Its Happening! GIG - The Art of Michigan Music 2026
Complete Preview of the event, plus other visual arts news you can use!
GIG - The Art of Michigan Music Visual Experience 2026
Our annual visual art exhibition, with educational sessions and a music market, is nearly here. Hopefully, you all have made plans to join us for this completely FREE event. Here are the details with a full rundown following:
Friday July 24th
Art Gallery 5 pm to 11 pm
Music Market 5 pm to 8 pm
Live Music 7 pm to 11 pm
Saturday July 25th
Art Gallery 12 pm to 7 pm
Music Market 12 pm to 7 pm
Education Sessions 1 pm to 5 pm (at Ugly Dog Distillery)
Live Music 7 pm to 11 pm
Location: Sounds & Sights Festival - Social Commons
(Palmer Commons park in historic downtown Chelsea, Michigan - 304 S Main St, Chelsea, MI 48118)
Food Trucks
Cash Bar
Free Parking
MEET THE ARTISTS
In case you missed it, here is a complete listing of the visual artists you can see this year at GIG.
JK Doyle
JK Doyle is a Manchester-based graphic artist who created our featured 2026 GIG poster. JK brings a modern vision to the legacy of concert posters. His work is highly emotive and deeply satisfying. Within his work, you feel rooted in the music.
Cidney Bundon
Cidney is a Detroit-based photographer and graphic artist who captures the pulse of indie rock in Motown. Thoughtful and sublime, her images conjure the stories behind the music and give you a window into its soul.
Jena Hovey
Jena is a Lansing-based photographer and master of perspective. She stops time within each concert, allowing you to become part of the scene. Jena is also a terrific ally for the arts whose company, McShane Photography, is once again helping us showcase the visual art of Michigan music. Jena is a contributing writer and photographer for Loud Hailer Magazine.
Derek Ketchum
Derek is a Kalamazoo-based photographer whose photographs dive deep into the local music scene and national touring acts. He has a knack for putting you in the audience to experience all the angles of a show. You’ll find many of his images on the pages of Local Spins.
Doug Coombe
Doug is an Ann Arbor-based photographer and living legend. His work covers over 30 years of Michigan music. Whether it is on stage at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival or down in Detroit with Jack White, Doug’s images take you there. When Doug isn’t at a concert, you can find him busy visually documenting the stories within Concentrate magazine.
Jacob Rosenburg
Jacob is a Detroit-based graphic artist whose imagery is simply delightful. Working with a wide color palette and a vivid imagination, Jacob’s designs are both visceral and surreal. Drop by the GIG archive to see the fabulous poster he created for us in 2025.
Terry Jones
Terry is a Kalamazoo-based photographer capturing all the intensity of the front row. He immerses you within each concert, allowing you to feel the crashing drums and hear the guitars sing. Each portrait Terry composes is a study in light.
Sami Lipp-Mosier
Sami is a Detroit-based photographer who excels at framing the action at a concert. Her images allow you to see the musicians from a different point of view. With her camera, Sami shows us the world upon the stage. Dig into her concert photography and writing at Loud Hailer Magazine.
Bler Dimm
Bler is a Detroit-based photographer specializing in uncovering the light within the darkness. He explores the scenes that reveal themselves upon the stage in search of the truth found in live music. Within the dimly lit shadows, Bler unleashes the moments of every performance.
Brandon Nagy
Brandon is a Detroit-based photographer and graphic artist whose work reflects the power and intensity of live music. As the ringing from the amplifiers slowly fades, the images captured by Brandon burn bright. His work exemplifies the force found in concert photography.
Logan Belz
Logan is a Detroit-based graphic artist making lush and intriguing art. His images are profound and magical. Follow Logan down the rabbit hole as he bends reality and shatters your conception of what art is.
Casey Rowe
Casey is a Jonesville-based graphic artist whose work is both mercurial and essential. Each piece contains abstraction and definition. You feel the irresistible pull of the unknown. When not creating visual art, Casey is also part of the band Carbon Decoy.
Caitlin Muncy
Caitlin is a Detroit-based graphic artist who crafts superb and inventive imagery. Her creations are fanciful and unexpected. Caitlin’s art commands attention and burrows deep within the viewer’s mind, casting lucid dreams.
Jen Prouty
Jen is an Ann Arbor-based photographer harnessing the language of light to illuminate the music. Sharing the moments that make a performance grand, Jen captures the giving and receiving of music. When not painting with light, Jen works as the Communications Director for Creative Washtenaw.
Carl Lundgren
Carl is a Detroit-based graphic artist and gig poster legend. His seminal artwork for bands like Pink Floyd and The Who created quintessential and lasting imagery. The posters by Carl continue to fascinate and inspire.
Andrew Johnson
Andrew is a Detroit-based graphic artist making gig posters that shine with merriment and wonder. Using a pastel color palette, Andrew’s art has a Seuss-meets-Dali quality that is both mischievous and endearing.
Kodama Psyokami
Kodama is a Jackson-based graphic artist who combines elemental characters with out-of-this-world concepts to craft spellbinding images. Richly detailed and ripe with vivid luminescence, Kodama brings fantasy to life.
Riley Schmidt
Riley is a Grand Rapids-based photographer with an eye for seizing the energy of a concert. He plays with a variety of perspectives to give the viewer the complete experience. Riley’s images are strong and visionary, putting you front and center.
Anna Sink
Anna is a Grand Rapids-based photographer who uses her camera to tell the complete story of a performance. Every image allows you to immerse yourself in the musical experience. Anna got her start in concert photography at Local Spins and continues to be a vital part of sharing musical stories on Michigan’s West Side.
Kira Angell-Litchlyter
Kira is a Chelsea-based graphic artist and currently a student at Chelsea High School. We are so honored to have her showcase her amazing artwork. When not creating stunning imagery, she is a vital voice in her community. Kira is co-founder and President of the non-profit S.H.A.P.E. (Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention and Education)
Saturday Sessions
We’ve got some great sessions lined up for you this year at GIG 2026. They take place on Saturday, July 25th, at Ugly Dog Distillery, which is next door to the Social Commons at Sounds & Sights in Chelsea. All of these sessions are open to anyone and are totally FREE. You don’t have to be a pro—just curious.
Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
1:00p - 1:50p
Presented by Kate Hardy (Founder and Executive Director of Six Feet Over, a Michigan-based suicide prevention and postvention nonprofit)
This talk takes a fresh, honest look at mental health and suicide by mixing myth-busting, practical tools, and a bit of humor along the way. It focuses on how each of us has the power to support ourselves and show up for others in meaningful ways.
Expect a conversation that is real, engaging, and surprisingly uplifting for a topic that is often anything but.
To Hell with Algorithms: Why Every Artist Needs a Website
2:00p - 2:50p
Moderated by Chuck Marshall (GIG, Life In Michigan)
Tired of shouting into the social media void? Escape the social media rat race and build a digital home you actually own. Join local experts Chris Simpson (Catch and Play Songs), Annie Capps (Swamp Street Design), and Jen Prouty (Jen Prouty Photography) for a jam-packed session on why you need an artist website.
Learn how to stop chasing algorithms, start owning your audience data, and market your art on your own terms.
Graphic Artist Panel
3:00p - 3:50p
Moderated by Chuck Marshall (GIG, Life In Michigan)
Meet three of our graphic artists and engage with them about their work. We will have a conversation with each artist about one of their works of art to gain insight and perspective. We invite you to join us with your questions and comments. This panel features:
Jacob Rosenburg - A brilliant multidisciplinary artist and illustrator known for his bold, expressive poster art.
Caitlin Muncy - A fabulous visual artist who creates compelling, inventive, and unexpected imagery.
Jonathan Doyle - Creator of our GIG poster this year and a gifted artist who reveals the hidden essence of a concert or event through his work.
Photography Panel
4:00p - 4:50p
Moderated by Chuck Marshall (GIG, Life In Michigan)
Join us in a discussion with three amazing visual storytellers:
Brandon Nagy - An outstanding photographer and graphic artist whose photographs are both inspiring and captivating.
Terry Jones - A phenomenal visual artist whose passion for the story in the scene brings every image depth and life.
Derek Ketchum - A photographer and writer with a deep connection to Michigan’s vibrant music and arts community.
We’ll talk with the artists about their work and view some of their images. Become part of the conversation by asking your questions and sharing your thoughts. Whether you are a music enthusiast, beginning photographer, or seasoned pro, there will be something to take home from this discussion.
ROCKIN MUSIC MARKET
A fun part of our annual exhibition is the music market. As in the past, we’ve got an amazing group of artists selling their creations. For you vinyl hunters, Quarantine Records will have two tables of treasures.
The Music Market this year includes:
Ari Paints Live During Sounds & Sights
Be sure to catch our friend Ari Simeone in the Social Commons, live painting to the music on Friday and Saturday.
Get Your GIG Shirts!
This year’s shirt was designed by Jonathan Doyle and printed by KO Prints. This year, shirts and screen-printed posters (printed by ESP Detroit) will be available with a donation to GIG. Any size donation works.
Volunteer at Sounds & Sights - July 24 or July 25
Sounds & Sights Festival (of which GIG is a part this year) is in need of volunteers. They offer flexible two-hour volunteer slots across many exciting events throughout the Festival: Art Market, Chalk Art Contest, Classic Car Show, GIG, KidZone, Social Commons, and the Green Team Initiative. In a time when many local community festivals are struggling, Chelsea continues to thrive thanks to our dedicated residents, leaders, business owners, and friends like you. Your support makes all the difference!
Date: July 24th-25th, 2026
Location: Historic Downtown Chelsea
Volunteers will receive:
- A stylish, lightweight, and comfortable Festival T-shirt. (Exclusively for volunteers)
-Attendance at the Volunteer Appreciation Party (July 22nd, 6:30-8:00 pm)
- The opportunity to connect and network with local leaders, volunteers, and business owners, while making a meaningful impact in your community
Visit the Sounds & Sights Festival page or visit the link below to sign up!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4EADAE2CAAF8C70-55950625-2025#/
Sponsor Shoutout
Huge thanks to all of our sponsors! These businesses care about their communities and the arts. Their sponsorship provides the much-needed funding to host GIG - The Art of Michigan Music Visual Art Experience 2026. Please give them your support.
Last, but certainly not least, a heartfelt thank you to Rick Taylor | Reinhart Realtors, who is the presenting sponsor for Sounds & Sights.
Don’t Miss This
At GIG - The Art of Michigan Music Foundation, we want to amplify the visual art of Michigan music. Here are some news, events, and happenings that you might find interesting. If you are a Michigan visual artist involved in the music community, shoot us your events and news to share - email us at info@gigartmich.org
Chuck Marshall - SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION
My bird photo is still holding in the top 5 in voting! Help me stay in the running with a vote (you can vote daily). Drop by the Chelsea Art Alley (located between 105 and 107 S. Main St., Chelsea) to see it on display. Voting ends on July 23!!
Brandon Nagy
Brandon Nagy takes on Chris Brown and Usher at Ford Field.
Chelsea Whitaker
Did you get a chance to check out Chelsea Whitaker on the Mitten Music podcast?
Bill Causey
Looking for an electronic press kit (EPK)? Talk to Bill Causey.
Brian Sheehan (LGRDMN)
Brian Sheehan has a new book of his images coming out soon. Pre-order your copy today!
Jacob Rosenburg
I absolutely love this poster for SPOON and The Beths by Jacob Rosenburg.
Terry Jones
Check out these fabulous photos by Terry Jones (Sensorium Arts)
GIG 2026 Poster and Flyer
This year’s artwork was created by Jonathan Doyle.
Press Release
For a full rundown of information on GIG - The Art of Michigan Music Visual Experience 2026, happening in the Social Commons at the Sounds & Sights Festival in downtown Chelsea on Friday, July 24, and Saturday, July 25, 2026, you can download our press release here.
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.
