The Shepherd: Community, Arts & Play in Detroit

CM credit hours for mobile workshops are awarded based on the planned dedicated instructional time. Adjustments to CM hours will not be made after the live event.

Located in Detroit's emerging Little Village, the Shepherd reimagines a once-derelict, three-acre city block as a network of public spaces, outdoor art galleries, play areas, food and beverage destinations, and event spaces. The campus navigated numerous challenges: city approvals, pervious-cover requirements, and fire-lane access. Both artful and sustainable, it honors a former church by repurposing existing materials throughout and taking a creative approach to adaptive reuse.

The Shepherd's diverse programming blurs the lines between gallery, institution, and community arts center; the open-space network is the connector. Community and on-site arts welcome neighbors and promote interaction, discovery, and inspiration. The campus grounds, designed by Office of Strategy + Design, invite visitors through church-oriented destinations: the nave promenade; art-altar galleries; the restored Good Shepherd Church; the apse community lawn; Father Forgive Me outdoor dining; a public skate park designed in collaboration with Tony Hawk; and a sculpture park honoring the late Detroit artist Charles McGee.

The Shepherd, an inclusive, art-centered community, anchors Little Village. Local voices and ideas fostered outward-facing and public programming, reflecting an ethos critical to Detroit's development.