How Artists Can Develop the Skill of Improvisation
The ability to improvise is an important skill for artists. Like all skills, it has to be developed through practice. Here's how.
The D Brief
Meet the Creatives Shaping Detroit
Meet the Creatives Shaping Detroit
Dozens of Detroit performers battled for the title of Detroit’s Big Shot in our seven-week talent competition at Planet Ant.
Join us for our free Networking Night
Come meet and mingle with the creatives shaping Detroit: Actors, authors, brewers, chefs, comedians, curators, dancers, DJs, mixologists, musicians, storytellers, visual artists, and more. It's free!Get the Details
Interviews
What Unconventional Maps Can Teach Us About Detroit History
What can you learn about Detroit's history by looking at it through unconventional maps? Cartographer and author Alex Hill explains.
How Artists Can Turn Their Hobbies Into Sustainable Businesses
Detroit artists want to turn their passions into full-time businesses. Laura Khalil explains how artists can make this dream a reality.
How to Get Your Act Booked at Live Events
Jaime Wilkins of the annual Arts, Beats & Eats festival offers advice to artists looking to get booked at events like hers.
How a Detroiter Turned Her Depression into a Selfie Museum
The pandemic has caused many artists to battle with depression. Here's how one woman used that energy to create a selfie museum in Ferndale.
How New Technologies Are Expanding What Artists Can Do with Murals
Award-winning visual artist Wendy Popko talks about how virtual reality has opened up new possibilities for her outdoor murals.
How A Detroit Non-Profit Is Making Photography More Accessible
How do you remove the barriers to teaching people a new art form? Javier Garcia explains how Darkroom Detroit is doing that with photography.
How a Festival Organizer Puts Together the Lineup
Local artists always want to know how they can land a coveted slot performing at a festival. Kristin Lyn of the Hamtramck Music Fest offers advice.
How a Wine Expert Is Making the Drink Accessible to a Diverse Audience
Some art forms are accessible to newbies. Others aren't. Check Jackson Jr. Explains how he's bringing new people into the world of wine.
How A Photographer Is Sharing Detroiters’ Stories
Detroit photographer Scott Millington tells the stories of other people. He explains how he gets his subjects to open up.
How New Media Changed the Narrative About White Boy Rick
Investigative reporter Scott Burnstein explains how the real story of Detroit's White Boy Rick came to light despite the media's initial portrayal.
How Two Black Women Blazed a Trail for Other Detroit Artists
Curator Malika Pryor tells the stories of two black women who were trailblazers in the Detroit arts community: Josephine Love and Dell Pryor.
How To Conduct a Killer Interview
What's the key to conducting a fantastic interview? Celebrity interviewer Greg Russell shares his secrets.
How A Detroit Liquor Brand Launched During The Pandemic
During the pandemic, Detroiter Lauren Facca launched Harpy Liquor with the release of a limoncello based on her family's long-held recipe.
How A Detroit Professor Makes Music From Unlikely Instruments
Professor Joo Won Park of Wayne State University finds music in the most unlikely places. He talks about his creative process.
7 Things You Didn’t Know About WDIV Local 4 Anchorman Mort Crim
Legendary Channel 4 Anchorman Mort Crim shares some of his life secrets with Seth and Becky of The D Brief.
How A Performing Arts Teacher Launched a Detroit Drinking Game
The COVID-19 pandemic gave many Detroiters enough down time to pursue creative endeavors. Teacher DaShuane Hawkins created a drinking game.
How The Detroit Historical Society Is Documenting The Pandemic In Real Time
The COVID-19 pandemic is historic. How do we preserve stories for future historians? Rebecca Salminen Witt of the Detroit Historical Society explains.
How a Teacher is Fostering the Next Generation of Detroit Comics
How do you train the next generation of Detroit artists? Tim Finkel teaches stand-up comedy to high school students. He shares his tips.
How a Detroit Event Producer Survived the Pandemic
What was it like to be a Detroit event producer during the pandemic? We asked one of the best: Jon Witz, the producer of Arts, Beats & Eats.