Detroit Institute of Arts Fights for Survival with a Local Tax
This coming Tuesday, August 7, voters in the Metro Detroit area will decide not just the outcome of the usual political races, but also the future of the area’s beloved art museum, the Detroit Institute of Arts.
The DIA, which has been struggling financially for years, has proposed a 10-year millage (tax) on homeowners in three counties, Wayne, Oakland and Macomb. A recent poll shows that 7 out of 10 voters in the election support the millage, but the fight over it represents an ongoing larger battle in this country about how we fund the arts.
I am nervous. Very nervous. PEOPLE OF DETROIT, I KNOW YOU MAY BE STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY, BUT THIS SMALL MILLAGE IS WORTH IT TO SAVE YOUR CITY’S INVALUABLE INSTITUTION. THESE THINGS MATTER, EVEN IF THEY ARE UNQUANTIFIABLE.
I lived near the DIA for four years, and I have lost count how many times that I have been there. Going to CCS, I cannot tell you how important The DIA was to my education for both my college career and myself as a human being. I hope that we can save the DIA because if we do not, a stronghold of Detroit will fall.
Being a born and raised Detroiter I can personally say how influential the DIA has been on not only myself but nearly every Detroiter I know. It has served as a oasis in hard times & a hall of celebration in good times. From the free Friday concerts to the 32 hour grand re-opening in late 07, the DIA has always been there to provide the community with a exemplar experience of the humanties. The Detroit Institute of Arts is a profoundly significant cultural hub for the entirety of Michigan; If it is not preserved, I will honestly be ashamed of my fellow Detroiters.
I can’t imagine a world without the DIA, it’s been a staple of my childhood, a place that’s helped me grow personally and academically, my brother proposed to his fiancee here (She said yes by the way). So please do your part and vote to keep this museum open! Its gotta a lot of meaning for a lot of people.
I voted in favor of the DIA….anyone who wouldn’t is and uncultured ignorant piece of smegma.
