Skip to main content
Clear icon
5º

Detroit Artists Market faces setback after pipe burst floods historic space during exhibition opening

Reopening timeline remains uncertain

DETROIT – When it rains—it well, you know how the saying goes. And for the Detroit Artists Market, it couldn’t have happened on a worse day.

“The day of our opening for the exhibition, Dope Women in Media, curated by Laura Gibson,” said Miah Davis, the market’s executive director.

The team had been working hard to prepare for the event when, on Friday (Jan. 23), a pipe burst, sending fresh water from the ceilings of the 93-year-old building, flooding both the first and second floors.

“The tile is starting to come up off the floors,” Davis said. “I’m thankful to say that the majority of the art in our space, in our store, and in our exhibition was unharmed.”

The exhibition, featuring prints, videos, and artwork of all sizes, had been in the works for a year. The team salvaged and returned most of the pieces to the artists thanks to quick action.

“We immediately alerted all of the artists in the show, and they were able to retrieve their pieces while it was actively flooding,” Davis said.

But while the art was saved, the damage to the space itself is extensive.

In addition to cleaning up and restoring the historic market, Davis and her team face another challenge—finding a new location for their next three exhibitions, which are already planned.

Despite the setback, their commitment to Detroit’s artist community remains firm.

“We really want to make sure we’re serving our artists,” Davis said. “Our mission’s just gonna keep going on.”

The reopening timeline remains uncertain for now. But one thing is clear: The Detroit Artists Market isn’t giving up.

They are asking for $35,000 in community contributions to cover immediate needs, including temporary facility rentals, offsite exhibition planning and installation, and business losses.

They also need exhibition and office furniture and supplies, installation tools, or technology to help recover more quickly and reduce costs.

And if anyone knows of a space — a building or property in Detroit that could serve as a temporary home for DAM’s 2025 exhibitions and programs — they would love to connect with you!

Click here to donate.