of course, sharing your time with me today. I'm De Daedalian and you can listen to this episode of Shining Stars on Demand along with other LCC Connect programs@lcc connect.org.mple smile or a friendly gesture is all it takes to expand positivity one inch further.