Detroit Economic Growth Association: REVOLVE Livernois

Final touches on the Michael Owen and Walter Bailey mural of popular Detroit musicians.

The Revolution Begins
At the start of August, artists and retailers began getting their spaces ready for their September 20th grand debut during the Detroit Design Festival. While only having a little over a month to get everything complete, everyone was working around-the-clock. Community volunteer days allowed the community to invest and contribute in the revitalization of the historic “Avenue of Fashion”. For example, True Value, a name-brand hardware store that recently joined the revival, also donated paint to support Revolve’s efforts on Livernois. This collaborative effort has demonstrated the importance of community-based partnerships in building business and elevating the role of art in the community.

Ladies of "Just Speak" (a spoken word and jazz series coming to Livernois) meeting in the Livernois Community Storefront

Murals on the Ave
Local residents began peeking into the windows of the Livernois spaces once artists began painting inside the future home of the bakeshop, café, ceramic studio, and more. Baltimore artist, Michael Owen in collaboration with Detroit artist, Walter Bailey began painting the side of local business, Jo’s Gallery, with a large-scale illustration of Marvin Gaye and other popular Detroit musicians to honor the musical legacy of the neighborhood.

Light Up Livernois Vaughn Taormina working on his mural rendition of the Detroit skyline

“Light Up Livernois” is the official Detroit Design Festival happening on Friday, September 20^th. It acts as a celebration of the next chapter of Detroit’s historic Avenue of Fashion with an evening of design, art, shopping, and entertainment.

Three recent press releases highlighting the project:

REVOLVE Livernois

Detroit Economic Growth Association (DEGA) REVOLVE Program