ThePartnershipfortheArts&Humanities
ABriefTimelineofHistory
In April 1996, Canton Township recommends the creation of a non-profit arts organization to raise funds to build the Village Theater.
In 1998, this group forms and names themselves the Partnership for the Arts & Humanities.
The Village Theater opens in 2004.
In August 2012, the Partnership Board purchases the historic 14-acre parcel in Cherry Hill Village that was the site of Henry Ford's last village industry complex.
In March 2020, the Village Arts Factory officially opens.
Canton Township and the Partnership enter into a formal services agreement in 2022 to bring about the revival of Cherry Hill Village.
In December 2023, Canton Township purchases the Village Arts Factory complex, leasing the Arts Warehouse and Dormitory back to the Partnership.
ServicesAgreementwithCantonTownship
Canton Township and the Partnership entered into a formal services agreement in 2022 to collaborate on bringing about a revival of the historic Cherry Hill Village District. This agreement supports operations, community event programming, and staff. This unique position remains an employee of the Partnership while also being embedded in Canton Leisure Services. The results of this new agreement between Canton and the Partnership have been profound. Not only has Cherry Hill Village seen an exponential increase in local community programs and events, but the Village Arts Factory itself has become a regional nexus for arts, culture, and economic development.
Following the great successes of 2023, the Partnership is looking forward to the next generation of the services agreement, which will include exciting new developments for Cherry Hill Village and beyond!
Canton'sPurchaseoftheProperty
Another milestone in the history of the Partnership was reached on December 8, 2023 when Canton Township officially purchased the Village Arts Factory complex
Details of the purchase agreement include:
Elimination of all outstanding Partnership debt.
Canton to lease the Arts Warehouse and Dormitory back to the Partnership for seamless continued operation
Canton to renovate and restore the historic Ford Factory building as a new community center
Partnership in a position to build capital and return to the original mission of funding and supporting local community arts organizations and programs.
TheGreatFloodof2023
In the late hours of August 23, 2023, and into the early morning hours of August 24, Canton Township was hit with an unexpectedly severe summer storm that brought catastrophic rainfall and severe flooding to many areas across the community. The Village Arts Factory received devastating water damage requiring months of remediation and restoration.
Repair costs were in excess of $150,000.
Michigan Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist visited the site to offer support and encouragement.
MSA Transportation donated a semi-trailer for storage during the restoration process.
Generous donors contributed $15,000 through a member-led GoFundMe campaign.
All interior doors and 2-feet of interior drywall had to be replaced.
Most studio tenants were able to resume operations by October 2023.
Above: Images from the catastrophic storm damage and flooding at the Village Arts Factory in August 2023.
2023PartnershipMembers
Weareextremelygratefultoeachandeveryindividual,family,andbusinesswhojoinedusasamember.
AeroLift,Inc
AimeeChapman
AlphaGraphicsCanton
AmandaRichardsonRealEstateTeam
American1CreditUnion
AnnConklin
AnnLuke
AnupamSidhu
AudreyHarvet
AudreySnow
BlinkEyecare
CarolynFarmer
CarolynHook
CassiaPan
ChoiceInsuranceAgency
ChristopherTremblay
DairyQueenofCanton
Dan&GinnyDurak
DanFisher
DeniseMurray
DeniseStaffeld
DonnaClack
ElitePrimeCareofCanton
EricaColaianne
FishbeckEngineering
GreatLakesRollingVideoGames
GregoryDemopoulos
HerbertScott
IBEXInsurance
iCodeCanton
IHAMedicalGroup
JacobMatthewJewelers
JamesDemmer
JDogJunkRemovalandHaulingPlymouth
JennaPetroskey
JenniferChristensen
JenniferCorreia
JenniferEsper
JillNatalini
JoAnnHaddad
JonathanLaFever
KateBorninski
KirsteMoline
KristinaNatoli
LauraMortier
LindsayBuhagiar
LisaBittner
LisaRozum
LouiseRyan
MansLumberandHome
MariannePetersen
MarionRozum
MarkWaldbauer
MeghanHanley
MelissaFrancis
MichaelSiegrist
MonicaViola
NancyEggenberger
NationalHeritageAcademies
NationalRealityCenter
OakPointeChurchCanton
OHMAdvisors
PaulGackenbach
RachailLaine
RebeccaShuman
Rob&KatieBovitz
RonDePentu
SarahWozniak
SaurabhPatel
SchoolcraftCollege
SteveEssig
SteveJohnson
Sue&RomanOsinski
SupernovaSwimTeam
SusanHarvey
Teri&JimFry
TerryBennett
TheMannik&SmithGroup,Inc.
ThePacioccoCompanies
Thomas&BarbYack
VanEsleyRealEstate
VillageGrocery
WadeTrimEngineers
WestlandCarCare
WhyBecomeaPartnershipMember?
Members work closely with the Partnership for the Arts to develop, support, and participate in community arts programming, while also enjoying a wide variety of exclusive membership benefits including:
Invitations to quarterly Members Only events and workshops.
Special discounts and freebies at select community events throughout the year.
Recognition in monthly newsletters, social media, and web publications.
Quarterly news updates just for members.
Exclusive member discounts with Village Arts Factory studio artists & businesses.
Access to hands-on member committees and volunteer opportunities.
The ability to serve on the Partnership Board of Directors.
HowtoBecomeaPartnershipMember
Becoming a member is easy!
Visit villageartsfactory.com/get-involved to securely purchase a membership online.
Memberships start at as little as $30.
Contact us to join by phone: 734-765-7061
AdaptiveCreativeExpression(A.C.E.)
Removingbarrierstocreativeexpressionsothatartcanbeaccessibleandenjoyedbyeveryone.
The Partnership for the Arts launched the Adaptive Creative Expression (A.C.E.) program in 2023. Designed for children ages 5 to 12 with special physical, developmental, and sensory sensitivity considerations, the A.C.E. program offers monthly adaptive arts and crafts workshops at the Village Arts Factory. Likewise, the A.C.E. program works with individual studio tenants to augment existing weekly class offerings to include adaptive options.
Generous funding for the A.C.E. program in excess of $7,500 was provided by Canton Community Foundation, Giving Hope: Women's Giving Circle, and Eagles for Children. Staffing support is provided by Canton Therapeutic Recreation.
7,771
Number of people who attended a special event in 2023.
Number of special events and programs in 2023 55
Number of Small Businesses at the Village Arts Factory that are owned by women 9
Number of small businesses located at the Village Arts Factory 13
Number of community event hours hosted by Partnership in 2023
Number of art gallery exhibits in 2023
Number of individuals, families, and businesses who became a member in 2023
2023BoardofDirectorsandStaff
Tom Yack
Ann Conklin
Daniel Fisher
Herb Scott
Greg Demopoulos, B.A.
Jonathan LaFever
Michael Siegrest
Mark Waldbauer
Kevin Ryan
Chair Past Chair Treasurer Veterans Liaison Director Director Director Director
Community Program Director
Jessica Gallina
Gabbi Dolin
David Grant
Administrative Manager Event Programmer
Custodial Support
Above: Visitors enjoy a morning working at the Village Arts Factory during a Hazel Coffee Pop-Up in Cherry Hill Village
Far left: Participants enjoy a Barre Fitness Pop-Up at the Village Arts Factory
Adjacent: Local families enjoy a fun evening at the first annual Science & Art Night
YourMoneyAtWork
2023CommunityEvents
January
Community MLK Day Event
Fitness Pop-Up: Yoga
February
Fitness Pop-Up: Pilates
Creative Valentine's Date Night
Village Theater Ushers Outing
Wine Walk Charity Fundraiser
March
Women's Day Luncheon
Fitness Pop-Up: Cardio Drumming
Bracelet-Making Workshop
Member Event: Paint & Pour
April
Bracelet-Making Workshop
Art in Bloom: Spring Artisan Market
Spring Pottery Showcase
May
Fitness Pop-Up: Strength Training
Meet the Artist: J. Susan Aitken
Spring Planting & Cleanup Day
June
Liberty Fest Beer Garden
Member Event: Candle Making
Broken China Mosaic Workshop
Yoga in the Village
Bracelet-Making Workshop
July
Fitness Pop-Up: Barre
Hazel Coffee Pop-Up
Yoga in the Village Concerts & Cars
August
Hazel Coffee Pop-Up Concerts & Cars
Yoga in the Village
Family Science & Art Night
Broken China Mosaic Workshop
September
Scramble for the Arts Golf Outing Brews, Brats, and Bands
Agent Orange Awareness 5K
ARToberfest: Fall Festival
October
Fall Into Art Pop-Up Series
Kids' Halloween Stroll
November
Potters Guild Holiday Sale
December
Christmas in the Village
Grand Re-Opening Celebration
Holiday Charcuterie Workshop
2023ExhibitionsintheFineArtGallery
ArtforAllofUs
The fine art gallery at the Village Arts Factory offers visitors the opportunity to experience art in an immersive environment that serves as a bustling point of connectivity and one-of-a-kind gallery space. In 2023 the gallery hosted six unique art exhibitions, each featuring local, regional, or nationally renowned artists:
Jan/Feb: "Second Glances" featuring the award-winning art and artists from Canton's 2022 Fine Arts Exhibition
Mar/Apr: "Nature's Splendor" featuring the Three Cities Art Club
May: "Fusion of Light & Color: A Stained-Glass Inspiration" featuring local artist J. Susan Aitken
June/July: "Juneteenth" featuring the collage art of Carl Davis
August: "Celebrating the Motor City" featuring the photography of studio artist Chad Schwartzenberger
November: "Drawings" featuring local artist Chuck Schroeder
ArtistFeaturette:LidiaNatanail
Sometimes an artist can find their muse in the most unexpected of places, or in the midst of great personal upheaval. So it is with Bloomfield Hills artist Lidia Natanail, whose work was showcased at the Village Arts Factory in January 2024. Born and raised in Romania, Natanail did not have a formal art education, but says she has been captivated by art, fashion, and interior design from a young age.
Natanail left Romania to escape political instability, taking an enormous chance on creating a new life for herself here in the United States. Her signature fluid art became a great source of personal comfort and introspection, which she claims as the ultimate expression of freedom and creativity. An engineer by trade, Natanail says that her art is a perfect counterbalance to the precise, calculated nature of her career profession.
What started out as a fun creative outlet a few years ago recently turned into something much more when her abstract fluid art piece, titled "The Importance of Being Yourself", won Third Prize at the 29th Canton Fine Arts Exhibition hosted at the Village Theater in Cherry Hill Village. Natanail was then invited to exhibit more of her artwork at the Village Arts Factory as part of the "Second Glances" group art show, featuring the award-winning artists from the aforementioned Fine Arts Exhibition.
The Village Arts Factory was proud to be part of this important chapter in Natanail's artistic journey and wishes her well as her new career as an artist continues to find success and abundant opportunity! To learn more about the artist, visit her website: Inmodernart.com.
"Myartisnotintendedtocaptureanythingconcrete, butratherafleetingmoment,anemotion,arandom unspokenfeeling."--LidiaNatanail
Photo:(c)2024JeffCancelosi
Meet the Artists of the Village Arts Factory
Studio 1
Jump-A-Rama Movement & Fitness Center is the newest addition to the Jump-A-Rama family. We offer parent child classes, kid and adult fitness classes, drop in play times, summer camps, birthday parties and special events! www.jumparamalittlegym.com
Studio 2
Personal Pilates & Fitness offers students the unique experience of a boutique fitness studio. Our studio offers small group classes: Pilates Reformer/ Tower, Pilates Suspension (Bodhi), Barre, Strength Training, and Cardio-Fitness classes. We feel confident that our team can teach you how to build your core strong, become more flexible, improve balance, reduce chronic pain and become more body aware in order to apply Pilates to your everyday life. We welcome physical abilities of all levels: athlete, fitness enthusiast, beginner, senior, pregnancy, post rehab, post surgery, pre-surgery and injured.
www.personalpilatesbyliz.com
Studio 3A
D & M Art Studio offers art classes for all ages. Our owner and director, Sharon Lee Dillenbeck, is a graduate of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. As an award-winning artist, her works hang in private homes nationwide and she is a frequent exhibitor throughout Southeastern Michigan. She loves to teach students of all ages, including preschool children and senior citizens, and is very active in the local communities of Canton and Plymouth. Let her help you define your inner artist! www.dmartstudio.com
Studio 3B
Schwartzy Photos is a full fledged portrait studio and the personal gallery of owner Chad Schwartzenberger. From nature to landscapes, beautiful photographs are on display for sale and your viewing pleasure. For Chad, capturing the world around him is a passion, specifically nature and landscapes. “Perspective changes perception”, this statement is so true in photography and art in general. Chad is constantly scanning his environment for small (or large!) stories and moments that he can capture in one frame. With most photographs the window of limitless interpretation opens with every viewing. This is the magic that photography brings. Please come stop in and enjoy the world through Chad’s eyes! www.schwartzyphotos.com
Studio 4
The Cherry Hill Potters Guild is a diverse community of clay artists, sharing a love of clay. We spread knowledge, appreciation and enjoyment of handmade pottery through classes, community events
and exhibitions. We accomplish this in a collaborative, harmonious and supportive work environment; encouraging individuality while promoting the sharing of expertise.
www.cherryhillpotters.org
Studio 5
Sheila Morales is the chief baker and decorating artist with Cookies & More LLC at the Village Arts Factory. At Cookies and More LLC, she will bake and decorate beautiful, custom sugar cookies from scratch for your next special event, holiday gathering, gift, or just to satisfy your sweet tooth. It is her mission to bring to life any cookie idea, to make that special occasion memorable. Cookies and More LLC can make anything you could possibly imagine and more. She’s here for her customers, and wants each one of you to have a unique, one-of-a-kind experience. cookiesandmorellc.wixsite.com/cookiesandmorellc
Studio 6 and 7
Mod Market is an enterprise of the Living and Learning Enrichment Center, a 501(c)3 organization in Northville, Michigan.
Mod Market, which opened in September 2019, is an inclusive artist's market boasting every style and medium of art and handmade goods. You will find a unique gift for anyone on your list and something for every budget!
In addition, Mod Market provides a supportive working environment where individuals with autism or related challenges are employed in an inclusive environment in order to develop critical job skills necessary for them to generalize their experience in a variety of work places.
modmarketnorthville.org // (248) 719-7619
Studio 9 and 10
Shanell Douglas is the owner and product developer of SkinCare SocialClub, a bath and body care boutique and lab that focuses on small batch handcrafted skincare products. Her studio offers whipped body butters, body scrubs and a host of other products that encourage self care and evoke joy.
Make & Take sessions, workshops, parties, and tutorials are available for small groups or private events.
www.skincaresocialclub.com
Studio 11
Good Vision Studios We are a photography and arts studio and offer services such as studio portraiture, i.e. family sessions, weddings, portfolio building, infant, and children sessions, etc. We also offer paint and sketch classes.
www.bookgoodvision.com
Studio 12
SmokeyCitrine is a dynamic and creative duo of artists, Citrine LaCroix and Craig Blackmoore, that share a passion for gemstones, natural lifestyle, spirituality, jewelry making, and virtually all kinds of artistry. Through SmokeyCitrine limited quantities of handmade jewelry, rare gemstones, unique gifts and one of a kind artworks will be released. All made with the intention of bringing peace, protection, excitement, and love to your personal collections and spaces. We believe that life is meant to be celebrated and enjoyed to the fullest. SmokeyCitrine jewelry, artworks and gifts will make you ‘feel good and spread love’ with peak optimism.
Studio 13
Flowing Script is an ever-growing journey of incorporating Islamic, Arabic, and English calligraphy into different mediums in different ways. Painting calligraphy onto canvases, adding an Islamic twist to Western farmhouse pieces through calligraphy, burning calligraphy onto natural woods through pyrography, and incorporating Islamic/Arabesque geometric patterns to the calligraphy are what Fatima Siddiqui specializes in. She offers both ready-made and customized canvases, coasters, farmhouse signs, and functional art flowingscript@gmail.com
Studio 14 and 15
True 2 You is an art marketplace and blend bar.We are an art marketplace carrying creative pieces from art and jewelry to home accessories for sale. Our blend bar allows you to create your own custom fragrance blends for wear or use in your home. Many of our pieces provide a faith and positive focus, that in turn may inspire you to create a fragrance blend to compliment your True 2You find!
www.true2you.shop
Studio 16
Reigning Motion Dance Company (RMDC) strives to build a foundation of technique and stage presence to allow a dancer to Reign on stage. Our mission is to provide professional dance instruction and instill an appreciation for the art of dance in a safe, highquality studio environment. RMDC is home to dancers of all ages!
www.reigningmotion.com