International Art & The Peace Festival (IAPF) is a one-day community event taking place on Saturday, August 6 at the Taylor Conservatory and Botanic Gardens. This event features artists, musicians, photographers, crafters, fashion and more to share their work and how it impacts the communities around us.
In addition, this event brings together influential community organizations to raise awareness of their work. IAPF is sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of Southeast Michigan and the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies at Wayne State University. This is a pre-conference event for Taking Action for Peace 2022.
“Rotary is not just an organization that gives out scholarships and throws fancy dinners. To me, the impact of Rotary is the ability to create a vehicle for building communities and building critical ingredients for peace,” said Devankar Mukhi, event organizer and student assistant at WSU’s Center for Peace and Conflict Studies. . “An artist, a musician and a community organizer are the same because they all have the same goal – to create. Whether it’s a piece of art or a service project, we are all artists because we can all create the world we want to live in.
The event honors community peacemakers, including Oxford High School senior Dylan Morris, who founded No Future Without Today, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to mental health services.
“The IAPF aligns with our mission to promote arts and culture and preserve our natural environment,” said Taylor Conservatory Executive Director Erin Dobbins. “Rotary has been a key player in the creation and maintenance of the Conservatory. We are very pleased to host this event with Rotary, especially on the day our town of Taylor celebrates its 175th anniversary.
This event features performers from Michigan, Texas and New York. Attendees will hear music genres from indie/alternative rock, pop, rap, R&B and hip-hop. In addition, a comedy piece, a fire twisting show and a native Ugandan dance performance are planned.
“As an artist, it’s extremely important to me to use my art as a voice for change. Being a part of this event is the perfect space to celebrate ideas like this,” said indie/alternative rock artist Alex Oaiza. “This is our band’s first show outside of Texas and we’re so excited that we can get to Michigan!”
Vendor tables include organizations such as the Rotary Clubs of Detroit, Livonia and Southgate; operation pollination, an effort to protect the habitats of pollinators; Chole’s Cowgirls and Indians teaching Native American and Mexican culture through crafts, jewelry and clothing; and Chaldean American Ladies for Charity, a nonprofit organization founded in 1961 dedicated to providing programs that guide, support and empower people to achieve self-sufficiency with dignity and hope.
To purchase an advance ticket ($10) or make a donation to IAPF, visit Eventbrite. Tickets can also be purchased at the door. For more information contact Devankar Mukhi at devankarmukhi@gmail.com.
