Creative Work
Students must produce, curate, and/or interpret creative work for an authentic and/or critical audience beyond that of a typical course.
Opportunities to engaged with Creative Work at the University of Michigan:
These are only some opportunities listed. Check with your department for more information. If you have an opportunity to add, please let us know!
Missing an Experience? Add it here.
ArtsEngine
ArtsEngine’s mission is to deepen and enrich the Michigan experience by providing a framework in which curiosity, creativity, collaboration, and passion are engaged through interdisciplinary teaching, learning, research, and community. We do this by promoting, expanding, and enhancing programs and initiatives through which students and faculty develop as interdisciplinary thinkers, outcome-driven makers, and collaborative practitioners across the arts, design, engineering, information sciences and technology.
East Quad Garden
East Quad Garden is an interdisciplinary project conceived by students, faculty, and staff in the spring of 2013. Our goal is to support students who wish to experience community food systems initiatives. The East Quad Garden integrates an experiential teaching method through hands-on instruction that promotes equitable and environmentally sound practices.
Graham Sustainability Scholars
Sustainability leadership development, professional skill-building, hands-on team experience, field-based course funding, and more. Apply for the 3-semester co-curricular program, open to U-M undergraduates on the Ann Arbor campus with at least three full semesters remaining.
Prison Creative Arts Program
PCAP exhibits bring the artwork of incarcerated artists into the public realm in order to humanize prisoners, break stereotypes and create dialogue about mass incarceration.
Creative Fellows
The Arts Initiative and cohorts of U-M students developed creative ideas and semester-long projects inspired by the following themes: Arts & Resistance, Bridging the Divide, and Anti-Racism. Students from across the university worked with Lead Artist Facilitators on interdisciplinary artistic projects with their student peers and arts mentors. Creative Fellows worked in the areas of performance, social engagement practices, visual art and image-making, and digital installation among others – the fellowship is inclusive of medium, concept, and approach.
Culture Corps
Culture Corps matches U-M undergraduate students to paid internships at arts and culture organizations in Southeast Michigan after taking a mini-course. Its goals are to encourage and expose students interested in arts and humanities majors to career pathways, to encourage students who might not know how to get started in arts and culture careers, and to support a breadth of SE Michigan art and culture organizations with a consistent group of paid students. The Humanities Collaboratory Equity Initiative supported a research phase of Culture Corps over the summer of 2021, to determine best practices for establishing relationships with internship hosts, the types of structures that promote quality experiences for students, and the historic trajectories that have shaped arts institutions' values and affecting their ability to attract a diverse staff.
Passport to the Arts
Passport to the Arts is an initiative to encourage students to explore the arts on campus and around Ann Arbor. We are excited to offer new ways to help you see great arts events and participate in great arts activities! Here's how it works: A new Passport ticket voucher is created every two weeks during the academic year. Pick up a Passport Voucher at the start of each cycle in one of our pickup locations across campus (see map below). Then pick an arts event from the voucher and exchange it for a FREE ticket by bringing it to the box office or ticketing location, or by following the instructions for registering online! Vouchers are printed and distributed in limited supply, so don't wait until the last minute to pick yours up!
Arts Ambassadors
The Arts Ambassador Program is designed to increase student awareness of the arts on campus and connect students who share an interest in the arts. We’re looking for enthusiastic and friendly students who have an interest in the arts that they want to share! We’re a student organization that serves as a bridge for the U-M student body to creative events and activities. As an Arts Ambassador you'll learn about the arts both on campus and in the Ann Arbor community, meet local artists, and help promote the arts. Being a part of the Arts Ambassadors student organization is an extremely rewarding, engaging, and fun experience! As an Arts Ambassador, you will attend weekly meetings, have opportunities to take leadership roles in organizing arts events, collaborate with other Arts Ambassadors to engage students in the arts, and most importantly, help cultivate a campus community that values the art
Artscapade
Arts Initiative and the U-M Museum of Art celebrate Welcome Week by introducing incoming students to the wide array of possibilities for arts participation on campus at an evening of art-making, live music, dance and poetry, games, and prizes.
Art Outta Town
Art Outta Town is a program offering a number of off– campus trips each semester for a low student price which includes transportation, tickets, and sometimes food or swag! These trips are a perfect way to explore arts and culture beyond the campus with your residence hall, student organization, or other campus groups, and to meet new people who love the arts
Arts Competitions & Exhibitions
Arts at Michigan believes there is an artist inside each of us. These competitions are your opportunity to share your artistic genius, exhibit your work for the University community and win some prizes! Competitions will be held periodically throughout the year, with calls for art using different themes and mediums. Submissions are narrowed down by staff, and then the finalists are voted on by the public in the Unions and by the U-M Community online. Winners get great prizes, so be sure you’re signed up for Arts Info, our weekly email, so you’ll hear about our future contests and opportunities.
What skills will I learn from Creative Work experiences?
Hands-on Experience
Engaged learning provides practical experiences that complement classroom learning. Whether through internships, research projects, or service learning, students gain skills that are directly applicable to their future careers.
Personal Growth
Participating in engaged learning helps students develop important life skills such as communication, teamwork, leadership, and cultural competency. These experiences can also foster greater self-awareness and confidence.
Enhanced Understanding
By applying theoretical knowledge to real-world situations, students deepen their understanding of academic material. This practical application helps to reinforce what they’ve learned in lectures and readings.