CultureShift: Farmington Hills launches Public Art Program at City Hall

Farmington Hills City Hall has been transformed into an art gallery as part of the city’s 2024-2025 Public Art Program, featuring 100 works of art from 65 metro Detroit artists.

Rachel Timlin, cultural arts supervisor for the city, leads the team that produces the Public Art Program, along with all of the visual and performing arts. She says as one of the few cities with a cultural arts division, it is the duty of the government to provide arts and cultural opportunities in the city.

“Celebrating and supporting the arts and culture is an essential service in the city of Farmington Hills, which is quite remarkable,” she said. “Not many cities in Michigan have that.”

Listen: Rachel Timlin, cultural arts supervisor for Farmington Hills speaks with CultureShift host Tia Graham about the city’s Public Art Program

She says arts and culture opportunities have grown tremendously since the cultural arts division was started in 2000, from the opening of The Hawk community center in 2021 to a host of community events, concerts and a youth concert series.

An opening reception for the Public Art Program will begin at 7 p.m. this Friday, Jan. 12, featuring a variety of work from both local and world-renowned artists.

“Normally you think of going to City Hall, and it’s kind of maybe a mundane trip; you’re paying your taxes, you’re getting something approved,” Timlin said. “We want people to walk in and feel like they belong there. Like there’s some humanity there, and they can see themselves in City Hall.”

The artwork will be on display through 2025.

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