Encore September 2024

From the Editor

During the 50 years that Encore has been published, many things have come and gone in our community. New enterprises have started up and then become as ingrained in our community as the Kalamazoo River itself.

Take, for instance, the Gilmore Piano Festival, which began in 1991 and just had its 16th festival this spring. Or the annual New Year's Fest, which has been the official family-friendly way of ringing in the new year in downtown Kalamazoo since 1985. Both were once new and exciting, and now they are regular, treasured events that make Kalamazoo unique.

At the same time we've seen many community stalwarts — such as The Upjohn Co., the Kalamazoo Gazette and Nazareth College — morph and change or even close, leaving our community a little bit the lesser.

This issue features both comers and goers. Our cover story is about Sounds of the Zoo, a relatively new annual music festival that highlights Michigan musicians in venues across the area. Since 2022, its founder, Jennifer Hudson-Prenkert, has poured her heart and soul into this week-long event, which has grown each year, and through her efforts she is poised to become one of the arts icons of our community.

Also in this issue, we talk with a local arts icon who is making way for the future. Cori Terry, founder of Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers, is stepping back to let someone from a new generation of artistic talent take the reins. That this organization, which has brought modern dance to Kalamazoo for 43 years, will continue on under new leadership is a testament to the legacy Terry will leave.

Back to the new: Our Back Story profiles Eric Stewart, who is overseeing the creation, construction and implementation of the Career Connect Center, which will provide technical and career education for high school students across the county. It's a big job that promises to have a positive impact on our county's residents for many, many years to come.

Finally, we look at some things that are no longer around — in this case, buildings. Local historian Lynn Houghton shares five of her favorite Kalamazoo structures that have been lost as our community's landscape has changed, one wrecking ball at a time.

I'd like to think that our readers appreciate Encore's celebration of new, existing and past enterprises, people and organizations that make our community what it is. While anticipating the future is fun and exciting, celebrating those who laid the foundations that make progress possible is important as well. We hope you enjoy doing both as you read this month's issue of Encore

Left to right: Morgan Rogalke-Scime, Charles S. Ofstein, Tyler J. Stewart, Olivia A. Kurajian, William B. Millard

encore publications, inc

Editor marie lee

Art Director alexis stubelt

Photographer brian k powers

Contributing Writers zinta aistars, lynn houghton, katie houston, marie lee, jarret whitenack

Copy Editor/Poetry Editor margaret deritter

Advertising Sales janis clark krieg lee

Distribution ron kilian robert zedeck

Office Coordinator kelly burcroff

Proofreader hope smith

Encore Magazine is published 12 times yearly. Copyright 2024, Encore Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Editorial, circulation and advertising correspondence should be sent to:

www.encorekalamazoo.com 117 W. Cedar St. Suite A, Kalamazoo, MI 49007

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The staff at Encore welcomes written comments from readers, and articles and poems for submission with no obligation to print or return them. To learn more about us or to comment, visit encorekalamazoo.com. Encore subscription rates: one year $36, two years $70. Current single issue and newsstand $4, $10 by mail. Back issues $6, $12 by mail. Advertising rates on request. Closing date for space is 28 days prior to publication date. Final date for print–ready copy is 21 days prior to publication date. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by those interviewed and published here do not reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Encore Magazine or the official policies, owners or employees of Encore Publications

Katie Houston Zinta Aistars Marie Lee

Zinta spoke with Sounds of the Zoo founder Jennifer Hudson-Prenkertforthis month's cover story and was impressed by Jennifer's passion and tenacity. "Tell her that something is impossible and she will take that as a challenge to prove you wrong," says Zinta. "For the third year, Jennifer has organized a week-long festival that covers all of downtown Kalamazoo. Her love of music is her driving force and a passion she wishes to share with her community, free of cost. One can only admire and marvel at her energy." Zinta is the creative director of Z Word LLC, a writing and editing service, and the host of the weekly radio show Art Beat, on WMUK 102.1 FM. Working on this story about Sounds of the Zoo, she says, left her humming and doing a little tap dance.

Katie has been a fan of Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers since seeing the company perform in Bronson Park in 1993. Katie wrote this issue's profile of Terry, the company's founder, who is stepping down as the company's artistic director this month, after 43 years, but will continue to teach and choreograph. "The longevity of a modern dance company in a town the size of Kalamazoo is nothing short of remarkable," Katie says, "and it's all due to Cori's artistic vision and tenacity. Her story — from before and since her arrival in Kalamazoo in 1980 — is a fascinating one." Katie is a Kalamazoobased freelance writer and marketing professional.

Encore first wrote about the need for more technical education options for highschoolers in Kalamazoo County back in 2015 (encorekalamazoo.com/tech-ed-comeback), so talking to Eric Stewart, who is overseeing the creation of the Career Connect Center nearly a decade later, was especially gratifying, says Marie, Encore's editor. "Eric's job is enormous, and he's very quick to tell you he is fortunate to have a dedicated and talented team that is making this a reality," Marie says. "From developing curriculum to planning spaces to working with more than a dozen community advisory committees and nine school districts in the county to overseeing the construction, making this happen is very involved. But the end result will be marvelous, be a boon for the economy, and change a lot of young people's lives."

Explore. Shop. Enjoy

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New and used books. 5 levels of books. Antique and rare section. Check out our 'blind dates' and watch for our events on our website. Please use the entrance from the back parking lot. We are bigger on the inside. 2413 Parkview Ave. 269.553.6506 • kazoobooks.com Genesis Fitness & Wellness

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First Things

Something Neighborly Celebration honors all things Canadian

A festival that celebrates the nation to our north will be held Sept. 21 at the Arcadia Creek Festival Place.

From noon to midnight, Canadiana Fest will feature Canadian-focused food, music, art and more. Live music performances will include several Canadian artists: Crystal Shawanda Blues, a Juno and Maple Blues award-winning artist; Sky Consort and Emma Björling, a folk band; and the Andrew Rathbun Ensemble, playing jazz. They will be joined by three local bands and the Southern Straight Singers, who will present Indigenous sacred drum music.

Food options will include iconic Canadian selections such as poutine and butter tarts, while activities will include curling, lacrosse and hockey, genealogy and art.

Tickets are $5–$15, with children under age 12 admitted free. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit canadianafest.fun.

Something Earthy

Wine & Harvest Festival is back

An action-packed weekend is in store when Paw Paw hosts its annual Wine and Harvest Festival Sept. 6–8.

The festival celebrates the community’s strong agricultural roots, with activities including tours of wineries, vineyards and breweries; grape stomping; a pickleball tournament; a hole-inone contest; and a parade.

For more information or to see a complete schedule, visit wineandharvestfestival.com.

Something Enduring Cowboy Junkies to play State

The Canadian band Cowboy Junkies will bring alternative folk music to the State Theatre Sept. 25.

The band was formed in 1986 by Alan Alton and siblings Michael, Peter and Margo Timmins and has recorded 20 albums, including 1988’s The Trinity Sessions, their breakthrough album that reached platinum sales status. The band has performed on The Tonight Show under three different hosts — Johnny Carson, Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon — and has recorded and performed steadily for nearly four decades with the same band lineup.

The show begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $40–$75. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit kazoostate.com.

Something Informative Lecture series on Honorable Harvest

The Indigenous practice of the Honorable Harvest will be the focus of a free lecture series put on by Kalamazoo Valley Community College and the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, beginning this month.

Ten lectures make up the series, which explores the principle that humans should give back to the land that sustains them. The series will be presented in Room 223 of KVCC’s Marilyn J. Schlack Culinary and Allied Health Building at 418 E. Walnut St., and will conclude in November.

This month’s lectures and topics are:

• Cultivating Community Resiliency Through Natural Building, Organic Farming and Education, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Sept. 17, featuring Lariss ToulloupasPekarovicova and Ondrej Pekarovic discussing how they built their solar-powered farm and straw bale house.

• Rooted In Love … For Rooted Luv Farm, 6:30–7:30 p.m. Sept. 24, featuring urban farmer Chaz Rawls talking about growing food by partnering with nature instead of extracting from it and how working in a garden can be seen as work on oneself.

For more information and a full schedule, visit valleyhub.kvcc.edu.

Something Classic

Hot rods and muscle cars roll in

Car lovers will be in heaven on Earth Sept. 20–22 when the National Street Rod Association's Nationals North descends on the Kalamazoo County Expo Center.

Hot rods, muscle cars and classic cars that are at least 30 years old will be displayed at the event, which will also include a swap meet, vendor booths, live entertainment and kids’ activities.

The event runs from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Sept. 20–21 and 8 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Sept. 22. Admission is $6–$20 per person. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit nsra.usa.com.

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Five Faves Buildings lost to time and the wrecking ball

BY LYNN HOUGHTON

The category "buildings that no longer exist in Kalamazoo" is one that does not seem to run out of possible entries. There are so many possibilities that a book, Kalamazoo Lost and Found, coauthored by Pamela O'Connor and me, was written about many of them. Even though these structures are no longer here, they live on in photographs, and in some cases pieces and parts of the buildings are still around. Whether they were built for public or commercial purposes, large or small, of classical or modern design, they all played a role in this community at some time and continue to be remembered by those who worked in them, just passed by them or got to witness their demolition. Here are five more of my favorite lost buildings:

Hanselman Building

Northwest corner of West Michigan Avenue and North Burdick Street

The Hanselman Building, completed in 1913, was named for its owner, George Hanselman, and was the tallest building in Kalamazoo for 60 years. It was designed by the Detroit architectural firm of Spiers, Rohs and Gehrke, which also designed Kalamazoo's former Masonic Temple on North Rose Street. The Hanselman Building contained two floors of retail establishments and eight floors of offices housing lawyers, doctors, dentists and other professionals. The building was made of steel-reinforced concrete, and its construction took eight months to complete, with reports that the concrete floors were so strong the Michigan Central Railroad could travel across them. Even though it was almost fully occupied in the early '70s, the building was purchased by the city of Kalamazoo to make way for the new Kalamazoo Center (now the Radisson Plaza Hotel). On Dec. 30, 1973, many residents witnessed the implosion of the Hanselman Building.

Federal Building

Southwest corner of South Burdick and West South streets

This impressive Richardsonian Romanesque structure completed in 1892 housed both the U.S. Post Office and the Federal District Court. The building, which opened on Feb. 14 that year with very little fanfare, provided adequate spaces for the employees and patrons. Only one known photograph of the interior exists, but descriptions of it make it sound grand, especially its lobby, decorated with Vermont marble and Italian granite. The rounded tower on one corner was called the building’s “crowning glory.” The building was added on to twice, but demand for more space led to the construction on West Michigan Avenue of a new federal building, which opened in 1939 and the former federal building came down in 1940. The current building on the site, now offering housing and commercial space, originally had been a J.C. Penney store, built in 1955.

Michigan State Armory

South side of East Water Street between North Edwards and North Burdick streets

Our community'sfirst National Guard, the Kalamazoo Light Guard, was formed in 1856, a few years before the Civil War. The guard was housed in several different locations in downtown Kalamazoo until this structure opened in 1913. Designed by local architect Charles Fairchild, the armory looked like a fortress, with its towers, crenellations and arched entrance typical of many armories in the United States. Along with space for the National Guard, the building became a site for concerts, performances, exhibitions and conventions. The National Guard moved to a new armory in Oshtemo Township in 1975, and this building came down three years later to make way for a parking lot. It is now the location of the Catalyst Center.

Central Fire Station

Northeast corner of South Burdick and East Lovell streets

When completed in 1907, the Central Fire Station had space for 14 men and nine horses. In addition to designing this structure, local architect Forrest VanVolkenburg also had a hand in designing three other neighborhood fire stations that still remain in the Vine, Eastside and Stuart neighborhoods. An example of GeorgianColonial architecture, the Central Fire Station boasted columns, arched windows with keystones, and a pronounced railing at the roof with dentil molding below it. Replaced by motorized trucks, the horses were retired in 1916. The building continued to operate as a fire station until 1958, when operations moved to a new structure on West Cedar Street. The old station came down in 1959 for a new Jacobson’s Department Store, which opened the next year.

Upjohn Corporate Headquarters

7000 Portage Road, Portage

For many years in Kalamazoo County, the name “Taj Mahal” referred to more than the World Heritage site in India. It was also the nickname of the Upjohn Co.'s headquarters building that was completed in 1961. Designed by the Chicago architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, the low-profile building held a variety of clerical and executive offices, support services and even mail-delivery robots. For many people, it was also known as Building 88. The Upjohn Co. merged with Pharmacia in 1995 to form Pharmacia & Upjohn, and the company's headquarters moved to London. When Pfizer in 2002 took over what was by then called Pharmacia, Building 88's fate was sealed, and it came down by the end of 2007. While some of the building's marble can be found in use at Western Michigan University, the former headquarters site is currently a parking lot.

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May I rely only on a general assignment to fund my trust?

A: No. A general assignment on its own does not transfer ownership of a wide variety of assets into your trust. It may be used to transfer some nancial assets (excluding tax-deferred retirement accounts) and personal property into the trust but is seen as half the step towards fully funding your trust. Di erent types of assets require di erent processes with regard to trust funding. To avoid probate, real property should generally be retitled into the trust’s name through a warranty deed. e best course of action with nancial accounts is for those assets to be designated as either Payable on Death (POD) or Transfer on Death (TOD) to one’s trust.

If you have questions regarding the funding of your trust, it would be wise to talk with an estate planning attorney in more detail.

Please send your questions to Michael J. Willis, J.D., C.P.A.

About the Author

Lynn Houghton is the regional history curator at the Western Michigan University Archives and Regional History Collections, located in the Zhang Legacy Collection Center, where she works with researchers and students of all ages. She is the co-author of Kalamazoo Lost and Found, a book on Kalamazoo history and architecture, and has written a number of Five Faves features for Encore She also participated in the PBS series 10 That Changed America, about the history of architecture and urban planning, and has led a series of walking tours in Kalamazoo and other parts of Kalamazoo County. She has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in history from WMU and a master’s in library and information science from Wayne State University.

Taking a Bow After 43 years, Cori Terry hands over the reins of Wellspring

BY KATIE HOUSTON

Cori Terry, the founder of Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers, wants to make it clear: She is not retiring. She is, however, stepping down as artistic director of her namesake company on Sept. 1.

“I will still be teaching and choreographing, but I was ready to hand over leadership,” Terry says. Associate Artistic Director Marisa Bianan, a company member since 2018, will lead the company’s creative direction going forward (see story, page 14).

After 43 years with Wellspring, 92 works choreographed, 50 company members and many awards, the 71-year-old Terry is well deserving of recognition, given how much the dancer, choreographer, teacher and artist has contributed to the arts in Southwest Michigan.

“She never missed a year creating at least one or two new works, and her perseverance is incredible,” says longtime Wellspring board member Judah Gesmundo, who recently stepped down after 27 years on the board and who has known Terry for nearly 50 years, the two having studied dance together in New York.

“It’s rare to have a modern dance company in a city of any size, much less in a mid-sized town like Kalamazoo," Gesmundo continues.

"I’ve always been moved by her choreographic genius, her ability to express through the human body her uncompromising aesthetic vision, and how she gathered around her a company of dancers that could beautifully articulate the vision.

“Having a creative voice like hers has been critical to the diversity of the creative landscape of our community. We have great theater and music, and we need modern dance in that mix.”

Meant for modern dance

Terry's interest in dance started early, but it wasn't typical. “I don’t actually fit the mold of

Brian K. Powers

a little girl watching a ballet and deciding that’s what I wanted to be when I grew up,” Terry says. Instead, she started dance lessons at age 3 with former Martha Graham dancer Marjorie Mazia.

As Terry was raised in Brooklyn, her family routinely attended theater, music and dance performances, and she remembers seeing dance legend Merce Cunningham’s company with her mother as a teen.

“Neither one of us liked it, and we left,” she says, laughing while describing loud, grating music and performers doing headstands or aimlessly wandering the stage.

At 17, Terry headed to the State University of New York at Stonybrook. There was no dance department, but she took dance classes through the physical education department with Katherine Iverson, who had performed with dance pioneer Bella Lewitzky.

Two freshman-year field trips to Manhattan shaped Terry’s thinking about women on stage. The first, Broadway’s A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, sparked a strong feminist revulsion. “There were half-dressed women parading around like strippers in bikinis. Not one had a speaking part. They were just highly sexualized bodies, and I really hated it,” she recalls.

Seeing a performance by the dance company of Erick Hawkins (former husband to modern dance pioneer Martha Graham) was a different experience, to say the least, and one that seeded Terry's future.

“This was the other end of the spectrum — all these intent dancers, serious and smart and focused and regal," she says. "I had never seen anything like it before. There was a lot of stillness, which was new for me. What was I supposed to look at? But I liked it.”

After her freshman year, Terry spent the first of five summers at a dance intensive at American University, in Washington, D.C., where she saw Hawkins’ dancers “wearing leotards with no tights, swinging their limbs, doing all these flowing movements. They looked like grazing animals, and that was it. For the next 10 years of my life, I was a devotee.”

From NYC to WMU

Terry quit college after two years, moving to New York and working as a clerk in the fashion district to pay for rent and dance classes.

She joined the Erick Hawkins Company in 1974, a tenure that saw her performing at Carnegie Hall, in Europe and throughout the U.S. In 1980, she was invited to serve as an artist-in-residence with Western Michigan University’s dance department.

“I moved to the Vine neighborhood directly from the East Village and loved it from the minute I got here. Kalamazoo is big enough and small enough, and it’s such an artsy place. It seemed like all I met were artists.”

It was at the end of that residency that she launched Wellspring/ Cori Terry & Dancers. Over the four decades that she’s headed the Wellspring dance company, it has evolved from her original vision. “When I started, I was focused on my own voice and career and choreography, my own teaching. After about 20 years, I shifted focus to the dancers and the audience. I wasn’t doing it for me anymore. I wanted the dancers to have something to dance about, and I wanted to give the audience — who has supported us with money, attendance and love — a good show, an evening out, a sense of community and connection.”

The company’s longest-serving member, Alexis Smith, has performed in 67 of Terry’s works. She now serves as the company’s rehearsal director, instructor and occasional choreographer.

“Cori has been a friend and a mentor to me,” says Smith. “She has taught me about process and patience and self-trust. She has also exemplified incredible perseverance in her unwavering desire to create, to find that grit and that clarity of purpose. That’s why we are still here after four decades. She has built something that’s sustainable, that will continue.”

Opposite page: Cori Terry in the Wellspring Theater where the dance company she formed 43 years ago performs. This page, from left: Terry, in the center, dances with Erick Hawkins Dance Company in 1980 at the American Dance Festival; Terry in 1981, shortly after she moved to Kalamazoo from New York.

Marisa Bianan's 'dream job' as new artistic director

Marisa Bianen has had a passion for choreography since she was young. “I would scribble choreography in the pew at church,” she says, smiling.

Bianan, who became a member of Wellsping/Cori Terry & Dancers in 2018, will have the opportunity to do more than scribble her ideas as the new artistic director of the company.

“It is an incredible chance to share my artistic vision with the Southwest Michigan community,” she says. “My pledge is to create with innovation, inspiration and unwavering integrity, just as Cori has done for so long.”

Being asked to take over the artistic leadership of Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers, she says, was “a moment I had been dreaming of.” Originally from Kenosha, Wisconsin, Bianan earned a bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University in 2018, and her choreography has been seen throughout the Midwest, including at the Wellspring-produced Midwest RADFest (Regional Alternative Dance Fest).

She became the associate artistic director of Wellspring in 2021 and takes on the artistic director role Sept.1, although she's been training for it under Cori Terry for three years.

“Training under Cori has been an invaluable experience,” says Bianan. “She has opened my eyes to movement concepts that have been instrumental to developing my own artistry and technique. Seeing and feeling the care and intention Cori pours into her dancers is inspiring to me as I step into my new role.”

DINING DESTINATIONS

When thoughts of stepping away started creeping in for Terry, she consulted with Smith, who recommended that she consider company member Marisa Bianan, saying “You’ve been waiting for Marisa your whole adult life.” Terry agreed.

“When Marisa Bianan came to an audition six years ago," Terry says, "my immediate response was, ‘That’s her!’ She’s such an impressive person in every way, very powerful as a dancer, choreographer and person. She’s one of those people who doesn’t have a big ego and is really into the work itself.”

A few years into Bianan’s tenure as a dancer with the company, she asked Terry for a support letter in order to apply to another company. It was then that Terry realized she had to 'fess up.

“I said, ‘Oh, no! I was thinking you might take over Wellspring someday!’ It just came out of me, and that started our dialogue and a three-year transition process,” says Terry.

Kate Yancho, Wellspring executive director since 2016, says the company will continue its robust dance-education program, its concerts in November and May, and its hosting of the annual Midwest RADFest (Regional Alternative Dance Fest) in March. Grant funding has supported the digitizing of Terry’s catalog of choreography and the organization of a database of the company’s costume archive.

Terry’s contributions to dance and to the community have garnered her the Community Medal of Arts Award from the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, the YWCA’s Woman of Achievement Award, and the Great Lakes Community Arts Award from the Michigan Association of Community Arts Agencies.

With many laurels to rest upon, Terry is rightfully proud of her dance company’s longevity.

“I’m proudest of the fact we have survived this long," she says. "There aren’t many who could say they’ve had a company this long. Somehow through the years I’ve managed to change and evolve enough with the times and the company while holding onto the essence of what Wellspring is."

Sounds of the Zoo

Festival founder aims to make Kalamazoo a music destination

BY ZINTA AISTARS

P

erhaps it was destiny that Jennifer Hudson-Prenkert would become the founder of the week-long music festival and symposium Sounds of the Zoo, a unique mix of local, regional and national music acts.

After all, she grew up in a family of artists and musicians and, as a college student studying dance, spent every second she could at local clubs listening to local music.

But destiny or not, there is no arguing that she is driven. And it's that drive that helped her create this fledgling festival, which returns for its third year, from Sept. 23–29, in venues across Kalamazoo.

“I was born in Manistee, grew up in Ludington, spent time in Detroit, but then came to Kalamazoo to major in dance at Western Michigan University,” the 51-year-old Hudson-Prenkert says. “My dad and my grandfather were musicians. My grandmother was an artist in various mediums, and I grew up around theater. I started dancing at age 7, and I joined my high school choir and got into musical theater. I didn’t have the chops for vocals, so at WMU I auditioned for dance.”

She was accepted, but laughs when she says she isn’t sure how she managed to graduate. “I was pretty much out every night, to places like Club Soda, Harvey’s, anywhere to hear the local musicians play. Kalamazoo has always been this stomping ground for music.”

Hudson-Prenkert did manage to graduate, and then spent 12 years dancing with Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers, a modern dance troupe in Kalamazoo. But an artist cannot rely on a career in the arts alone, she says, so she returned to school to learn massage. She also took jobs as a server at restaurants such as The Black Swan and The Park Club, and she became a hair stylist and designed wigs. She also returned to theater at the Civic Auditorium and Farmers Alley.

“I created a very fluid artistic life for myself in Kalamazoo,” she says. “I was always looking for things to do, but I especially loved music, every kind, every genre of music, and Kalamazoo captures all those vibes.”

From idea to implementation

It was her work as a hair stylist at Milan Salon in downtown Kalamazoo that helped Hudson-Prenkert launch the biggest arts venture she has undertaken yet.

After the Covid pandemic, when people put distance between each other in more ways than one, the wheels in HudsonPrenkert’s head began to turn. What if there were one big concert in Kalamazoo to bring people together again? Maybe a string of concerts?

As she styled their hair, Hudson-Prenkert mused aloud to her clients. “And people suggested Bronson Park,” she recalls. Hmmm, maybe, she thought. But what if she went bigger than that? She began to take a close look at other music festivals and studied their inner workings.

“I felt, 'It’s time for me to be a leader,'” she says, “to be a Michigan ambassador. Music has always been a big part of Kalamazoo, but I wanted to make it bigger, make Kalamazoo a revolving door for musicians to come here and connect the east and west (sides of the state). Our location alone warrants this.”

She began by organizing a series of four concerts at the former Arcadia Brewing Co. in Kalamazoo. “I brought in bands, and I saw what I can do with a good venue,” she says.

So she went bigger. “Music kept buzzing in my head,” she says.

The buzz took shape as Sounds of the Zoo LLC. In 2022, Hudson-Prenkert launched this free music festival and symposium that would last a week, featuring more than 30 bands and a number of music workshops in venues all across Kalamazoo.

“There was something every day,” she says. “I hit the gas so hard that people thought I was nuts. Not just one concert, but I went right to standing in the middle of traffic.”

Collaboration rather than competition

Hudson-Prenkert says one of her building blocks for the festival was that it would be free to all who wished to attend.

“I had four pillars for the festival,” she says, “diversity, inclusion, mental health, sustainability. Creating change through music, that has been my goal. And I have wanted to do that through collaboration over competition — that’s my motto in life. That’s why I wanted it to be free.”

In year two, 2023, more than four dozen bands participated in Sounds of the Zoo. This year promises to be even bigger.

“In 2024 we will have 55 bands participating,” Hudson-Prenkert says, glowing. Her excitement is palpable, her energy unstoppable. “I’m working harder than ever, with my whole body.”

“When Jen first shared this vision for Sounds of the Zoo, it seemed so broad, but she somehow got it all together,” says Cara Lieurance, announcer and producer at WMUK 102.1 FM. Lieurance interviewed Hudson-Prenkert on her radio show, Let’s Hear It, the first two years of the festival. “That first year was a surprise. Donors then

saw she could do it. We were all amazed at how well it was working," Lieurance says.

A musician herself, Lieurance will be participating in this year’s festival with Selkie, a Celtic music group in which she plays the wooden flute, Irish penny whistle and button accordion alongside Jim Spalink and Michele Venegas, who add flute, fiddle, bouzouki, banjo and guitar to the group's harmonies.

“If Jen didn’t do this — and it’s all like a miracle to me — Kalamazoo would be the lesser for it,” Lieurance says. “Kalamazoo had a great reputation for indie groups back in the '90s. We’ve lost that. Venues have closed. Musicians get extremely low wages. But she’s bringing all of that back to life and bringing change. There is real value in live music.”

“When I’m asked why I don’t sell tickets, well, it’s year three and I’m still here,” HudsonPrenkert says. “I’m grateful to my sponsors and donors. My two fiscal sponsorships are from the Gilmore Foundation and the Vine Neighborhood Association. I pay my bands. I don’t pay myself. I invest in this.”

Community impact

Sounds of the Zoo offers four levels of sponsorship, but donations are accepted at any level. Support also comes from the

City of Kalamazoo and Discover Kalamazoo, the organization that markets Kalamazoo County to visitors.

“Sounds of the Zoo was the inspired brainchild of Jennifer Hudson-Prenkert,” says Jane Ghosh, executive director and CEO of Discover Kalamazoo. “We simply offered a bit of financial support and then started promoting it as a great reason to make a trip to Kalamazoo. In many communities around the country, destination management organizations need to create their own festivals and events or implore local partners to step up. Discover Kalamazoo is so fortunate to have community members like Jennifer who create trip-worthy events for us to promote.”

Although exact numbers for festival attendance are not available, Ghosh says, “I can say that the week of the festival in 2023 was one of the busiest weeks of the year in downtown Kalamazoo, with almost 180,000 visits over the week, including the festival. That compares to an average week downtown of about 130,000 visits. That is the second busiest week for downtown in 2023.

"Sounds of the Zoo was not the only driver of activity that week. There was also a home

football game at WMU, a play at Farmers Alley and several other events. Among all those events, Sounds of the Zoo gives people another reason to come to Kalamazoo and to visit downtown specifically. And that drives foot traffic to local restaurants, bars and shops and in turn sustains those establishments for residents to enjoy every day.”

For musicians, the benefits of participating in Sounds of the Zoo are plentiful.

Josiah DeNooyer, a jazz musician and music director at Seasons of Change Ministries, has taken part for the past two years. “Jennifer has a special heart for this community and a very strong drive to create opportunities for talented musicians, regardless of their genre, age or experience,” DeNooyer says. “We resonate deeply on this, especially because she understands the importance of giving a platform to younger performers who might not be at a point in their musical journey where they receive a lot of exposure."

DeNooyer is one of those artists whose genre might not get a lot of exposure. He will perform with his organ quartet, Josiah DeNooyer + the Extensions, on Sept. 26 at the Crawlspace Comedy Theatre.

Brian

K. Powers

At left: A Sounds of the Zoo banner hangs on the stage in Bronson Park, one of the sites for the annual music festival, which was created by Jennifer Hudson-Prenkert (right).

“Our music highlights the soulful history of organ quartets in the jazz tradition and extends it into the present day by incorporating different aspects of improvisation unique to each member of the group,” he explains. “It’ll be a high-energy, exciting time of musical exploration and creativity.”

In addition to providing exposure for musicians, the festival perks create community among them, DeNooyer says.

“As a musician, I appreciate the way that Sounds of the Zoo builds community for myself and fellow musicians. We’re all busy with different gigs and opportunities here and across the state, so to have an opportunity where we can all congregate, support each other, and hear what we’ve all been developing is truly an invaluable experience,” he says.

Workshops too

Music performances are not the festival's only offerings. Sounds of the Zoo also features music-oriented workshops presented by respected professionals. Ian Gorman, who is the owner and head engineer of the recording studio La Luna Recording & Sound, in Kalamazoo, and has been recording for more than 30 years, oversees the curation of those workshops.

“This year I'm hosting a ‘Preparing to Record’ workshop, which we've done in previous years as well,” Gorman says. “I’m bringing together a group of Michigan engineers and producers to discuss plans and approaches to help you get the most

Sounds of the Zoo Schedule

Monday

A Musicians in the Round Experience with Kanin Wren, Sammie Hershock, Darcy Wilkin, 6 p.m.; Dylan Tolbert, Jessica Ivey, Hannah Rose Graves, 8:30 p.m.; The Clover Room at Jerico, 1501 Fulford St.

Tuesday

Kalamazoo Academy of Rock alumni, 6 p.m.; Mexi Cuba, 7:30 p.m.; Abe Savas & The New Standards of Beauty, 9 p.m.; Bell’s Eccentric Cafe, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave.

Wednesday

Lindsey King, 6 p.m.; The Schrock Bros., 7:30 p.m.; Da ‘Veonce and DaFunk Gang, 9 p.m.; Old Dog Tavern, 402 E. Kalamazoo Ave

Thursday

• A Jazz Experience with Keith Hall, 6 p.m.; Josiah DeNooyer + the Extensions, 7:30 p.m.; Earth Radio, 9 p.m.; Crawlspace Comedy Theatre, KNAC Building, 315 W. Michigan Ave.

• A Hip-Hop Experience with LIPSEY, 6 p.m., Wavy Awakening, 6:45 p.m.; Kandace DC Lavender w/ DJ Boogie, 7:45 p.m.; Ed Genesis, 8:30 p.m.; Midwest Marauders (Dezert Eez, Gemini Fly, Lohem, The Blenderz and DJ Mel-V), 9:15 p.m.; Green Door Distilling Co., 429 E. North St.

Friday

Great Lakes Brass, 5 p.m.; Santino Jones, 6:30 p.m.; Act Casual, 8 p.m.; Kait Rose & The Thorns, 9:30 p.m.; DJ Tribewalker, performing between sets; Bronson Park, downtown Kalamazoo

out of your recording experience. We cover all experience levels, from people recording at home to those going into world-class studios. In the spirit of Sounds of the Zoo, I love the opportunity to gather engineers from different studios and perspectives to share their experiences and expertise.”

Gorman values the musical talents Sounds of the Zoo brings to the greater Kalamazoo

Saturday

• Kalamazoo Academy of Rock, noon; Samuel Nalangira, 1:30 p.m.;

Saxsquatch & Bridge Band, 3 p.m.; Fake Baseball, 4:30 p.m.; Laura Rain, 6 p.m.; Verzell, 7:30 p.m.; Nathan Walton & The Remedy, 9 p.m.; DJ

Tribewalker, performing between sets; Bronson Park

• Selkie Show with Irish Dancers, 1 p.m.; Open Irish Session, 3 p.m.; Crawlspace Comedy Theatre

• Aerial M, noon; Kyle Brown, 1 p.m.; Silian, 2 p.m.; Daniel Staggs & The Critters, 3 p.m.; Hand of Giants, 4 p.m.; outside State Theatre, 404 S. Burdick St.

• Crescendo Academy, noon; Airplane Weather, 1 p.m.; Beaver Xing, 2 p.m.; Steve Pesch, 3 p.m.; Gemini Moon, 4 p.m.; outside Burnham & Flower, 315 S. Kalamazoo Mall

• To be announced, noon–5 p.m., outside Rocket Fizz, 125 S. Kalamazoo Mall

Sunday

Dede Alder Trio, noon; Wilson Thicket, 1:30 p.m.; Lunar Octet, 3 p.m.; Alise King, 4:30 p.m.; Zion Lion, 6 p.m.; Bronson Park

For more info and workshop schedule, visit soundsofthezoo.com.

community. “The spirit of the event is to work together within the musical community of West Michigan, bringing together different artists, venues and behind-the-scenes craftspeople to celebrate and support each other,” he says. “Many of my favorite musicians in the world live and perform in Michigan right now, working together and creating music straight from the heart, across

a vast number of genres, skills and perspectives. I love the spotlight that Sounds of the Zoo shines on that. Plus, the fact that it's all free to attend is incredible.”

Spreading the news

The festival and symposium's reputation is spreading beyond Southwest Michigan. John Sinkevics, editor and publisher of Local Spins, a Grand Rapids-based online publication covering Michigan’s music scene since 2012, is one of those who has taken notice. He is also president of the nonprofit Michigan Music Alliance, which supports Michigan musicians through business education programming, and he hosts the Local Spins radio broadcast on WYCE in Grand Rapids.

“There’s really nothing like it," Sinkevics says, "and Jennifer has been a whirlwind in building this collaborative venture from the ground up. Local Spins has the same mission, to uplift Michigan’s music scene, so it’s been a pleasure partnering with her to spotlight all these talented artists.”

Along with music, much of which will be presented in Bronson Park, the festival features food trucks and other vendors surrounding the park, but "no beer.”

“I will leave that to downtown businesses. I won’t compete with them," Hudson-Prenkert says. "But when you walk into Bronson Park, it will be as if you are surrounded by little villages — there will

be products for sale, representatives from Gryphon Place, the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Homebuilders Association, and others.”

Bronson Park headliner performances will include Kalamazoo band Kait Rose & The Thorns on Friday, Sept. 27; Grand Rapids band Nathan Walton and the Remedy and Detroit musician Verzell on Saturday, Sept. 28; and Kalamazoo band Zion Lion on Sunday, Sept. 29. There will also be performances at Bell’s Brewery, La Luna Recording, The Clover Room, Old Dog Tavern, Green Door Distillery, and Crawlspace Comedy Theatre.

“What I want to accomplish is to make Kalamazoo a music destination city,” Hudson-Prenkert says. “To do that, something needs to be going on all the time — that’s my goal. I am in this for the long haul, building relationships, throwing seeds everywhere so that things can grow. I’m especially big on serving underdogs and misfits, and Kalamazoo is a beautiful blend. I have a gold mine here.”

She admits, however, she enjoys more than just the festival's music. It is the organizing, the bringing together of people, that intrigues her most.

“Seventy percent of a show is production,” she says. “That is what interests me the most. I love to be on set. I love the process. I wanted to have a voice and I wanted to be a creator.”

The festival has performances in several locations around Kalamazoo including Bronson Park (top left and bottom) and The Clover Room (top right).

TheArts

WMU School of Music

Concerts

All month

Various venues

After a summer hiatus, Western Michigan University's School of Music will get back into the swing of things by presenting several performances this month. Unless noted, the performances will be in the university's Dalton Center Recital Hall and are free. Scheduled this month are:

• Bobbi Thompson and Ariel Kasler, saxophone and guitar, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 6, with pre-concert talk at 7 p.m., $5–$15.

• Justin Cook, trombone, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 11.

• Stiletto Brass Quintet, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 13, with preconcert talk at 7 p.m., $5–$15.

• Pamela York and Matthew Fries, piano duo, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27, $5–$15.

• Western Jazz Collective, Dark Journey CD release concert, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 28.

• CMIX Launch Concerts — Launch for the school's Center for Contemporary Music, Improvisation, and Experimentation (CMIX): Concert I, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 29; Concert II, 2 p.m. Sept. 30; Concert III, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30, Dalton Center Multimedia Room, $5–$15.

To purchase tickets or for more information, visit wmich. edu/music/events.

Outdoor Concerts

All month

Various venues

A handful of free outdoor concerts will wrap up the Summertime Live series. The scheduled performances are:

• Rockslide, 5 p.m. Sept. 4, Gilmore Car Museum, 6865 Hickory Road, Hickory Corners.

• Lisa Chilton & JustJaye, 5:30 p.m. Sept. 4, Bates Alley, between Edwards and Portage Streets, downtown Kalamazoo.

• Out of Favor Boys, 6 p.m. Sept. 6, outside the State Theatre, 404 S. Burdick St.

• An Evening of Celtic Music, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 8, Kindleberger Park, 122 N. Riverview Drive, Parchment.

• Michigan Freedom Rockers, 5 p.m. Sept. 11, Gilmore Car Museum.

• Latina Fiesta with La Familia, 5:30 p.m. Sept. 11, Bates Alley.

• The Tripping Billies: Dave Matthews Tribute, 7 p.m. Sept. 12, Overlander Bandshell, 7810 Shaver Road, Portage.

• Chris Karl, 5 p.m. Sept. 18, Gilmore Car Museum.

• FlyLite Gemini, 5:30 p.m. Sept. 18, Bates Alley.

• Kyle Jennings, 5 p.m. Sept. 25, Gilmore Car Museum.

• Zion Lion & Mel V, 5:30 p.m. Sept. 25, Bates Alley.

For more information, visit kalamazooarts.org/summertime-live.

SymphonicDances

Sept. 28

Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra

Norwegian trumpeter Tine Thing Helseth will join the KSO for a rhythm- and dancefocused concert at 7:30 p.m. at Miller Auditorium.

Helselth has received numerous awards for her work in classical music, including being named the first classical artist to win Newcomer of the Year at the Spellemann Awards, often called the Norwegian Grammy Awards. She will perform a program featuring selections from Leonard Bernstein's Broadway musical On the Town as well as works by Aleksandr Arutiunian and Sergei Rachmaninoff.

Tickets are $5–$68 and available online at kalamazoosymphony.com.

KleinstuckTrailWalk and MigratoryMusic

Sept. 7 & 14

Connecting Chords Music Festival

Two evenings of music played in natural environments are offered this month by the Connecting Chords Music Festival.

On Sept. 7, percussionist Mike Weis, cellist Elizabeth Start and other musicians will give an improvised performance at 6 p.m. in Kalamazoo's Kleinstuck Preserve. Attendees of the Kleinstuck Trail Walkperformance should bring a portable chair and meet at the YMCA tennis courts at 1001 W. Maple St. to walk to the concert site. There are no tickets for the event, but a $10 suggested cash donation per person will be accepted on-site.

On Sept. 14, the MigratoryMusicperformance will allow attendees to see several local music ensembles perform along the trails of the Kalamazoo Nature Center from 2–4 p.m. The performers and genres include Selkie, Celtic music; Birdseed Salesmen, Roma jazz; Norse Code, Scandinavian folk music; and Bahar Ensemble, traditional Middle Eastern music. The event is free, but donations will be accepted on-site.

For more information, visit connectingchordsfestival.com.

TakacsQuartet

Sept. 29

Dalton Center Recital Hall

The Takács Quartet, named by Scherzo magazine as "one of the greatest chamber string ensembles we have on the world stage," will perform at 3 p.m.

In its 50th season, Takács is the first string quartet to be inducted into Gramophone's Hall of Fame. In addition to their performance in Kalamazoo, their tour this year will take them to South Korea, Japan and Australia.

The local concert is presented by Fontana Chamber Arts. Tickets are $15–$30 and available at fontanamusic.org or by calling 250-6984.

IlliaOvcharenko

Sept. 15

Wellspring Theater

Ukrainian pianist Illia Ovcharenko, winner of the 2022 Honens International Piano and New York International Piano competitions, will perform at 4 p.m. as part of The Gilmore's Rising Stars Series.

The 21-year-old will perform a program that includes a rarely heard work by Robert Schumann. Tickets are $10–$28, and livestream access will be available at a name-your-own-price admission fee. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit thegilmore.org.

TheArts

ArtHop

Sept. 6

Downtown Kalamazoo

The theme “Resilience: Vehicle and Voice” will be the focus of this month's Art Hop.

This free event, organized by the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, runs from 5–8 p.m. and features a variety of artists’ works as well as live music and the chance to visit downtown businesses.

The Arts Council has an app that provides a guide and map of Art Hop sites, information about participating artists, and walking directions. For more information or to access the app, visit kalamazooarts.org.

LegendaryVoices and Powerful Forces

Opening this month

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

Two new exhibitions will open at the KIA this month.

StrokesofFreedom

Sept. 18

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

VISUAL ARTS

While serving a 46-year prison term for a murder he did not commit, Richard Phillips discovered art as a way to pass time and deal with the injustice of his situation. Upon release, he has become an internationally acclaimed artist and will discuss his experiences at 7 p.m. Sept. 18 at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts.

A self-taught artist, Phillips started painting while in prison with a mail-order watercolor set, eventually creating more than 400 paintings. He will discuss creating beauty and finding meaning in the most difficult times.

His presentation is hosted by the Kalamazoo Art League, which will offer a reception with the artist following the lecture. Tickets are $3–$12 and available at the door. For more information, visit kalamazooartleague.org.

In homage to its centennial year, the KIA is offering a retrospective exhibit called Legendary Voices: Art for the Next Century, opening Sept. 7 and running through Feb. 16. The show will feature new works as well as works from the KIA's permanent collection that will be grouped by periods, artists and genres.

The themes of power and legend in East Asian arts and culture will be highlighted in Powerful Forces: Legends, Rituals, and Warriors in East Asian Art, opening Sept. 14. The exhibition, which runs through Jan. 19, will feature works in a variety of media that explore the symbolism of divine and cultural figures in East Asia.

For more information, visit kiarts.org.

RockingHorses:The SongbooksofCraig Matis

Sept. 6–27

Kalamazoo Book Arts Center

An immersive experience viewing imagery on walls and floor while listening to recorded material will be presented in this exhibit created by Cleveland artist and musician Craig Matis.

Matis founded the alternative rock band Uzizi, and this exhibit focuses on songbooks that feature visuals Matis created and incorporated into the band's live performances. A reception for the artist will be held from 5–8 p.m. Sept. 6 at the center. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, visit kalbookarts.org.

Comedy Performances

Throughout the month

Crawlspace Comedy Theatre

Comedic antics from improv to sketch comedy will be featured this month in the comedy space at the Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition building, 315 W. Michigan Ave.

Scheduled performances are

• Riddled with English, Sept. 6.

• Baby Steps, Sept. 7.

• Joyce II Men, Sept. 13.

• Crawlspace Eviction, Sept. 14.

• Blunder Bus, Sept. 20.

• Pop Scholars, Sept. 21.

• Dust Bunnies Sketch Comedy, Sept. 27 & 28.

All shows begin at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are $2–$15. For more information, visit crawlspacecomedy.com. is published in partnership and funding provided by

TheArts

Duality Sept. 21

Movement Reservoir Dance Company

This local modern dance company, created in 2021 by Lachlan Niedbala, will perform and give opportunities for others to their present pieces.

The concert will feature pieces by choreographers from Kalamazoo, Ypsilanti, Detroit, Chicago, Indiana and New York.

Duality will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 21 in the Wellspring Theater, at the Epic Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall. Tickets are $25 and $30 for in-person viewing and $15 for online viewing. They are available at movementreservoirdancecompany.com.

TheArts

ATributetoAsylumLakePreserve

Sept. 21

Kalamazoo Valley Museum

Kalamazoo's Friends of Poetry is hosting this reading of works from a book of poems celebrating the Asylum Lake Preserve.

The reading runs from 1:30–2:30 p.m. at the museum. It coincides with the museum's exhibit Kalamazoo State Hospital: 165 Years of Psychiatric Care. The hospital at one time had a farm, orchard and asylum on property surrounding Asylum Lake.

Both the event and exhibit are free.

WE TELL STORIES

HelenaMesa

JamaalMay

Sept. 21

Kalamazoo Book Arts Center

Two Michigan poets will read from their works at 7 p.m. Sept. 21 as part of the KBAC's annual Poets in Print series.

Helena Mesa is the author of two books of poetry, Where Land Is Indistinguishable from Sea and Horse Dance Underwater. She is also a co-editor of Mentor & Muse: Essays from Poets to Poets. Her poems have appeared in The Adroit Journal, Beloit Poetry Journal, Indiana Review, Pleiades, Prairie Schooner and the Academy of American Poets’ “Poem-aDay” series. She teaches at Albion College and lives in Ann Arbor.

Jamaal May, a Detroit poet, is the author of the books Hum and The Big Book of Exit Strategies. He is the recipient of numerous honors, including The Spirit of Detroit Award, The Benjamin Danks Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the American Library Association’s Notable Book Award, and two finalist nods for the NAACP Image Award. For more information, visit kalbookarts.org.

Helena Mesa Jamaal May

TheRocky HorrorShow

Sept. 6–15

Barn Theatre

The Barn Theatre in Augusta will end its 2024 season with a cult classic.

A precursor to the B sci-fi movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show, this production will feature beloved music familiar to viewers of the film.

Show times are 8 p.m. Sept. 6–8 and13–15 and 5 p.m. Sept. 7, 8, 14 and 15. Tickets for each show are $43–$51 and available at barntheatreschool.org.

POTUS

Sept. 27–Oct.13

WMU Theatre

This play's subtitle — Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive — sums up the subject of this comedy about a president who unwittingly causes a global crisis and the women who toil to keep the commander-in-chief out of trouble.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27–28, Oct. 3–5 and 10–12 and 2 p.m. Sept. 29, Oct. 6 and 13. Tickets are $12–$22 and available at wmich.edu/theatre or 387-6222.

OngoingProductions

Heartbreak Hotel , Sept. 1, Barn Theatre

Our Favorite Things , Sept. 6–14, New Vic Theatre

JerseyBoys

Sept. 19–Oct. 6

Farmers Alley Theatre

This musical tells the story of four blue-collar boys from New Jersey who rose to superstar pop music stardom as Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. Sept. 19–21, 26–28 and Oct. 3–5 and 2 p.m. Sept. 22, 29 and Oct. 6. Tickets are $25–$55, with rush pricing of $10–$20 one hour before each performance. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit farmersalleytheatre.com.

Six:TheMusical–TeenEdition

Sept. 13–29

The Civic Theatre

The six wives of Henry VIII tell their tales of historical heartbreak in this musical presented by the Kalamazoo Civic Youth Theatre.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. Sept. 13–14, 20–21, and 27–28; and 2 p.m. Sept. 15, 22 and 29. Tickets are $17–$32 and available online at Kalamazoocivic.com or by calling the box office at 343-1313.

PERFORMING ARTS

THEATER

Plays

POTUS — A comedy about the women in charge of the man in charge of the free world, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27–28, Oct. 3–5 & 10–12, 2 p.m. Sept. 29, Oct. 6 & 13, York Arena Theatre, WMU, 387-6222, wmich.edu/theatre.

Musicals

Heartbreak Hotel — Elvis Presley's life & songs, 8 p.m. Aug. 27–31, 5 p.m. Sept. 1, Barn Theatre, Augusta, 731-4121, barntheatreschool.org.

TheRockyHorrorShow— A stage production of the classic sci-fi horror show, 8 p.m. Sept. 6–8 & 13–15, 5 p.m. Sept. 7, 8, 14 & 15, Barn Theatre, 731-4121, barntheatreschool.org.

Six: The Musical – Teen Edition — The six wives of Henry VIII tell their tales, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 13–14, 20–21 & 27–28; 2 p.m. Sept. 15, 22 & 29; Civic Auditorium, 329 Park St., kazoocivic.com

Jersey Boys — The story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 19–21, 26–28 & Oct. 3–5, 2 p.m. Sept. 22, 29 & Oct. 6, Farmers Alley Theatre, 221 Farmers Alley, farmersalleytheatre.com.

the Thrills, and the Fun

Don’t Miss Our Rock ‘n’ Roll Legend and Cult Classic!

Other

Our Favorite Things — Spotlighting folk, country & contemporary music, 8 p.m. Sept. 6, 7, 13 & 14, New Vic Theatre, 134 E. Vine St., thenewvictheatre.org.

DANCE

Movement Reservoir Dance Company — Annual performance by local dance company, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 21, Wellspring Theater, Epic Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, movementreservoirdancecompany.com. MUSIC

Bands & Solo Artists

Bell’s Eccentric Cafe Concerts — Cole Chaney w/ Tony Logue, Sept. 4; Shemekia Copeland, 7 p.m. Sept. 5; Robbie Fulks, Sept. 6; Dale Hollow w/Jessi Phillips, Sept. 7; Kalamashoegazer 2024, 5 p.m. Sept. 14; Lettuce, Sept. 15; The Movement, Sept. 22; Phillip-Michael Scales, Sept. 26; Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers, Sept. 27; Eric Hutchinson, Sept. 28; all shows at 8 p.m. unless noted otherwise, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., 3822332, bellsbeer.com.

Liquid Note Concert Series — Live performances at Liquid Note, 119 E. Allegan St., Otsego: Blues Jam w/ Alex Mays, 7 p.m. Sept. 4; Open Mic w/Dan Agne, 7 p.m. Sept. 5; Tony Thompson, 8 p.m. Sept. 6; Crossroads Resurrection, 8 p.m. Sept. 7; Blues Jam w/Joe Johnson, 7 p.m. Sept. 11; Owen McDaniel, 7 p.m. Sept.12; The Verve Pipe w/Pocket Watch, 8 p.m. Sept. 13; Flashback Fest, 8 p.m. Sept. 14; Blues Jam w/Michael Howe, Jr., 7 p.m. Sept. 18; Austin Benzing w/Hatchwing Rider, 8 p.m. Sept. 20; In the Grey, 8 p.m. Sept. 21; Blues Jam w/ JR Clark, 7 p.m. Sept. 25; John Hayes, 7 p.m. Sept. 26; Larry McCray, 8 p.m. Sept. 27; Creative Arts Festival, 11 a.m.–11 p.m. Sept. 28; liquidnote.com.

Orchestra, Chamber, Jazz, Vocal & More

Bobbi Thompson & Ariel Kasler — Saxophone & guitar, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 6; pre-concert talk at 7 p.m., Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU; wmich.edu/music/ events.

Klienstuck Trail Walk — Outdoor concert by percussionist Mike Weis, cellist Elizabeth Start & other musicians, 6 p.m. Sept. 7; meet at YMCA tennis courts, 1001 W. Maple St., wear walking shoes & bring a portable chair, connectingchordsfestival.com.

Justin Cook — Trombone, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 11, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/events.

Gull Lake Jazz Orchestra & Lana Hoffman — 7 p.m. Sept. 11, The Dock at Bayview, 12504 East D Ave., Richland; call 731-4911 for reservations.

Stiletto Brass Quintet — 7:30 p.m. Sept. 13; preconcert talk at 7 p.m., Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/events.

Migratory Music — Selkie, Birdseed Salesmen, Norse Code & Bahar Ensemble perform on Kalamazoo Nature Center trails, 2–4 p.m. Sept. 14, 7000 N. Westnedge Ave., connectingchordsfestival.com.

Illia Ovcharenko — Ukrainian pianist, 4 p.m. Sept. 15, Wellspring Theater, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, with virtual & in-person tickets available, 342-1166, thegilmore.org.

Pamela York & Matthew Fries — Piano duo, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/ music/events.

Dark Journey — CD release concert by the Western Jazz Collective, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 28, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/events.

Symphonic Dances — The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra performs rhythm & dance pieces, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 28, Miller Auditorium, kalamazoosymphony.com.

Beats on Bates — Outdoor music, 5:30–8:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Bates Alley, downtown Kalamazoo: Lisa Chilton & JustJaye, Sept. 4; Latina Fiesta w/La Familia, Sept. 11; FlyLite Gemini, Sept. 18; Zion Lion & Mel V, Sept. 25; kalamazooarts.org/summertime-live.

Out of Favor Boys — Blues band, 5:30 p.m. Sept. 6, outside State Theatre, 404 S. Burdick St.; kalamazooarts.org/summertime-live.

The Trippin' Billies — Dave Matthews tribute band, 7 p.m. Sept. 12, Overlander Bandshell, 7810 Shaver Road, Portage; bring a blanket or chair; kalamazooarts.org/ summertime-live.

Classic Seger: Bob Seger’s Greatest Hits Live — Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band tribute, 8 p.m. Sept. 14, State Theatre, kazoostate.com.

Cat Power Sings Dylan: 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert — Singer-songwriter performs music from Dylan's seminal concert, 8 p.m. Sept. 17, State Theatre, kazoostate.com.

Three Dog Night — Rock band, 8 p.m. Sept. 19, State Theatre, kazoostate.com.

Leonid & Friends — Performing music by the rock band Chicago, 8 p.m. Sept. 20, State Theatre, kazoostate.com. Sounds of the Zoo — Music festival & symposium at indoor & outdoor sites, Sept. 23–29, full schedule at soundsofthezoo.com.

Cowboy Junkies — Folk blues band, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 25, State Theatre, kazoostate.com.

One with the Riverbed, Lucius Fox, Means of Entry & Eudaemon — Texture-heavy music, 7 p.m. Sept. 28, Dormouse Theatre, 1030 Portage St., dormousetheatre.com.

Rene Meave — Singer & guitarist, time TBD Sept. 28, New Vic Theatre, 134 E. Vine St., thenewvictheatre.org.

Takács Quartet — String quartet, presented by Fontana Chamber Arts, 3 p.m. Sept. 29, Dalton Center Recital Hall, fontanamusic.org.

CMIX Launch Concerts — Sonic music performances by WMU's Center for Contemporary Music, Improvisation & Experimentation (CMIX), Dalton Center Multimedia Room: Concert I, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 29; Concert II, 2 p.m. Sept. 30; Concert III, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30; wmich.edu/music/events.

COMEDY

Crawlspace Comedy Theatre — Riddled with English, Sept. 6; Baby Steps, Sept. 7; Joyce II Men, Sept. 13; Crawlspace Eviction, Sept. 14; Blunder Bus, Sept. 20; Pop Scholars, Sept. 21; Dust Bunnies Sketch Comedy, Sept. 27 & 28; all shows begin at 7:30 p.m., Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition, 315 W. Michigan Ave., crawlspacecomedy.com.

Mike Epps — 7:30 p.m. Sept. 13, Miller Auditorium, WMU, millerauditorium.com.

Heywood Banks — 8 p.m. Sept. 28, Franke Center for the Arts, 214 E. Mansion St., Marshall, thefranke.org.

FILM

Punishment Park — Screening of the 1971 pseudodocumentary, 7–8:30 p.m. Sept. 13, 14 & 18, Dormouse Theatre, 1030 Portage St., dormousetheatre.com.

VISUAL ARTS

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

314 S. Park St., 349-7775, kiarts.org

Exhibitions

Legendary Voices: Art for the Next Century — Artwork celebrating the KIA's centennial year, grouped together by periods, artists & genres, Sept. 7–Feb. 16.

Barn Theatre's Lineup Brings the Beats,

Powerful Forces: Legends, Rituals & Warriors in East Asian Art— Art with themes of power & legend intrinsic to East Asian heritage, Sept. 14–Jan. 19.

Events

Gallery Gathering: Fritz Scholder’s Diptych — Learn about this work by a member of the Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians whose art deconstructs Indigenous American stereotypes, 5:30–6 p.m. Sept. 5; register online.

ARTbreak — Program about art, artists & exhibitions: From Deep Time to Body-Oddy-Oddies, experimental media art presentation by Eric Souther, Sept. 10; An Interartistic Dialogue Between Visual Poetry & Visual Art, discussion & reading by local poet & artist Hedy Habra, Sept. 24; sessions begin at noon; register online.

Book Discussion — Jason Reynolds & Jason Griffin's Ain’t Burned All the Bright, 2 p.m. Sept. 18; register online.

Strokes of Freedom — Richard Phillips discusses his work & process creating art while being wrongfully imprisoned, 7 p.m. Sept. 18.

Creating Blackout Poetry — Transform pages of text into art, 11a.m.–3 p.m. Sept. 25 & 27, Meader Fine Arts Library.

Image Meets Text: A Legendary Poetry Workshop — Denise Miller discusses approaches to writing poetry inspired by visual art, 6–8 p.m. Sept. 26; register online.

ArtBridges Access for All — Free general admission, 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Sept. 27.

South Street Print Fest: KIA’s Steamroller Printmaking Event — A steamroller makes large-scale prints from relief carvings; printmakers may reserve a time slot to use their own carved blocks, 9 a.m.– 6 p.m., Sept. 28.

Other Venues

Portage Community Art Award Exhibition — Works by a Portage artist whose work represents the theme "A Natural Place to Move," 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday, Sept. 6–Oct. 30, Portage City Hall Atrium, 7900 S. Westnedge Ave., portagemi.gov/calendar.

Art Hop — Displays of art with the theme “Resilience: Vehicle & Voice,” 5–8 p.m. Sept. 6, downtown Kalamazoo, 342–5059, kalamazooarts.org.

Rocking Horses: The Songbooks of Craig Matis — Immersive imagery by Uzizi band member Matis, Sept. 6–27, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Suite 103A; artist's reception, 5–8 p.m. Sept. 6; 373-4938, kalbookarts.org.

LIBRARY & LITERARY EVENTS

Comstock Township Library 6130 King Highway, 345-0136, comstocklibrary.org

CTL Writers — Discussion of writing, 10 a.m. Fridays. American Sign Language — Basic & common signs, 6 p.m. Sept. 11; registration required.

State Rep. Matt Hall Listening Hour — Talk with the representative’s staff, noon–1 p.m. Sept. 18.

Pride Book Club — Discussion of Jessi Hempel's The Family Outing: A Memoir, 4–5:30 p.m. Sept. 20; inperson & online, registration required.

Shred Truck Day — Free shredding of confidential paper documents, 10 a.m.–noon Sept. 21.

Adult Book Club — Discussion of Edwin Raymond's An Inconvenient Cop, 6 p.m. Sept. 26; registration required.

Kalamazoo Public Library 553-7800, kpl.gov

KPL Mobile Library — 5:30–6:30 p.m. Sept. 4, Eastside Neighborhood Association, 1301 E. Main St.; 5–7 p.m. Sept. 18, Kalamazoo Literacy Council, 420 E. Alcott St., with family activities for Kalamazoo Literacy Day.

Friends of KPL Bag of Books Sale – Gently used books for sale, 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Sept. 14, Van Deusen Room, 3rd floor of Central Library.

Pop-Up Bike Repair — Open Roads' mechanics perform routine maintenance & offer advice, noon–3 p.m. Sept. 14, Oshtemo Branch, 7265 W. Main St.

Parchment Community Library 401 S. Riverview Drive, 343-7747, parchmentlibrary.org

Director Open House – Honoring Teresa Stannard for 23 years of service & welcoming incoming director Jennie Willard, 1–3 p.m. Sept. 7.

Parchment Book Group – Discussion of Ann Patchett's Tom Lake, 6 p.m. Sept. 9.

Mystery Book Club – Discussion of stories 9–12 from Arthur Conan Doyle's The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 17.

Silent Book Club – Bring a book & read in companionable silence, 5:15–6:30 p.m. Sept. 23 & 1:15–2:30 p.m. Sept. 25.

Portage District Library

300 Library Lane, 329-4544, portagelibrary.info

Cooking Demo with Rust Belt Ramen — Chef Anthony Cox will teach the history & making of ramen, 6–7 p.m. Sept. 4; registration required.

Muffins & the Market — A discussion of recent stock market trends, 9 a.m. Sept. 5 & 19.

Monarch Waystation Workshop — Discussion of how to support the butterflies, 5:30–7 p.m. Sept. 5; registration required.

International Mystery Book Club — Discussion of Jane Harper’s The Dry, 7 p.m. Sept. 12.

Saturday Sound Immersion — Wind Willow Consortium members play instruments for relaxation & well-being , 10 a.m. Sept. 14; registration required.

Kalamazoo Valley Genealogical Society — Open to those interested in genealogy, 7 p.m. Sept. 16.

Cooking Demo with Gretchen — Dietitian Gretchen Kauth creates a Mediterranean-friendly dish, 6–7:15 p.m. Sept. 17; registration required.

Plots & Pages: A Local Writers Group — Author Mark Love discusses the craft of writing, 6 p.m. Sept. 17.

Family Glow Night — Use black lights to experience different activities, 6 p.m. Sept. 18; registration required.

Pilates with Joy — Pilates class, 3 p.m. Sept. 20; registration required.

Kalamazoo Macintosh Users Group — Help with Macintosh programs & accessories, 9 a.m.–noon Sept. 21.

Light Lunch & Literature — Discussion of Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad, noon–1 p.m. Sept. 30; registration required.

Recognizing Scams & Fraud — How to recognize scams & fraud attempts, 6:30–8 p.m. Sept. 30; registration required.

2024·2025 SEASON

PRESENTS

SUN, SEP 29, 2024 · 3:00 pm

Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU

TAKÁCS QUARTET

one of the greatest chamber string ensembles on the world stage

FRI, NOV 22, 2024 · 8:00 pm SAT, NOV 23, 2024 · 8:00 pm SUN, NOV 24, 2024 · 2:00 pm Wellspring Theater, Epic Center

CHROMIC DUO WITH WELLSPRING’S FALL FESTIVAL OF DANCE featuring incredible music, dance, and storytelling

FRI, FEB 21, 2025 · 7:30 pm

Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU

FRED HERSCH, PIANO ANAT COHEN, CLARINET the finest example of chamber jazz

SAT, APR 12, 2025 · 7:30 pm

Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU LYYRA

the only professional six-voice women’s a cappella group in the US

FRI, JUN 6, 2025 · 7:30 pm

Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU

AMIT PELED, CELLO DANIEL DEL PINO, PIANO a collaboration between internationally renowned musicians

SUBSCRIPTIONS & SINGLE TICKETS fontanamusic.org 269/250-6984

Richland Community Library

8951 Park St., 629-9085, richlandlibrary.org

Bridge Club — Noon Tuesdays.

Biggest Little Baseball Museum — Traveling presentation on baseball teams, equipment & card collecting, 6–7 p.m. Sept. 4.

Cookbook Club — Sample & discuss recipes from Kristin Donnelly’s Modern Potluck, 6 p.m. Sept. 10.

The Importance of Humor — Charles Stoddard discusses humor and physical & mental health, 7 p.m. Sept. 12.

Richland Area Writer’s Group — Open to new members, 10 a.m. Sept. 14, in person & online.

Richland Genealogy Group — Open to new members, 10 a.m. Sept. 19, in person & online.

Totally '80s Team Trivia — 1980s trivia & music, for teams of 6 or fewer, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 25; registration required.

Vicksburg District Library

215 S. Michigan Ave., 649-1648, vicksburglibrary.org

Bridge Club — 9:30 a.m.–noon Tuesdays.

Book Club for Adults — 9:30–10:30 a.m. Sept. 5; this month’s book at the circulation desk.

Movie Club — Casablanca, 1–3:30 p.m. Sept. 16, with refreshments served.

Writers’ Motivational Group Report progress, goals, brainstorm & share advice, 4:30–5:30 p.m. Sept. 26.

Other Venues

A Tribute to Asylum Lake Preserve — Friends of Poetry hosts a reading of works inspired by the Asylum Lake Preserve, 1:30–2:30 p.m. Sept. 21.

Helena Mesa & Jamaal May — The poets read from their works, 7 p.m., Sept. 21, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Suite 103A, 373-4938, kalbookarts.org.

MUSEUMS

Gilmore Car Museum

6865 Hickory Road, Hickory Corners, 671-5089, gilmorecarmuseum.org

Wednesday Night Cruise-Ins — 5–8 p.m. Wednesdays through September, with cars, food & live music: Rockslide, Sept. 4; Michigan Freedom Rockers, Sept. 11; Chris Karl, Sept. 18; Kyle Jennings, Sept. 25.

Ford Model A Days — Celebrating the historic Model A, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Sept. 20–21.

Cadillac Fall Festival — Cadillacs from 1903–present, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Sept. 27–28.

Kalamazoo Valley Museum

230 N. Rose St., 373-7990, kalamazoomuseum.org

Exhibitions

Kalamazoo State Hospital: 165 Years of PsychiatricCare — The history of Michigan’s longestoperating mental hospital, through January.

Murphy Darden — Highlighting the late Kalamazoo artist Murphy Darden, in-person exhibit Sept. 5–March 2; panel discussion with Black community leaders & Darden’s friends, 2 p.m. Sept. 5; reception to celebrate his life & collection, 4:30–6 p.m. Sept. 5; screening of documentary film, 7 p.m. Sept. 6.

NATURE

Kalamazoo Nature Center

7000 N. Westnedge Ave., 381-1574, naturecenter.org

Kalamazoo Paddle & Ride Adventure — Bike the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail to the starting point of a river trip with experts & lifeguards, 9:30 a.m.–2 p.m. Sept. 21; for ages 8 & up (children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian); registration required.

Turn-Up! Party on the Farm — Fall celebration with food trucks, kids’ activities & live music, 3–8 p.m. Sept. 28, DeLano Homestead, 555 West E Ave.; bring blankets or chairs & s'mores fixings; registration required.

Other Venues

All About Beavers — An evening hike to learn about beavers, 5–6:30 p.m. Sept. 6, Gourdneck State Game Area, Angling Road, 2nd parking lot; portagemi.gov/ calendar; registration required.

Kalamazoo Astronomical Society General Meeting & Speaker — Online presentation on Perspectives of Distance by Chuck Allen, 7–9:15 p.m. Sept. 6, Kalamazoo Math & Science Center, 600 W. Vine St; kasonline.org.

Beginning Birding Walk — 9–11 a.m. Sept. 7, Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery's 2nd parking lot, 34270 County Road 652, Mattawan, kalamazooaudubon.org.

Kalamazoo Astronomical Society Public Observing Session Crescent Moon, Venus & Saturn, Sept. 7; The Moon & Double Stars of Summer, Sept. 21; both sessions 8–11 p.m., Kalamazoo Nature Center, 7000 N. Westnedge Ave., kasonline.org.

Birds & Coffee Chat Online — Cleaning bird feeders, 10 a.m. Sept. 11, Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, 12685 East C Ave., Augusta; registration required, birdsanctuary@ kbs.msu.edu

Extraordinary Leaves — Plant biologist Kadeem Gilbert presents, 7–8:30 p.m. Sept. 25; Kellogg

Biological Station, 3700 E. Gull Lake Drive, Hickory Corners, registration required, kbs.msu.edu.

MISCELLANEOUS

Portage Farmers Market — 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Sundays outside Portage City Hall, 7900 S. Westnedge Ave., portagemi.gov/643/markets.

Kalamazoo Farmers Market — 7 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturdays; mini markets, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Tuesdays & Thursdays; night market, 5–10 p.m. Sept. 19; 1204 Bank St., pfcmarkets.com.

Richland Farmers Market — 3–6 p.m. Wednesdays through Sept. 18, Richland Community Center, 9400 East CD Ave., richlandareacc.org/richland-farmersmarket.

Paw Paw Wine & Harvest Festival — Tastings, tours, grape stomping, & more, Sept. 6–8, downtown Paw Paw; full schedule at wineandharvestfestival.com.

Vicksburg Farmers Market — 2–6 p.m. Fridays, 300 N. Richardson St., vicksburgfarmersmarket.com.

Scottish Festival & Highland Games — Celebrating Scottish history & culture, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Sept. 7, Kindleberger Park, 122 N. Riverview Drive, Parchment; full schedule at kalamazooscottishfest.org.

Kalamazoo Music Instrument Swap — 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Sept. 8, South Room, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 2900 Lake St.

Vintage in the Zoo — Vintage & handmade goods, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sept. 8, Kalamazoo Farmers Market, 1204 Bank St., vintageinthezoo.com.

Peacock Strut Walk/Run — 10K & 5K walk/run, 7 a.m. Sept. 14, Celery Flats Historical Area, 7336 Garden Lane, Portage, portagemi.gov/calendar.

Youth & Teen Entrepreneur Fair — 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Sept. 14, Community Room, Mayors’ Riverfront Park, 251 Mills St., kzooparks.org/events.

Oktoberfest — Food, music & more, 5–9 p.m. Sept. 14, Celery Flats Historical Area, portagemi.gov/calendar.

Kalamazoo Reptile & Exotic Pet Expo — 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Sept. 15, Kalamazoo County Expo Center South, kalamazooreptileexpo.com.

NSRA Street Rod Nationals North — Street rods, muscle & custom cars & more, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Sept. 20 & 21, 8 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Sept. 22, Kalamazoo County Expo Center.

Canadiana Fest – Canadian food, music & culture, 1–11 p.m. Sept. 21, Arcadia Creek Festival Place, 145 E. Water St., canadianafest.fun.

Kalamazoo Fall Bike Celebration — Ride routes through Southwest Michigan, starting in Vicksburg, Sept. 22, fallbikecelebration.org.

Fall Festival — Building tours, crafts & demonstrations, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Sept. 22, Celery Flats Historical Area, portagemi.gov/calendar.

Fall Stamp & Cover Show — 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sept. 27 & 28, North Room, Kalamazoo County Expo Center.

Fall Craft Show — 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Sept. 28, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Sept. 29, South & Main Rooms, Kalamazoo County Expo Center.

Corks & Kegs at the Zoo — Beer, wine, music, & food, 2–7 p.m. Sept. 28, Binder Park Zoo, 7400 Division Drive, Battle Creek; binderparkzoo.org.

Vicksburg Harvest Festival — Food, building tours & more, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Sept. 29, Vicksburg Historic Village, 300 N. Richardson St., Vicksburg; full schedule at vicksburgmi.org.

Eric Stewart (continued from page 30) jewelry." I got really involved in a diversion program at the Portage Community Outreach Center, working with young people, getting to understand their barriers and helping them navigate some of what's going on in their world a little bit. It was a really successful program. Then I started working for Portage Community Outreach Center and Emergency Assistance doing housing and eviction assistance while I went back to school for my master's in public administration. I worked with a lot of folks who were facing a lot of barriers in life, and I wanted to do something more proactive. I heard about KRESA's Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU) program working with young folks and adults in workforce development. I was hired on there in a leadership capacity and oversaw the YOU program and KRESA's workforce development arm.

In 2017, KRESA started looking at career development for those at a younger age. We looked deep at the data and didn't love what we saw: The system was working, but only for certain kids. We needed to do better for students, knowing we needed to produce more skilled labor for business and industry. In 2019, we went out to voters to pass a millage to redesign career technical education. I was hired to be assistant superintendent and lead that work. I started right at the beginning of the pandemic but have been a part of this project since 2017.

When it's complete, who will the Career Connect Center serve?

The building has a broad mandate. The commitment we've made to the community through the millage is, first and foremost, to be the best career center in the nation for high school students. From 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., it'll serve Kalamazoo County students primarily in their 10th through 12th grade years from nine local school districts, public charter academies and private high schools. But since its inception, we've had this concept that we call "never go dark" — it would be a huge bummer if 3:30 every day, the lights shut off and don't come on until the next morning. We're investing a lot of time, money and resources to make it awesome, so we asked: How can it come alive as a community career center after hours? How can we

work with partners like Kalamazoo Valley Community College to help some of their goals come to fruition? How can we work directly with employers to train their employees to use the equipment? We have tons of interest in that, which has been super exciting for us, all the while keeping our eyes on the primary goal to be an awesome career and tech ed center.

This effort began in 2017, and a lot has changed in the work world since then. How are you keeping the plans for the center up to speed?

We have 19 different advisory boards, one for each of the different industry and occupational areas that we cover. There are 238 individual advisors that comprise those groups. We meet with them four times a year. We've traveled the nation to see how to do this well and researched places like Singapore and Switzerland, which are further along in career training education. What jumped out to us early is this facility had to be designed to evolve as business and industry evolves and in a way where this year what might be a machine tool program in five years could become a more high tech manufacturing lab. We did labor market analysis that isolated the high-demand, well-paying occupations now and the projected demand in those industries over the course of the next five years. We committed that every few years we'll redo the analysis, and we're going to be open to what the data tells us. Now, obviously, there are financial elements to that. It's not cheap to retrofit a manufacturing lab with new equipment, so we'll be actively pursuing partnerships with employers to stay relevant to business and industry. What has surprised you most in this work?

The passion. There is no shortage of passion in this community about what this could, should look like. I come from workforce development, where a lot of times it was, like, "Oh, you guys should do this, but, you know, I'm a little busy," and they walk away. Not here. I've been blown away by how people have leaned into the project. — Interview by Marie Lee, edited for length and clarity

Do you know someone who is a leader in the arts, volunteers their time in the arts, or is a talented youth with a promising future in the arts, or building an exceptional body of work? Or perhaps you know of a local business that consistently supports or advocates for our local arts scene? If so please nominate them for a 2024 Community Arts Award!

View all of the award categories and make your nomination on the Community Arts Awards page on our website.

The Awards Ceremony will take place on Tuesday, December 10th at the Gull Lake Center for the Fine Arts.

Eric Stewart

Assistant Superintendent, Career & Talent Development Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency (KRESA)

If you think Eric Stewart's title is long and involved, it's nothing compared to the duties of his job.

The 42-year-old is the point person for the development of the long-awaited Career Connect Center, a technical education center for Kalamazoo County high school students that's under construction off Sprinkle Road. When it opens in August 2025, the 167,000-square-foot building, which is visible from I-94, will house more than 1,400 students in 23 programs, from automotive repair and welding to machine tooling and culinary skills.

But what can't be seen driving by this hulking construction site is the colossal effort involved in making the center a reality. The process includes receiving input from 19 advisory boards, designing a functional yet flexible facility, determining the programs to offer, developing curriculum, hiring staff, creating student services to help students overcome barriers to their education, and figuring out how to transport 1,400 students from all over the county to the center. And did we mention that KRESA's existing precursor program, Career Technical Education, is still being run at 14 locations across the county?

"It's a well-choreographed dance that we're trying to pull off here, and you should see the project sheets — they're incredible," says Stewart. "It feels like turning an aircraft carrier around. You're operating the current system, which has been successful for a lot of people in this community, but you're shifting it. You're moving everybody's cheese entirely.

"What has gotten us through has been the solution orientation of everybody involved, whether they're an individual contributor rolling up their sleeves doing the work or someone who's investing in it financially or someone who's hosting young people at their job site or any number of things. Those challenges have been made all the easier by that."

How did you get to where you are today?

It's funny, because we talk with kids every day about these non-linear career paths. I had every intention of working in public policy when I got my bachelor's degree (he graduated in 2004 from Western Michigan University with a degree in political science). While I was in college, I worked for Kohl's department store in loss prevention and was uncomfortable with some of the work — we caught a lot of young shoplifters. I went to the court system and said, "We gotta do something other than give kids offenses. They shouldn't have a record for stealing

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