DIA Replicas to Transform New Baltimore into Makeshift Gallery

In upcoming weeks, art lovers in New Baltimore can see prominent pieces by renowned artists without even leaving town.

Thanks to its selection by the Detroit Institute of Arts as a destination for the Inside|Out program, the city will receive five to seven framed digital reproductions to display for 12 weeks. In an effort to include the community, the public is welcome to suggest where the undetermined pieces should go by contacting Judy Sproat of the Planning and Economic Development Department.

The cultural initiative comes at an ideal time for the city when summer events, such as the June Fishfly Festival, attract visitors and residents to the downtown. It also highlights the artistic relavence of the DIA, about 30 miles away in Detroit.

"We forget what a gem that is," Sproat said of the spacious museum on Woodward that features more than 100 galleries.

Under the Inside|Out program, communities from across the region, including those in Macomb, Oakland, Wayne counties, are chosen for life-size replicas. Last summer, the DIA and SMArt Editions commemorated the museum's 125th anniversary with the program that treats metro Detroit as an open-air gallery. Metro Beach in Harrison Township and Macomb Center for the Performing Arts in Clinton Township were among the places previously selected, according to the museum website.

If you'd like to suggest where the DIA replicas are placed around town, e-mail Judy Sproat at jsproat@cityofnewbaltimore.org.