Regenerating a Community with Art - The Heidelberg Project

A few years ago I became aware of the Heidelberg Project, a derelict area of Detroit that was rejuvenated through daring renovations of empty houses. Now in it’s 30^th year, the project has grown expansively into an organisation that seeks to improve the local community through creativity and arts education. Heidelberg Street is located in the East side of Detroit, a neighbourhood that had deteriorated over the years into a place rife with crime and urban decay. The rundown area was dangerous and undesirable until an imaginative resident sought to inspire change. In 1986 Tyree Guyton, with the help of his Grandfather and local children, began to liven up derelict houses and deserted cars with brightly coloured paints and installations of locally collected debris. Driven by the positive effects it had on his community, he continued on his mission, injecting colour into the streets with a succession of public art installations.

The houses were rejuvenated with an uninhibited approach, resulting a raw yet vibrant haven within destitute surroundings. The playful, polka dot creations put the community under the spotlight, with plenty of positive international coverage. However, the project was not always well received, and sadly some of the works were demolished or set alight in protest. Despite such unfortunate setbacks the Heidelberg Project is still going strong, and is set to fully rejuvenate the area into an ‘Artistic Cultural Village’, an open air art gallery where local children and residents can participate in art workshops. Today the area attracts many visitors who want to experience this disorderly domain, a welcome contrast from the gentrified cities of the current times. Regenerating a Community with Art - The Heidelberg Project By Helen Ring, Studio Manager Images from heidelberg.org