The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), in partnership with the Consulate of Mexico in Detroit, the Southwest Detroit Business Association, and the Mexicantown Community Development Corporation (MCDC), announced this week a call for submissions for the 12th annual Ofrendas: Celebrating el Día de Muertos exhibition. This annual event is an opportunity for artists and community members to celebrate the lives of close relatives, friends or community members who have passed away. In accordance with the rich traditions of Día de Muertos.
Community members are invited to design and propose ofrenda altars or offerings that reflect the memory and spirit of those being commemorated. The proposals should express clear intent, embody artistic and creative merit, and resonate with the traditional values associated with Día de Muertos.
“Each year, the Ofrendas exhibition provides a unique platform for personal expression and cultural connectivity,” said Julie McFarland, Executive Director of Public Affairs & Community Engagement. “This
is not just an exhibition; it’s a gathering of stories, memories, and artistic expression that honors the
past while enriching our present.”
Artists and community members can enter their proposals via the submission form by May 24, 2024. This application includes additional information and a list of required materials, both available in English and Spanish. Proposals will be reviewed by a committee consisting of exhibition partners, community leaders, and DIA staff, Selected Ofrenda artists will be notified by early July.
Important Dates:
- May 24, 2024: Submission deadline.
- July 2024: Ofrenda selections are made and artists are notified
- September 10 – 13, 2024: Installation of ofrendas at the DIA.
- September 28, 2024: Opening of the exhibition.
- November 3, 2024: Closing of the exhibition with an artist talk and reception.
Each selected artist or group will be provided a stipend of $500 to support their participation.
The exhibition will be on view from September 28 to November 3, 2024, in the Special Exhibitions
Galleries located off of Rivera Court.
For more information and to learn more about Ofrendas and how to participate, please visit
https://dia.org/events/exhibitions/ofrendas-celebrating-el-dia-de-muertos-2024.
General admission is always free for members and residents of Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties.
The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), which is considered one of the premier art museums in the United States, houses more than 65,000 works of art that offer a multicultural survey of human creativity from ancient times to the 21st century. With a collection that features everything from the first Van Gogh painting to ever enter a U.S. Museum (Self-Portrait, 1887) to Diego Rivera’s famous Detroit Industry murals (1932–33), the DIA is renowned for its quality, range, and depth.
