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Michigan Arts Orgs to Support | April 28, 2025

Updated: Apr 29

Kerrytown Concert House and Hope Summer Repertory Theatre are two community-centered organizations that focus on artistic excellence.


Located in Ann Arbor and Holland respectively, the Kerrytown Concert House and Hope Summer Repertory theatre are both deeply committed to improving the communities to which they belong by increasing access to world-class artists.





Kerrytown Concert House | Ann Arbor, MI | kerrytownconcerthouse.com| @grapidsballet

“We at Kerrytown Concert House are dedicated to continuing the great work that Deanna Relyea established 40 years ago and nurtured for a quarter of a century. We agree with Mark Stryker: “…The concert house itself has the soul of an artist!” We are passionate caretakers of this special, intimate space, and it is an honor to bring world-class artists to our audiences in an up close and personal way."


About:

Kerrytown Concert House (KCH) exists to engage, educate and entertain the public by bringing high-quality artists and audiences together for enhanced appreciation, enjoyment and understanding of the performing arts.


About the House:

Kerrytown Concert House offers rich and diverse performing arts experiences as well as monthly rotating arts exhibits to an audience representing a cross-section of our community members. Its intimate L-shaped concert hall with a prized German Steinway, and the quality and diversity of its concerts and services to audiences have earned a special place in the artistic community. One of only a few professionally managed concert spaces in Ann Arbor outside of the University of Michigan, and available to local or nationally recognized artists, it has earned a national reputation as an ideal venue for chamber music, jazz, and cabaret, and also, as an avenue for adventuresome programming. In addition to being an important part of the cultural fabric of our area, Kerrytown Concert House is also a meaningful resource for our community members, providing an affordable venue for many private events including student recitals, community arts performances, weddings, parties, memorials, business meetings, and fundraisers.


Constructed before 1860, “The House” was for many years a grand home for Ann Arbor families living in what used to be the city’s light industrial and working-class neighborhood. In 1984, Carl Brauer, community leader and owner of Brauer Investments, Inc., purchased the house to provide parking for his award-winning office building on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Catherine. He began renovations on the house, gutting its interior and placing an ad in the newspaper advertising rooms for rent.


At the same time, founder and director Deanna Relyea, was looking for a teaching and masterclass space downtown. Finding Carl’s advertisement in the newspaper, she called him inquiring about the property. Carl showed Deanna the house on North Fourth Avenue in its gutted state. Upon seeing it, Deanna’s creative mind went to work imagining the possibilities. With the support of neighborhood businesses and residents, Deanna signed a 5-year lease on the building and founded the non-profit arts organization called Kerrytown Concert House.


Ways to Support:

Those interested in making a donation to Kerrytown Concert House can do so by clicking here.



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Hope Summer Repertory Theatre | Holland, MI | Website | @hopereptheatre

Hope Rep produces plays and educational programs of the highest professional standards that address the needs of, and enhance the quality of life for, Hope College and the community.


About:


Inclusion

The company is a unique blend of distinguished professionals and young theatre artists from all over the United States, creating a synergy between younger and more mature artists. Those who are more experienced are infused with the enthusiasm of youth while they pass important artistic values on to the next generation.


Excellence

We are distinguished by a wide variety of plays performed by one resident acting company. Our varied repertoire is unified by the goal of exploring and celebrating the joy and complexity of the human spirit.


Company

The company numbers more than 100 annually and features a unique blend of distinguished professionals and young theatre artists from across the United States.


Education

We bring together professional actors, directors, technical staff and administrators with students from around the country in an atmosphere which provides interns and young theatre professionals the opportunity to learn and practice all aspects of theatre.


Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Hope Repertory Theater is committed to:

  • Dedicating events and programming that allow our company members to celebrate their individual and intersecting identities

  • Facilitating a culture of belonging through company-wide events and social gatherings

  • Maintaining transparent casting and hiring practices 

  • Creating and supporting education programs that engage communities in Holland, MI that may be considered marginalized

  • Partnering with organizations that serve marginalized communities so that we may learn from the work that they are doing

  • Mitigating financial barriers for students that wish to be a part of our educational programming

  • Casting and hiring individuals that reflect the diversity we see within our artistic field and the world around us

  • Engaging in Anti-Racist education for theater leadership


Ways to Give:

You can support Hope Summer Repertory Theatre by clicking here.



Do you work for or know of an organization that needs support?  Use this link to submit them for the weekly feature.  



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