GIG - The Art of Michigan Music 2026 was a blast. Once again, we packed a lot into a couple of days with the visual art exhibit, music market, and Saturday Sessions. The attendance was the best we’ve had since we started, thanks to being part of Sounds & Sights. Everyone we met was impressed with the art and remarked on how much they enjoyed the experience. If that wasn’t enough, our friend Ari Franklin was busy all weekend doing live painting during every musical act on Friday and Saturday. Thank you, Ari, for adding another visual dimension to the live music at Sounds & Sights.
There are many people to thank, but first I want to thank all of you who attended this year. Hopefully, you experienced some new artists and came away with a greater appreciation for the visual art that makes the music shine.
My deepest gratitude to our visual artists for this year:
Cheers to our vendors at the music market, including Laura from Six Feet Over, Manchester Underground, and Quarantine Records, who had an excellent selection of vinyl and CDs.
Thanks to our presenters during the Saturday Sessions: Kate Hardy - Six Feet Over, Chris Simpson - Catch & Play Songs, Annie Capps - Swamp Street Design, Jen Prouty, Caitlin Muncy, Jacob Rosenburg, Jonathan Doyle, Terry Jones, Derek Ketchum, and Brandon Nagy. Thanks to Rob and the staff at Ugly Dog Distillery for setting up a space for our sessions. If you missed the Saturday Sessions, we hope to provide you with the audio in the near future.
A mighty big thanks to our sponsors:
Sounds & Sights Presenting Sponsor - Rick Taylor | Reinhart Realtors
What Do You Think
While we’ve received a lot of great feedback, we’d love to hear from as many of you as possible. Whether you attended GIG this year or not, please share your thoughts via our short survey. This will help us as we gear up for next year.
Looking Forward to the Next GIG!
Being part of Sounds & Sights in a big tent as part of Sounds & Sights Social Commons was definitely a learning opportunity for us. Some of our observations were also echoed in our post-survey results. The main takeaways we have for next year are:
SIGNAGE - While we loved being part of the social commons, the GIG tent was tucked behind the pavilion at Palmer Commons. From the entrance at the street, there is no clue that we are lurking at the back of the commons.
We need multiple signs (potentially sandwich boards) indicating that GIG is in the back of the commons:
Signs outside the front of the commons
Signs at the ID check table at the entrance
Signs inside the commons as you walk in
Signs near the music tent
Signs near the food trucks
Related to this, we’ll ask the Sounds & Sights MC for the live music to announce that the GIG tent is in the back of the commons to help raise awareness.
MESSAGING - You and I, who are fans of gig posters, concert photos, and album art, probably know what GIG - The Art of Michigan Music means, but someone off the street probably doesn’t have a clue. We need to make sure the signs directing folks to the back give them a clue as to what we are about. Here are some phrases we’ve come up with. If you have suggestions, please share:
Music posters and concert photos in the GIG Tent out back!
Rock posters, album art, photos, and more out back in the GIG Tent!
Check out the music posters, concert photos, and more at the GIG Tent in the back of the Commons!
Visit the GIG Tent out back - filled with music posters, concert photos, and more
HEY ROCKSTAR! Yes You! Find the VIP Section ➔ Music posters, concert photos, and more at the GIG Tent behind the pavilion.
SATURDAY SESSIONS SPACE - We so very much appreciated the space at Ugly Dog Distillery. The only problem was it was removed from the GIG tent and a tad noisy when the pinball machines were going. We need to see if it is possible to either add a smaller tent next to the GIG tent or carve out a section of the main tent for the sessions. The same signage and messaging issues also apply, as we need to make people aware they are happening.
CLOSING TIME - Our busiest times were in between the music sets on Friday and Saturday nights. We stayed open later on Friday, but shut down by 7 pm on Saturday just as people were wandering around. We need to keep the art up later on Saturday night.
LIGHTING - While the string of lights looked nice in our tent, giving off a relaxed vibe, it was a little too dark as dusk settled in. If we plan to run later (as we do), we’ll need a few more lights to allow people to properly view the art.
SALES - A couple of sales opportunities were missed as it wasn’t clear how to contact a given artist who had art in the exhibit for sale, but not vendor tables in our music market within the GIG Tent. We’ve got some ideas, but plan on helpful changes to avoid missing out on a potential sale.
GIG Coverage
Life In Michigan
Check out this full recap of Sounds & Sights with GIG 2026. Chuck also has some deep thoughts on GIG 2026 in the Sunday Sip newsletter from Life In Michigan.
Local Spins
The great people at Local Spins highlighted our event, and Derek Ketchum grabbed some excellent photos of the event as well.
Radio Amor and A2 Pulp
Our friend Marty Slagter at Radio Amor shared a wonderful shout-out about GIG 2026 as well as an in-depth story for A2 Pulp.
JTV
Chuck sat down with Bart Hawley on JTV to talk about GIG coming to Chelsea.
Concentrate Magazine
Many thanks to Lee Van Roth and Concentrate for taking the time to talk with myself and Terris Ahrens (Sounds & Sights).
Sonic Coast
Many thanks to Brian Maloney of Sonic Coast for taking the time to chat with Chuck about GIG - The Art of Michigan Music. Be sure to download the Sonic Coast app and enjoy Michigan music 24/7.
Current Magazine
Mishal Charania was kind enough to take the time to talk with Chuck and Terris Ahrens (Sounds & Sights) in a preview leading up to GIG 2026 in Current Magazine.
Michigander
The Michigander Newsletter turned the spotlight on GIG 2026.
Manchester Mirror
Sara Swanson from the Manchester Mirror provided a shout-out to the GIG 2026 poster artist, Jonathan Doyle, as well as a GIG preview.
Stay Tuned for GIG 2027
GIG 2027 planning is already underway. Stay tuned to this newsletter, where we will share updates. We’ll also get back to sharing visual artist news and updates with you each month. Cheers and thank you for reading and supporting us.
Support GIG - The Art of Michigan Music Foundation
Our Mission
GIG—The Art of Michigan Music Foundation celebrates and amplifies Michigan’s rich music culture by highlighting the visual artists who shape its creative identity. Through exhibitions, workshops, and live events, we provide a platform for photographers, graphic designers, and videographers who craft concert posters, album art, band t-shirts, logos, and music videos—essential visual elements that elevate and support Michigan’s vibrant music community.
GIG—The Art of Michigan Music Foundation is committed to preserving and enriching Michigan’s rich musical heritage while nurturing current and future generations of visual artists.
Our Vision
We envision a future where Michigan-based visual artists who contribute to the music community are celebrated and supported. Our long-term goal is to raise funds to provide stipends for artists participating in our annual showcase, GIG - The Art of Michigan Music. By alleviating the financial barriers of art show participation, we aim to create a platform that not only highlights their work but also offers meaningful opportunities for them to connect with the public and sell their creations.
It sounds like the GIG was a success! Your post-event wrap up is helpful for next year and others who want to participate in similar events. And the event photos on the website tell the story. I hope to make it to 2027. 🎶
Looks so fun!