For the past three years, the Detroit Institute of Arts has been moving its works  outdoors. Replicas of the world’s finest paintings have been sent to communities around Michigan in order to expose residents to fine art and history.

Deriving inspiration from a museum in London, the DIA is the first art museum in the United States to bring its paintings outside. The Inside|Out program came just in time to honor the DIA’s 125th anniversary in 2010.

Program Coordinator Michelle Hauske has been with the program since its inception. Her goal is to restore the love of art in Michigan residents.

“There is a need for art in the community,” Hauske said. “People are really tied to this museum and they want to be a part of it.”

The selection process

Instead of the DIA looking for communities to participate in the Inside|Out program, the town officials and their citizens request to have the paintings displayed in their area. Each approved community receives five to seven paintings.

“We look for spaces that are unique and are meaningful to the community (to display the paintings),” Hauske said.

After choosing the locations, Inside|Out selects paintings that best compliment the space and the community.

Currently, 82 paintings are being displayed as part of the Inside|Out program. In order to create variety, the team is continuously shuffling the paintings throughout different towns.

Making paintings stand up to Michigan’s weather elements

Through trial and error, the program has found the correct materials to use in their replicas to help them withstand Michigan’s weather.

The program uses large sticker-like prints that are coated with a ultraviolet protection solution. The coated prints are then adhered to aluminum sheets and placed in large wooden frames which are also coated in a special solution.

In order to avoid combating the winter months, the Inside|Out program has two seasons: spring, which takes place from April through June, and summer, which is from July through September.

During winter, the Inside|Out Team spends their time restoring the replicas used during the year.

Showing off to the community

Deborah Kotlarek, a volunteer at the DIA has close ties with the Inside|Out Program. Many volunteers give tours in the towns that have the replicas on display.

“I think (the city tours) are a little less formal than museum tours,” Kotlarek said. “If you have a beautiful night, (people enjoy walking) around in gorgeous weather to see the artwork outside of the museum,” Kotlarek said.

The DIA also offers a free Sunday museum visit for each town participating in Inside|Out. Upon arriving at the museum for their corresponding free date, each community member will receive a map of the museum that lists where “their” paintings are located.

The program is funded through a grant given by the Knight Foundation.

For the future of Inside|Out, the team hopes to bring the replicas to even more cities in Michigan and inspire other museums around the country to implement programs like theirs.