WHO MADE IT INTO SEASON 2 OF CONTAINER?
CONTAINER is a multi-medium, multi-platform series that shines a spotlight on Detroit-based talent in Music, Fashion, Fine Arts, and Food. Our mission is to support the elevation of local creatives’ careers, status, and opportunities.
View the community-nominated artists and stay tuned to see who becomes the final pick for CONTAINER Season 2. Explore participating artists across Music, Fashion, Visual Arts, and Food profiles, portfolios, and bios from each nominee.
TOUR PURPOSE
CONTAINER is a residency platform supporting Detroit creatives in music, fashion, visual art, and food. Rooted in community. Powered by collaboration. Built to elevate talent. 12 Detroit artists. Selected each season by local leaders and soon, by community vote. CONTAINER exists to elevate Detroit’s creative talent. Each artist reimagines the CONTAINER as a reflection of their journey, turning it into a powerful stage for storytelling and growth.
Built for Detroit. Powered by Detroit. Designed to lift creative careers to new heights.
CONTAINER on the Metro
We are opening the doors and walls of CONTAINER to share the stories, hustle and vision of the artists shaping the city. Together, we share a mission to fuel visibility, access and lasting momentum for Detroit’s creative community.
Kwaku Osei-Bonsu
“Detroit is a container—designed to hold, nurture and elevate artistic talent until it overflows into opportunity, visibility and investment,” said Kwaku Osei-Bonsu, Project Manager at CONTAINER. “Our goal is to help creatives grow and thrive here in a city built to hold them.”
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
SECTION 1: HOSTING THE CONTAINER
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CONTAINER is a mobile artist residency and cultural platform created to spotlight and support mid-career Detroit-based creatives in four pillars: music, food, fashion, and visual art. The centerpiece of the program is a custom-outfitted 20 ft shipping container that transforms into a traveling venue for pop-ups, performances, and public activations. CONTAINER is a space for showcasing Detroit talent—and a platform for building deeper creative infrastructure across the city.
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Yes! CONTAINER partners with community organizations, festivals, institutions, and host sites to bring the container to life through custom programming. Hosting the CONTAINER includes both the physical structure and engagement with our artist residency and platform, which may include performances, exhibitions, workshops, or culinary activations by CONTAINER residents.
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Hosting means collaborating with the CONTAINER team and its resident artists to create a meaningful public activation. This can include co-curated programming, use of your space or grounds, joint marketing, and logistical support. It’s a cultural exchange—not a rental.
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Minimum 24 ft of level ground space
For indoor hosting, spaces must include clearance for a flatbed truck or tow vehicle and adequate room to safely dismount the container
Access to power, basic security, and one site contact for coordination
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Yes. Host contributions vary depending on duration, location, and program needs. Costs may include transportation, artist fees, production, or staffing. We collaborate with hosts to build an experience that works for all parties and reciprocal arrangements are welcome as well.
HOW CAN I HOST CONTAINER?
If you're interested in bringing CONTAINER to your community, event, or venue, we’d love to hear from you. To get started, simply submit a Host Inquiry Form. Once we receive your submission, we’ll schedule a discovery call to learn more about your goals, location, and vision. From there, we’ll work together to plan a unique CONTAINER experience tailored to your space and audience.
Submit a Host Inquiry to begin the conversation.
SECTION 2: BECOMING A CONTAINER RESIDENT
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CONTAINER is a yearlong residency program for 12 mid-career artists in Detroit, supporting creatives across music, food, fashion, and visual art. Residents receive funding, mentorship, programming opportunities, and public exposure through activations in the CONTAINER and digital features via our platform.
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Applicants must be 18 or older and live, work, or maintain a strong creative connection to Detroit. The program is specifically designed for mid-career artists—those with a growing body of work, public presence, and clear momentum, but who have not yet fully broken into mainstream or institutional circuits.
Residents self-nominate, and the public votes on who should move forward. Finalists are then reviewed against CONTAINER’s mid-career artist criteria before receiving formal invitations to join the cohort.RESIDENCY SELECTION CRITERIA
FOODOwnership/leadership in a food business (restaurant, pop-up, catering, product line)
Press/media recognition or participation in food festivals
Collaborations with other culinary creatives
Visibility expanding beyond Detroit, not yet Michelin/James Beard level
ART
Solo/group exhibitions at established or alternative galleries
Institutional recognition (grants, residencies, fellowships)
Some sales/commissions with growth toward broader audiences
Features in publications, museum programs, or large-scale collaborations
MUSIC
At least one major or independent release (album/EP/single)
Recognized performance history (venues, festivals, tours)
Press coverage in music publications
Collaborations with notable artists, not yet fully mainstream
FASHION
Small-batch or independent fashion collections
Participation in fashion weeks or major retail pop-ups
Growing customer base and/or digital retail presence
Media coverage, influencer collabs, or grant support
Residents self-nominate, and the public votes on who should move forward. Finalists are then reviewed against CONTAINER’s mid-career artist criteria before receiving formal invitations to join the cohort.
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Residency stipend
Access to mentorship, workshops, and collaborative experiences
Feature opportunities via CONTAINER events and social platforms
The chance to activate within the physical container throughout the city
Public exposure and artist development within a peer cohort
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During our open call (typically in summer), visit www.whatscontainer.com to self-nominate or submit a nomination for another artist. Finalists are chosen based on a combination of public voting and internal review.
Click here to nominate and be part of the process. -
You can get involved by becoming a host partner, donor, media ally, or volunteer. Email support@whatscontainer.com or follow us on Instagram @whatscontainer for upcoming opportunities.
PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS
