Northwest Wayne News

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming art project, stating, “The City Walls program has worked with talented Detroit artists to turn more than 200 walls across Detroit into beautiful works of art, and now it’s bringing murals on cleats to the streets of Downtown Detroit to celebrate the NFL Draft.”

Detroit artist Trae Isaac shared his personal connection to the project, explaining, “I applied for the City Walls ‘DCLEATED’ project representing The Children’s Center (TCC) because of the correlation between me finding art as a means to psychologically and emotionally cope with the grief of losing my younger brother and mother to cancer… I am truly grateful for the City of Detroit for continuing to implement visual arts into the development and evolution of our strong community.”

Nicole Wells Stallworth, Chief Executive Officer at The Children’s Center, expressed gratitude for being selected as beneficiaries of the project, stating, “I do not doubt that this art installation will improve quality of life outcomes for Detroiters by reducing mental health stigma and raising awareness of our agency’s mission of helping children and families shape their own futures.”

Harriett Carter, Vice President of Customer and Partner Services at Visit Detroit, highlighted the collaborative nature of the project, stating, “The ‘DCLEATED’ program fosters creativity, innovation, and cultural identity in Detroit by combining art, sport, and philanthropy… It's inspiring to see City Walls x City of Detroit investing in their local artists, and ‘DCLEATED’ is a shining example of community-driven initiatives surrounded by a significant event such as the NFL Draft.”

Brittany Lavis, CEO of Detroit Medical Center, emphasized the healthcare organization's involvement in the initiative, saying, “We are proud to be involved in the DCLEATED initiative and are fortunate that the Children’s Center and Children’s Hospital of Michigan will benefit from this effort... we believe healthcare is better together and we are proud to partner with the City of Detroit to engage our community and visitors to help make our community a happier and healthier place.”

Bethany Howard, City Walls Project Manager, expressed excitement about the project's potential impact, stating, “The project has connected artists and stakeholders through art that reflects their energy, celebrates Detroit's talent, and amplifies local causes... Artists inspire with their work, and the entire process has already fostered collaboration and community spirit.”

The upcoming auction of the cleats, managed by Visit Detroit, will benefit various Detroit-based charities. The Detroit Lions will also be a host location for one of the cleats, painted by artist Fel’le, showcasing the important work being done in the community.

The auction will take place online, with proceeds directly benefiting the corresponding local causes. The event will conclude following the NFL Draft, celebrating the artists and their charities, sponsored by the Detroit Medical Center.