CLUSTER Opens with Inaugural Exhibition and Events
On Friday, October 3, a new independent space for art will open in downtown Ann Arbor. Co-founded by Kim DeBord (BFA ’98), Thea A. Eck (MFA ’08), and Chien-An Yuan, CLUSTER aims to create opportunities for exhibition, learning, and community, bringing those in the arts together in thoughtful and innovative ways.
Located at 307 N. Main St., CLUSTER includes a curated gallery; a guest-curated literary arts program; an art placement program; thematic events and workshops; and a retail space offering 2D art, ceramics, and a selection of art supplies.
Cluster co-founder and Director Thea Eck noted, “Launching a new dynamic visual and literary arts program that brings artists and writers together has been really exciting. There’s a high level of ownership because of our contemporary art community’s input. We’re building this thing together.”
CLUSTER opens its inaugural exhibition season with a month-long series titled The Dam Broke: A Portrait on Tyranny. Gaining inspiration from scholar Timothy Snyder’s book, On Tyranny: 20 Lessons from the 20th Century, CLUSTER presents a gallery show, author reading, children’s storytime, writing workshop, textile workshops, a performance piece and opening & closing receptions from October 3 ‑25, 2025.
The Dam Broke: A Portrait on Tyranny, CLUSTER’s inaugural exhibition, features 10 artists whose work dissects fascism and authoritarianism, examining topics that include caregiving within healthcare, civil disobedience, environmentalism, dangerous words, and more.
Members of the Stamps community featured in the exhibition include Stamps Lecturer III and Student Exhibitions Coordinator Sally Clegg (MFA ’20), Kim Debord (BFA ’98), Thea A. Eck (MFA ’08), Professor Heidi Kumao, Abhishek Narula (MFA ’20), and Professor Emerita Marianetta Porter.
The exhibition opens with a reception on Friday, October 3 from 6 — 9 p.m., and will be on view from October 3 — 25, 2025.
Additional October events at CLUSTER include:
How to Live the Time of Your Life: Author Reading. Thursday, October 9, 7 — 8:30 p.m. This inaugural literary event, guest-curated by writers Cam Finch of PoetTreeTown and writer Kyunghee Kim, features 9 writers whose pieces are inspired by the 20 Lessons from Timothy Snyder’s book, On Tyranny: 20 Lessons from the 20th Century.
How to be brave: Children’s Storytime with Laura. Saturday, October 11, 10 — 11:15 a.m. There are so many ways to be brave, at any age! Join us for a morning of stories lead by Ann Arbor’s favorite children’s storyteller, Laura Raynor. Pre-registration required.
Say it with Stitch! Embroidery Samplers Workshop. Wednesday, October 15, 6 — 8 p.m.; Saturday, October 18, 10:30 a.m. — 12:30 p.m. This workshop is inspired by and in collaboration with artist and CLUSTER co-founder Kim Debord’s artwork in The Dam Broke exhibition. Participants will learn various embroidery techniques and create a “sampler” using the various stitches. Workshop fee is $25, registration required.
burn it to rise: a reflective writing workshop. Sunday, October 19, 1 — 2:15 p.m. In response to The Dam Broke gallery show, join us for a 75-minute personal reflective creative writing workshop on themes of fascism and tyranny led by Kyunghee Kim. Workshop fee is $15, registration required.
Joyful Mob Closing Lunch. Saturday, October 25, 12 — 2 p.m. Join us for a community-centered closing reception on the final day of The Dam Broke exhibition.
Learn more about CLUSTER in a new article from Concentrate Media.
CLUSTER
307 North Main Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104
October Hours: Wed-Fri. 11 a.m. — 5 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. — 2 p.m.