After finally reopening in a new Grand Rapids location this fall, The DAAC staged a New Year’s Eve celebration of community and the arts. Get the back story, plus photos from Kalamazoo’s New Year’s Fest.
Sign of the Future: The DAAC aims to be a community resource. (Photos/Anna Sink)
SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOS: THE DAAC, NEW YEAR’S FEST, MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK
Support our coverage of
West Michigan's music scene
New Year’s Eve welcomed in all things new and refreshing, including a celebration of The DAAC’s new Grand Rapids location — a revamped venue set to usher in a new era for the all-ages art space.
Revelers on Friday gathered to close out the venue’s first season of shows at 1553 Plainfield Ave. NE, with a bill that featured Fruit Punch, Jes Kramer and Silent Spirit.
“We are so thrilled to be in the Creston neighborhood and to offer some programming for the residents here based on their input. It’s been exciting to have former and new patrons come through and see their enthusiasm,” said Charity Lytle, a committee member at The DAAC, formerly known as the Division Avenue Arts Collective.
The DAAC was forced from its longtime home on Division Avenue in 2013 when the building was sold. It later reopened temporarily at 333 Rumsey St. SW, before finally acquiring the structure on Plainfield Avenue in 2019 and renovating the space.
The DAAC stages its first show in the new location on Sept. 24 with performances by Igor Storm and Sky Creature, part of a free series sponsored by Grandville Avenue Arts and Humanities and supported by the Grand Rapids Neighborhood Match Fund. It allowed the venue to pay performers while offering free admission.
“So many people have complimented the new space which makes us all feel proud of the time and energy we’ve all put into it. We’ve had 12 music shows and our fourth art installation is going up next week,” said Lytle.
“We hosted our first art market a few weeks ago and tried various programming efforts with an open art studio and family art nights.”
More volunteers have been getting involved and taking on initiatives at The DAAC, she added, a “thrilling” catalyst for the volunteer-run venue.
For Kramer, “playing with Silent Spirit and Fruit Punch (on New Year’s Eve) made for a super fun lineup. I was so glad to see everyone masked up and dancing together. I was especially grateful to play my first live show in almost two years at the DAAC, not only because of how much that space means to me, but because the DAAC board has been really careful about COVID precautions and accessibility.”
Jes Kramer (Photo/Anna Sink)
Looking ahead, The DAAC will continue to host monthly art installations through July, as well as monthly public meetings that take place every third Sunday of the month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The venue presents two more free shows in January: Jamon and Windbreaker Moses on Jan. 14 and Bloody Pickups on Jan. 28. The all-ages venue currently has a maximum capacity of 45 individuals due to COVID-19 precautions; masks are required. (View information about band bookings at The DAAC online at thedaac.org/music-booking.)
“We’d love the DAAC to become more of a community space and the Creston Neighborhood Association has helped us advertise within the community. We are all excited for more artists and musicians to come in and run the DAAC,” said Lytle.
“There are so many great ideas out there and folks who want to make something happen in the arts community. We’re excited to see those ideas come to life as the DAAC was created to be a place for people to try new things.”
PHOTO GALLERY: The DAAC
Photos by Anna Sink
PHOTO GALLERY: Kalamazoo New Year’s Fest (Downtown Kalamazoo)
Jake Kershaw, Zion Lion, Ada LeAnn, Tyler Roy, FlyLiteGemini, BLT Jazz Trio, Fake Baseball
Photos by Derek Ketchum
PHOTO GALLERY: Motion City Soundtrack, All Get Out at The Intersection
Photos by Benjamin Howell
