Art & Culture
The soul of any community is revealed by its commitment to the arts. Over the last decade, the SDBA has expanded the scope of its community development efforts to encompass the flourishing arts and culture community in SW Detroit.
COMPÁS
The Center of Music & Performing Arts Southwest (COMPÁS) started in 2007 as a collaboration among performing artists in the community and the SDBA. Located in the Springwells Village neighborhood, COMPÁS offers year-round, youth-focused arts, recreation, and educational opportunities in its professional-quality dance studio and renovated facility at the historic Odd Fellows Building. With a focus on the rich Latino heritage of SW Detroit, COMPÁS provides lessons in various genres of dance, instrumental music, and art.
Over the last decade, the SDBA has expanded its community development efforts to include the flourishing arts and culture scene in SW Detroit. The talented COMPÁS students bring joy and culture to various community events throughout the year, including the SDBA’s Community Investment Breakfast, the Windsor Bridge Authority Community Breakfast, the Havanna in the Park Fundraiser, Detroit Cristo Rey High School’s Annual Gala, and the spirited Run of the Dead fundraiser. Join us in celebrating their passion and dedication as they enrich our community with every performance!
COMPÁS is supported in part by:
Berklee City Music Network, City of Detroit, Southwest Detroit Business Association.
Or contact COMPÁS directly at 313.389.6483 or via email compasdetroit@gmail.com.
Day of the Dead
2020 Map of Ofrendas and Activities
Day of the Dead coincides with the Catholic holidays of All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Its focus is to gather family and friends, during a significant time of the year for the Latino/Hispanic culture, to remember and pray for those who have passed away. Traditions include building private altars (Ofrendas) honoring the deceased using photos, sugar skulls, marigolds, the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting the graves of the loved ones with these as gifts. The day is a celebration of the life of those we love, and a commitment to never forget them.
The Day of the Dead festivities in Southwest Detroit will serve as a unique educational opportunity for students, visitors and residents to learn more about the Latino/Hispanic culture in the U.S.
This year’s Run of the Dead is a week-long virtual run beginning on Saturday, October 31, 2020 through Saturday, November 7, 2020.
| Check-out our Ofrenda Map | Learn about our previous Ofrendas |
The Atrium Project Space
The purpose of The Atrium Project Space is to showcase inspiring work that reflects the cultures of the Southwest Detroit Community and to support local artists. The space is located at the offices of the Southwest Detroit Business Association at 7752 West Vernor, and is in the center of the West Vernor commercial district.
The Atrium opened in the summer of 2011 with the exhibit Voices & Visions: Telling Our Story Through Transforming the “Space Frames”. The exhibit featured the artwork of community members created during workshops guided by Vito Valdez and the late Mary Laredo Herbeck. The participants’ drawings provided design concepts that were used to create tiles now being placed on the West Vernor Space Frames.