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I/ACT is the "Image and Arts Council of Troy". Our objective is to: "Enhance Troy Image through Arts, Culture and Urban Design."

CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF I/ACT:
  In early 2006, the Economic Development Committee of the Troy Chamber of Commerce concluded its study on preserving/enhancing the Maple Road corridor. One of its focuses was a Gateway/Community Art initiative.

Wanting to preserve the momentum of that study, Troy Chamber of Commerce then President Michele Hodges reached out to Linda Shears to head a new committee. Linda is an interior designer and is an active member of the Troy Chamber. With the help of the local newspapers and headlines such as “Troy Chamber Seeks Creative Visionaries” artists, art lovers and city planners convened for the first committee meeting on July 24, 2006 at the Marie-Howard Showroom in the Michigan Design Center. It was very well attended by both local and international artists including Glen Michaels and Balthazar Korab.

After several meetings, the committee agreed on a name----the Image and Arts Council of Troy, or I/ACT for short. Our mission statement became: “Enhance Troy’s image through Art, Culture and Urban Design”. We adopted the Michael Ayrton’s sculpture called "Reflective Head" as part of our logo. The sculpture was originally at the entrance to the Kmart World Headquarters and is currently located at the Troy Civic Center.

Arts, culture and creativity are an asset to any city. They give its people a sense of place. We hoped to be the creative link among art and cultural organizations, artists, schools, communities and businesses.

Initially our ideas for bringing gateways and public art to Troy were very lofty. For example: -Arched gates into the city at major intersections -Public art in the I-75 cloverleaf at Big Beaver -A round-about at the Troy Motor Mall enhanced with public art -An art-loft and warehouse for artists.
  The downturn in the economy put a halt on those ideas!! Instead we did the following:
 
1) Monthly meetings were moved from the Michigan Design Center to the Troy Public Library and finally to the Belian Art Center in Troy.
2) Free Brown Bag Urban Arts Seminar series at the Troy Public Library from 2009-2010: These one hour seminars were held at the Troy Public Library and focused on the financial contribution of the rising creative class to the economy. Ten of I/ACT's seminars were converted to 30 minute TV show segments which played on local cable TV. Dr. Maria Hunciag, former Cultural Arts Coordinator for the Troy Public Library coordinated the events and topics. Charlene Brown and James Homer Brown were responsible for the video recording and editing.
3) Continuing artists displays at the Troy Public Library.
4) We painted murals in Bemis Elementary School
5) Held fundraisers to bring the artists and art lovers together:
 
a) Art, Mix and Mingle: On October 6, 2010 I/ACT held its first evening event for artists. The artists' showcase and get together was held at the Michigan Design Center in Troy and was graciously hosted by Robert Zebrowski of the Extraordinary Works Kitchen Design Showroom. Over 70 artists and art patrons from all over metro Detroit attended.
b) "Sell It”--a quick course on how to market your art was held at Leon and Lulu's in June, 2011. Once again over 70 artists attended.
c) Ridgedale Players Theater supporting the performing arts, we attended several of their plays as a group.
d) Novi Home and Garden Show: in 2012 and 2013 I/ACT artists became the Fine Arts Art Fair section of this home show.
 
Wanting to become a non-profit, but not interested in the extensive paperwork to do so, we were taken under the wing of the North Woodward Community Foundation in April, 2008. -I/ACT began to participate more and more in the growing art scene in the Detroit area. Our membership hence grew to include artists from through-out the Metro area. -No longer a sub-committee of the Troy Chamber of Commerce, by late 2010 we set our sails to move forward on our own and grow our membership (which is now over 300). -
 
In 2011 I/ACT won the Paint Creek Center for the Arts first “Arts & Culture Mayors’ Award” for Troy. We now continue our growth by partnering with the Troy Historic Village to bring art, artists and artisans together and to make the public more aware of the Village and artists.