PLYMOUTH, Mich.–With support from Community Financial Credit Union, Art Foundation, the nonprofit established by local Detroit artist Tony Roko, has officially launched phase two of its signature Plymouth ArtWalk program.
First launched in May 2021, the project seeks to activate and beautify unused spaces into a curated outdoor gallery. The second phase will feature 10 art installations by Tony Roko in downtown Plymouth.
The $1.5-billion Community Financial Credit Union has donated $50,000 in support of the program’s efforts to use artwork as “the catalyst for community engagement.” The partnership has unveiled the first two installations, both featured in CFCU’s home office in Plymouth, according to the credit union.
The paintings in the initial installation of phase two are “’66,” Roko’s rendition of the iconic Ford Bronco, highlighting Roko’s background as Ford’s artist in residence, and “Cityscape,” Roko’s depiction of the Detroit skyline.
The eight remaining installations are planned for completion by April and will be located in the downtown Plymouth corridor in the alleyways connecting Penniman Ave., Main St., and Ann Arbor Tr. to the parking deck located at 333 S. Harvey St. The project will feature interactive opportunities for the community to engage with the artwork, including a QR code that directs to information about the artwork, Roko’s background, a podcast-style audio tour and more, according to CFCU.
‘Power to Connect Us’
“Through expressing our collective human experience, I firmly believe that art holds the power to connect us. This is where my passion for bringing my art to my hometown stems from,” said Roko. “I’m excited about Community Financial spring-boarding into the future. Our partnership means so much to me because they care so deeply about people and deepening community impact. We are dreaming boldly together.”
Roko’s background began on the line at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant, where he was recognized for his talents and named the company’s resident artist, painting murals in numerous Ford facilities, the credit union explained. Now, as one of Detroit’s most renowned and successful artists, Roko established Art Foundation in 2017 to provide high-level arts training and arts entrepreneurial training to the most underrepresented populations in metro Detroit, the CU added.
Partnering With ‘Dreamers’
“During my first few months returning to Michigan, I had the opportunity to meet Tony and immediately knew a collaboration was in our future,” said CFCU President and CEO Tansley Stearns. “Tony’s a dreamer and as we bring the impossible to life, partnering with dreamers matters deeply. As a credit union, our philosophies and foundation were born out of the Great Depression to serve humans that are of modest means while shaping their financial dreams. Our purpose is to create joy and ignite Michiganders' impossible dreams, and working with collaborators like Tony and Art Foundation is one way we can achieve this.
“We want to create something remarkable for our members, to experience the CFCU brand through all the senses. With the interactive artwork installations at our home office and hosting Tony as the first guest on our podcast, we are proud to launch new and meaningful engagement opportunities unlike anything the community has seen from CFCU before.”
‘Despite Impossible’ Podcast
In celebration of the launch of the collaboration, CFCU said it has launched the podcast Despite Impossible, which features Roko as the first guest. The credit union said the show focuses on stories of individuals who have defied odds and don't “comprehend the word ‘impossible’.”
Still Free in ’23! The Freshest CU Headlines. Right to Your Inbox.
The biggest, best and freshest news reporting in credit unions remains free in ’23! Each morning CUToday.info delivers its daily update offering the latest headlines and breaking news right to your email, with the easy-to-read headlines format allowing you to click on the stories that interest you most in order to learn more.
If you haven’t yet signed up for the new email solution on which CUToday.info has partnered with ResponseGenius, you can do so here. Signing up requires less than one minute of your time—and it’s free!
Please note that after signing up you may need to go to your Spam/Junk folder and mark the morning headlines email as safe. CUToday.info does not provide its list of readers and emails to outside parties, and we will not be contacting you to sell you an extended warranty or sending you any links so you may cash in on an inheritance you didn’t know was coming.
And did we mention it’s free?
Please note and/or make your IT department or email administrator aware the emails will be coming from the domains CUTodayinfo.com and CUTodayinfoReply.com.