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Iconic Black art institution in Detroit struggles to stay afloat

The Carr Center is one of the leading multi-disciplinary Black arts presenters in the country

DETROIT – The Carr Center in Detroit stands as a beacon, uniquely dedicated to amplifying the Black art experience.

However, CEO Oliver Ragsdale Jr. said the decades-old institution has come on hard times.

“We’re struggling,” Ragsdale said. “We’re coming out of the same kinds of challenges that many other organizations and businesses felt coming out of the pandemic. Fundraising is down. People coming to live performances isn’t what it used to be.”

The Carr Center is one of the leading multi-disciplinary Black arts presenters in the country.

“As a visual artist, it was the place for me to meet, and collaborate, and work in tandem with those who do those things,” Sabrina Nelson said.

“It’s a place where artists can come together to have performances as well as conversations,” poet Melba Joyce Boyd said.

According to the center, the initial need is to raise up to $700,000 to address the debt and complete the construction of The Carr Center Performance Studio.

Click here to learn more, as your support in making a difference can help the Carr Center.


About the Author
Jacqueline Francis headshot

Jacqueline Francis is an award-winning journalist who joined the WDIV team in September 2022. Prior to Local 4, she reported for the NBC affiliate in West Michigan. When she’s not on the job, Jacqueline enjoys taking advantage of all the wonders Michigan has to offer, from ski trips up north to beach days with her dog, Ace.

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