Michelle Sider is a Michigan-based mixed media artist whose work reflects interpretations of the world around her while she pushes the boundaries of working in glass mosaics and paintings. A full-time artist, she focuses on her own work and commissioned works from her studio in the metro Detroit area.

Sider began her art career as a painter, working in watercolor, pastel, acrylic and oil. Her work has evolved to include lush glass mosaics, each one built atop a fully realized painting. She is passionate about a series of mosaics she began in 2019 titled “I am Yemenite.” The works represent her most ambitious project to date and hundreds of hours of work and research.

This podcast was produced by the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan with support by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council.

Miles Mykkanen has quickly become the go-to tenor for roles requiring a deft balance of power, lyricism, and dramatic acuity, having performed on stages in all corners of the globe. A proud Yooper from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Mykkanen leveraged his pandemic downtime to create community around the arts in his hometown of Ironwood. As founding Artistic Director of the Emberlight Festival, he has built a formidable board, raising $750,000 in a county where the annual median income is $29,000. Emberlight has now produced 119 individual events – including a film festival with entries from 83 countries, live performances of chamber music, cabarets, and plays, a photography show and public art installations, and performance infusions featuring regional artists in everything from Ojibwe basket weaving to wool waulking. More than 70% of those events have been free to attend, ensuring that the arts are accessible to everyone in the rural region.

This podcast was produced by the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan with support by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council.

On this podcast, we talk with 3 professionals in Michigan's cultural sector about their efforts as an advocate and stories they share with elected officials in supports of arts and culture in the Fresh Coast State.

This podcast was produced by the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan with support by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council.

Gretchen Gonzales Davidson is a lifelong musician in Michigan and serves as the Chair of the Michigan Arts & Culture Council among many other civic responsibilities. On this podcast, we talk about the evolution of the music scene in Michigan and the importance of civic participation in influencing change as an advocate for initiatives that are meaningful.

This podcast was produced by the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan with support by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council.

Lauren Ward is the Director of the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan, a statewide membership-based advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring cultural leaders have the tools necessary to provide services of the highest quality. On this podcast, we talk about her journey to becoming an advocate for arts and culture and CAN's 2025 Advocacy Day.

This Podcast was produced by the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan with support by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council.

Brenda Rigdon is the Executive Director of the Michigan Historic Preservation Network, a statewide membership organization dedicated to recognizing and preserving Michigan's rich cultural and architectural heritage. On this podcast, we talk about the topics facing historic preservation today, and how you can be an advocate for historic gems in your community.

This Podcast was produced by the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan with support by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council.

Kirk Hallman is the Executive Director at Muskegon Museum of Art, a museum currently expanding the facilities of this cultural institution founded in 1912. The museum features a permanent collection of American and European paintings, sculpture, prints, and drawings, along with exhilarating nationally traveling exhibitions to contemporary regional and Michigan artist shows.

This Podcast was produced by the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan with support by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council.

Nate Love is a Lobbyist with Kelly Cawthorne, representing the arts and cultural interests of the Cultural Advocacy Network (CAN) of Michigan. On this podcast, we’ll talk about the ways in which you can be an advocate for issues you're passionate about, including the legislative priorities of CAN.

This Podcast was produced by the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan with support by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council.

Alison Watson is the Director of the Michigan Arts & Culture Council, the statewide government arts and culture agency providing funding and support to all of Michigan’s 83 counties. On this podcast, we’ll talk about the strategic improvements to the statewide funding process and the state of the arts in Michigan.

This Podcast was produced by the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan with support by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council.

Katie Trzaska-Miller is the President of Michigan Presenters and Manager of Community Engagement at Midland Center for the Arts. On this podcast, we speak with Katie about the arts and accessibility; what presenters are working on these days to make performing arts experience designed for each and every person.

This Podcast was produced by the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan with support by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.

David Crouse is a producer and storyteller in Petoskey, Michigan. On this podcast, we speak with David about his career creating stories that are captivating through videography, and his latest project telling the story of Michigan, An American Portrait.

This Podcast was produced by the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan with support by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Alison Watson is the Director of the Michigan Arts & Culture Council, the statewide government arts agency providing funding and support to all of Michigan’s 83 counties. On this podcast, we’ll talk about the strategic vision for the council moving forward, and the state of the arts in the Fresh Coast state.

This Podcast was produced by the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan with support by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Chad Badgero is the Arts Education Program Manager with the Michigan Arts & Culture Council and Stephanie Glazier is a writer working in philanthropy at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. On this podcast, we talk with them about the Rising Leaders program at the statewide arts agency, Michigan Arts & Culture Council, about the benefits and purpose of investing in young professionals in the arts and cultural sector here in Michigan.

This Podcast was produced by the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan with support by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.

JayPitts is a Detroit-based rapper, songwriter and TikTok influencer. On this podcast, we talk with him about his growth and success today… and his journey for getting there along with influence he is having on the youth in Detroit.

This Podcast was produced by the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan with support by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council.

Amanda Holmes is the Executive Director of the Fishtown Preservation Society in Leland, Michigan. On this podcast, we talk with Amanda about the rich history of this collection of weathered fishing shanties, smokehouses, overhanging docks, fish tugs and charter boats that is known as Fishtown. The heart of a commercial fishing village, Fishtown is where we can still see and feel a connection to the long tradition of Great Lakes maritime culture.

This Podcast was produced by the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan with support by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council.

Annie Stout is a multi-disciplinary artist in Midland, Michigan. On this podcast, we talk about her work as a professional artist working in Michigan and her success in coaching others through the creative process.

This Podcast was produced by the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan with support by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council.

Danielle Nelson is the Director of Supportive Oncology at Henry Ford Health and Meghan Winkel is the Healing Arts Program Manager and Lindsay Anderson Curator of Art for the health system. On this podcast, we speak with them both about the transformative work they are doing at Henry Ford Health to integrate art into their brand new cancer center, and now, other facilities on the Henry Ford Health campus.

This Podcast was produced by the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan with support by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council.

Meghan Martin is the Executive Director at the Arts Council of Greater Lansing and on the podcast we talked about their work to provide technical support and funding to the arts and cultural environment in Mid-Michigan.

This Podcast was produced by the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan with support by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council.

Bryant W. Nolden is the Executive Director of the historic Berston Field House, and Rodney Lontine, President & CEO at the Flint Institute of Music, but is their intentional partnerships and collaborations that are bringing big and exciting activities to the community in Flint!

This Podcast was produced by the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan with support by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council.

John Bavoso is a playwright bringing his original script to Midland, Michigan for the world premier of MLM is for Murder, and Kathy Pingel is serving as the Dramaturg for this production and with the American Association of Community Theatre. Check out this podcast as we discuss the artistic process in creating an original piece, and ways in which you can take that craft all the way to the stage like they are doing at Midland Center for the Arts.

This Podcast was produced by the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan with support by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council.