The Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce is making good on its promise to captivate the community with another street art project.
More than 150 renderings have been submitted by various artists for “Have a Ball in Grosse Pointe,” a project that will bring a colorful conglomeration of two-foot spheres to the Pointes.
Lena Duffy’s “Rocket Ship Ball”
Since launching the program in 2012, the chamber has introduced a variety of street art to the community, from fish and dogs to butterfly benches and giant hearts (the frogs were someone else’s idea).
“We started doing it every three years,” said Jennifer Boettcher, chamber president and executive director. “It’s been widely successful. After a project has been gone for a year, people start asking when the next one is coming. So we’re excited to ‘Have a Ball in Grosse Pointe.’”
Boettcher was bouncing around a few ideas for this year’s project when she spotted a beautifully decorated sphere during her travels. The concept stuck.
The chamber put out a call for artists late 2023, which was met with a variety of responses. Artists who’ve participated before were quick to sign up; new artists who participated in The Pointe’s Art Festival last summer also submitted proposals.
“The artists have really embraced this idea,” Boettcher said. “There’s such creativity. Every time we do this, they get better and better with the creativity and talent.
“… The artists range from children and high school students to people of all ages,” she noted. “It’s not limited to professional artists.”
Added Chamber Membership & Events Coordinator Abigail Turnbull, “When you have the dog, you make it look like a dog, but a sphere can be anything.”
With binders full of renderings at their fingertips, Boettcher and Turnbull now are soliciting sponsorships, which cost $1,600 or $3,000 and come with various perks.
Anne Detamore’s “Eden”
World of a Sponsor, the top sponsorship level, allows the sponsor to keep the sphere at the end of the project.
Orbiting Sponsors must return their sphere after the project so it may be auctioned off.
“It doesn’t have to be a business,” Boettcher said. “Businesses, residents and even people not from Grosse Pointe have been sponsors. But we do ask that you have it placed in front of a location in Grosse Pointe. That’s the point — to increase foot traffic and awareness of the businesses here. We hope it brings people in to shop, dine and spend money in Grosse Pointe.”
Once sponsors are lined up — the deadline is Monday, April 8 — artists can get their balls rolling. A kickoff party, during which sponsors have the chance to meet their chosen artists, takes place in May.
Completed spheres will dot the Grosse Pointe landscape beginning in June and stay on display throughout the summer.
The chamber will provide maps featuring every sphere location and sponsor so those interested can scope them out.
“We want to encourage people to get out and enjoy the summer months, the summer weather, and see the spheres,” Turnbull said.
Ryan Steiner’s “Lake St. Clair Sunset Sail”
Past street art projects have prompted residents to record their visits, which the chamber also encourages. For example, Boettcher said, one resident and his dog visited every dog and heart sculpture and took videos at each stop.
Another resident took photos of her niece and nephew at 40 butterfly benches and compiled the photos into a book for her sister’s 40th birthday.
“Take photos, take videos,” Boettcher said. “We’ll share them with everyone.”
Once the street art project concludes, the spheres not outright purchased by sponsors will be collected and put up for auction in September, bringing this year’s street art project full circle.
For more information or to become a sponsor, email info@grossepointechamber.com or call (313) 881-4722.
Karen Lynn Berg’s “Endless Hues”