Carrie Morris Arts Production

CARRIE MORRIS ARTS PRODUCTION (D/B/A DETROIT PUPPET COMPANY) ("DPC") PROVIDES A FORUM FOR CONTEMPORARY PUPPETRY, MULTIMEDIA PERFORMANCE, AND ARTISTIC EXPLORATION, SUPPORTING NEW WORKS AND HIGH-CALIBER ACCESSIBILITY ACROSS ECONOMIC DIVIDES.

ACTIVATING SPACE - DPC'S PUPPET HOUSE, A RENOVATED DETROIT BUNGALOW, PROVIDES SPACE FOR INTIMATE PERFORMANCES AND HAS BECOME A POINT OF NEIGHBORHOOD PRIDE. THE AMPHITHEATER AND COMMUNITY COMMONS IS TRANSFORMING 12 VACANT LOTS ADJACENT TO PUPPET HOUSE INTO A PUBLIC GREENSPACE, PLAYSCAPE, AND OUTDOOR PERFORMANCE AREA. RESIDENTS FROM DIVERSE CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS - FROM CITY OF DETROIT STAFF TO LOCAL INTERFAITH INITIATIVES - HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OUTDOOR SPACE. DPC'S SPACES ARE ALSO USED FOR COMMUNITY MEETINGS, NEIGHBORHOOD GATHERINGS, AND RESIDENT-CURATED FILM SCREENINGS. IN THE 2021-22 FISCAL YEAR, DPC HIRED 15 CONTRACTORS TO IMPLEMENT PHASE 2 OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF A COMMUNITY DEVELOPED MASTER PLAN FOR THE OUTDOOR SPACE.

PRESENTING CONTEMPORARY PUPPETRY AND PERFORMANCE - EVERY YEAR, DPC PRESENTS 15 TO 30 HIGH-CALIBER THEATRICAL WORKS BY LOCAL AND NATIONAL PERFORMING ARTISTS, STAGED IN AN INTIMATE INDOOR VENUE OR IN A COMMUNITY GREENSPACE AS PART OF A BIANNUAL OUTDOOR SUMMER SERIES. IN THE 2021-22 FISCAL YEAR, DPC PRESENTED 19 THEATRICAL WORKS, WHICH WERE ATTENDED BY 3,559 AUDIENCE MEMBERS OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR INFORMATION ABOUT NEW DETROIT COMMISSIONS, AN ADDITIONAL PORTION OF THIS PROGRAM.NEW DETROIT COMMISSIONS - COMMISSIONING NEW WORKS AT HOME ENRICHES DETROIT'S ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT. DPC PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS WHO ARE TYPICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE ARTS COMMUNITY, SUPPORTING COMMISSIONS OF LOCAL PERFORMING ARTISTS OF COLOR AND ARTISTS WHO MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO OTHER MODES OF FUNDING, LIKE GRANTS OR COMPANY REVENUE. DPC ALSO PRODUCES THE ANNUAL DETROIT PUPPET SLAM HIGHLIGHTING MICHIGAN ARTISTS, WHICH INCLUDES A COMMISSIONING PROGRAM AND PROFESSIONAL MENTORSHIP.

COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS - DPC SUPPORTS THE TALENTS, INTERESTS, AND SKILL SETS OF DETROIT RESIDENTS, ACTIVELY INVOLVING LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS AND NEIGHBORS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PERFORMANCES, AS WELL AS THE CURATION OF FREE PUBLIC EVENTS. SOME OF THESE COLLABORATIONS INCLUDE A SHADOW PUPPET PLAY WITH A LOCAL PARTNER, THE BANGLA SCHOOL OF MUSIC, A RESIDENT-LED AUDIO INTERVIEW SERIES WITH MEMBERS OF THE EAST DAVIDSON VILLAGE BLOCK CLUB, A STORY PERFORMANCE WITH DETROIT FIREFIGHTERS, AND A PARADE WITH ORGANIZATIONS IN SOUTHWEST DETROIT FOR THE DAY OF THE DEAD. IN THE 2021-22 FISCAL YEAR, DPC COLLABORATED WITH 130 COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN MULTIPLE STIPEND-BASED WEEKLY AND MONTHLY OUTREACH MEETINGS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.