The D Brief

Festivals can be an effective way for artists and entertainers to get exposure and build up a fan base — if they understand how the festival business works. Karen Delhey, spokesperson for the the Ann Arbor Art Fair and the Executive Director of the Guild of Artists and Artisans, offers five tips for artists looking to perform at festivals.

Instagram can be a powerful marketing tools for Detroit artists and entertainers…if you know how to use it properly. In this social webinar, Sadie Quagliotto of Hip in Detroit, manages social media accounts professionally for local organizations. She joins us to talk about the most common mistakes she sees with Instagram, and what you should do instead. Sadie is the co-owner/director of Hip in Detroit, a local lifestyle brand that has helped capture everything that makes Detroit special. Over the last 10 years, Hip in Detroit has built up an organic base of followers and become a respected voice within the community through our blog, podcasts, videos, and interviews. Sadie also manages social media and marketing for a variety of Detroit organizations and brands. She teaches others how to get the most out of their social media in private one-on-one sessions and in large class settings.

Now that technology has made it easy for anyone to create podcasts, blogs, and YouTube channels, there are more opportunities for exposure for creatives than ever before. When these opportunities arise, how do you give an interview that will win new fans? Local celebrity interviewer Greg Russell will show you how to be a fantastic interviewee. Greg Russell has been a television and radio fixture in Detroit, Michigan for over 30 years. Greg is the host and producer of the syndicated television show, Movie Show Plus. Greg can also be seen weekly on Live In The D on Local 4 (NBC) Detroit. Greg Russell was also a celebrity interviewer for Getty Images Worldwide. He can also be heard on WJR a.m. 760 on the Paul W. Smith Show. He also has his own show on 910 AM the Superstation which also streams on iHeart radio. He is a celebrity contributor on the national shows Fortune Finds and Notorious which are both seen on Reelz Channel. Greg is a two-time Emmy Award winner and has served as president of the National Academy of Television Arts (Emmy) for the state of Michigan. Greg has also been a board member for the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) both nationally and locally.

The D Brief hosted Detroit's Big Shot talent competition in the fall of 2021. The contest featured musicians, comedians, actors, impressionists, burlesque dancers, sideshow performers, and more. Meet the performer who was crowned the champion: Beatboxer Stevie Soul.

The ability to improvise is an important skill for artists. Like all skills, it has to be developed through practice. Jazz musician and entrepreneur Jeff Ponders II talks to Seth and Becky about how artists can build their improvisational capabilities.

There are many different "lenses" that you can use when looking at the history of a city's culture. For example, you can look at Detroit's history through music, or food, or art. But a lens that people often overlook is cartography -- in other words, looking at Detroit through maps.  Alex B. Hill is the Geographic Information Systems Director at Wayne State University and the Project Director of the Detroit Food Map Initiative. He joins Seth and Becky to talk about what unconventional maps can tell us about Detroit.

Over and over again, we hear Detroit artists ask how they can take their passion and turn it into a full-time business that provides a livable salary. Laura Khalil, host of the Brave by Design podcast and business consultant, talks to Seth and Becky about how artists can make this dream a reality.

Up and coming artists are constantly asking how they can get booked at festivals. Jaime Wilkins is the Entertainment Director and National Stage Production Manager for Jonathan Witz & Associates, and it's her job to put together the lineup for the annual Arts, Beats & Eats Festival in Royal Oak. We asked her what artists who want to get booked should know.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many people, especially artists, to battle with depression. To deal with her anxiety, Catherine Tolbert-Wilson, a recent graduate of Central Michigan University, channeled her energy into the creation of the Good Day Selfie Museum in Ferndale. She talks to Seth and Becky about it.

New technologies are not only changing the way that people consume art, but are also changing the content of the art itself. Award-winning visual artist Wendy Popko designs and and paints outdoor murals. She joins Seth and Becky to talk about how virtual reality has opened up new possibilities for her art.

Often people are reluctant to try a new art form because it seems expensive or inaccessible to newbies. Javier Garcia, the Executive Director of Darkroom Detroit, talks to Seth and Becky about how he is welcoming new people to the art of photography.

Local artists always want to know how they can land a coveted slot performing at a festival. So what gets you the gig? And what turns bookers off? Kristin Lyn of the Hamtramck Music Fest explains what she looks for when putting together a lineup.

Some art forms are easy for newbies to embrace; other art forms can be intimidating for the uninitiated. Chuck Jackson Jr. is the Chairman of the Inclusion and Expansion Committee of the Michigan Wine Collaborative. He talks to Seth and Becky about how he's bringing more people -- and more diverse people -- into the world of wine drinking.

Some artists use their works to share their own stories. Others use their works to tell the stories of other people. Detroit photographer Scott Millington is in the latter category. He talks to Seth and Becky about the techniques he uses he uses to get his subjects to open up in ways that are candid and intimate.

Now free from prison, Detroit's infamous "White Boy Rick" is widely viewed as a victim of an overzealous criminal justice system and the FBI for whom he served as an informant. But that wasn't always the case. When he was sentenced to prison in 1988, Richard Wershe Jr. was incorrectly portrayed by the media as a drug kingpin. Investigative reporter Scott Burnstein, a leading expert in organized crime, spent years researching and writing about Rick's plight. During that time, new forms of media launched, which made it possible for Scott to get Rick's real story out. Scott wrote and produced the documentary film, "White Boy," which debuted at the Freep Film Festival in 2018. But it wasn't until the film premiered on Netflix during the pandemic that it brought international attention to the case. Scott joins Seth and Becky to talk about White Boy Rick and how new forms of media enabled the truth to come to light.

If you want to understand the current state of the Detroit arts scene, you need to know its history. Curator Malika N. Pryor is assembling an exhibition to tell the stories of two black women who were trailblazers in the Detroit arts community: Josephine Love and Dell Pryor. She talks to Seth and Becky about why their work was so important.

Greg Russell has interviewed hundreds of A-list celebrities like George Clooney, Denzel Washington, and Halle Berry for decades. What's the secret to conducting a fantastic interview? He tells Seth and Becky of The D Brief.

It's been tough to keep an existing business afloat during the pandemic -- imagine launching a new one! But Detroiter Lauren Facca did just that. She launched Harpy Liquor with the release of a limoncello based on her family's long-held recipe. And she did it while she being a full-time biomedical sciences student at Oakland University. She shares her story with Seth and Becky of The D Brief.

Some creatives excel in a well-established art forms. Others blaze a new trail. Professor Joo Won Park of Wayne State University is in the latter group. The computer musician, who won the Knight Arts Challenge Detroit and was awarded the Kresge Artist Fellowship in 2020, makes music from unusual instruments. He shares his sounds with Seth and Becky from The D Brief.

Former WDIV Local 4 anchorman Mort Crim is a Detroit broadcasting legend. His autobiography, Anchored: A Journalist's Search for the Truth, is out now. But during his conversation with Seth and Becky of The D Brief, he revealed a few more of his life secrets.

The COVID-19 pandemic gave many Detroiters enough down time to pursue creative endeavors. Teacher DaShuane Hawkins created a card game called It's Up There: The Ultimate Detroit Drinking Game. She challenged Seth and Becky of The D Brief to play.

We know that the COVID-19 pandemic is a historic event that scholars will examine for decades to come. So how do we preserve stories and artifacts from the present to help future historians? Rebecca Salminen Witt, Chief Strategy And Marketing Officer for the Detroit Historical Society, joins Seth and Becky on The D Brief to talk about its new project, “Detroit Responds: Stories from the time of Covid-19.”

How do you train the next generation of Detroit artists and entertainers? Tim Finkel, a teacher by day and comedian by night, is teaching high school students the art of stand-up comedy at Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle this summer. He shares his teaching tips with Seth and Becky of The D Brief.

The live event industry came to a standstill during the COVID-19 pandemic, as Detroit event producers were forced to cancel, postpone, or take their events virtual. What was it like to be an event producer during the pandemic? We asked one of the best. Jon Witz, the producer of Arts, Beats & Eats, the Winter Blast, and Rock 'n' Rides Royal Oak joins Seth and Becky on The D Brief.

These days, there's a lot of debate over what we should teach children in schools about American history. But pop culture -- from television to movies to music -- can also play an educational role. Ederique Goudia, co-founder of Taste the Diaspora Detroit, a food event series that focus on the African Diapsora, talks to Seth and Becky about how she's using food to share and celebrate history with people.

Detroit creatives can learn a lot from each other. The D Brief shares the stories of local artists and entertainers to educate and inspire others in the community. Hosts Seth Resler and Becky Scarcello interview Detroit actors, authors, brewers, chefs, comedians, curators, dancers, DJs, mixologists, musicians, storytellers, visual artists, and more.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the entire Detroit food system, from restaurants to grocery stores to urban farms. In the second season of the Vegetarian Detroit podcast, host Jewell Dziendziel explored the local impact of the pandemic in detail. She talks to Seth and Becky of The D Brief about what she learned.

Often artists and entertainers want to cross into other disciplines: Painters look to try sculpting, comedians look to try acting, or actors look to try directing. But how do you make that leap? Ryan Wiese achieved a level of success as the guitarist for the Detroit band The Satin Peaches, but now he's channeling his creative energy into filmmaking with the short film Pack Co. He shares the story of this switch with Seth and Becky of The D Brief.

Cultural appropriation is a controversial topic in the world of arts and entertainment. When an art form or style has specific ethnic roots, when and how is it appropriate for people from other cultures to partake? Mapate Diop is the co-founder of DIOP, a company that makes streetwear inspired by the African Diaspora. He discusses the issue with Seth and Becky of The D Brief.

Who hasn't toiled away at their day job, all the while dreaming of quitting to pursue their artistic passion? Mike Ward walked away from an advertising career of over 40 years to become a folk singer/songwriter. He talks to Seth and Becky of The D Brief about how he did it.

Like many Detroit artists and entertainers, Melinda Anderson's living prior to the pandemic was entirely dependent on the live event industry. As the Creative Director of Studio M Detroit, she built art installations for festivals and other gatherings. When these events were canceled due to COVID-19, she was forced to reinvent her career. She shares the story with Seth and Becky of The D Brief. 

Detroit chef Kiki Louya, founder of Folk and The Farmer's Hand, competed on season 18 of the reality TV competition, Top Chef, before her elimination in the fourth episode. She talks to Seth and Becky of The D Brief about what it was like to compete on the show during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the number of women performing stand-up comedy has increased in the last few decades, there's still a long way to go before they reach parity with men. The Detroit Women of Comedy Festival at Planet Ant aims to both showcase and educate female comedians. Festival Producer Kate Holmes joins Seth and Becky on The D Brief to talk about the issues facing women in comedy.

When we talk about representation — seeing people who look like you on the stage or screen — we often talk about it in terms of one minority group. But Dearborn writer and director Mike Mosallam is a member of two minority communities. He had never seen his particular story told on film, so he decided to tell it himself in Breaking Fast. He talks to Seth and Becky about the importance of the project.

For over 30 years, Detroit stand-up comedian Steve Sabo made his living by touring comedy clubs. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced him off the road, he wrote a book about what not to do as a professional comedian. Many of those lessons pertain to other performing arts as well. He joined Seth and Becky on The D Brief to share some lessons.

Creatives sometimes struggle with sobriety, and the artistic lifestyle can make that challenge even more difficult to overcome. Detroit musician Greater Alexander, who was named the area's best songwriter by Metro Detroit in 2019, is using the money he's made composing for companies like Amazon, Jeep, and Dodge to build a residence for sober artists. He shares the story with Seth and Becky of The D Brief.

As immigration laws in the United States tightened, refugees were forced to get creative to find work here. When Mamba Hamissi and his wife, Nadia Nijimbere, fled Burundi, they had no intention of opening a restaurant. Now they're using their African eatery, Baobab Fare, to help other immigrants get a foothold in America. Mamba shares the story with Seth and Becky of The D Brief.

Artists often leave Detroit to further their career, heading to Hollywood or Nashville or New York City. Singer/songwriter Raye Williams did just that. Ironically, it was coming back home to Michigan that enabled her to take a leap forward. She shares her story with Seth and Becky of The D Brief.

Small, upscale spaces that rely on being packed with people have been hit hard during the pandemic. Sfumato is a boutique fragrance shop by day which turns into a cocktail bar called Castalia at night. Co-owner Kevin Peterson joins Seth and Becky on The D Brief to talk about how it's changing in response to the pandemic.

With the COVID-19 Pandemic in full swing, local arts and entertainment organizations have been forced to adapt by going digital. But art is one of those things that people like to see in person before purchasing. So how has the KO Gallery in Hamtramck, Michigan, pivoted? Co-founder Nick Pizaña explains to Seth and Becky of The D Brief.

How do you host a dance party when the COVID-19 pandemic has forced social distancing upon everyone? Sam Morykwas and his partner, DJ Seven Whales, figured out how to launch Wednesday Night Vibes, a weekly dance night using Zoom. Sam tells Seth and Becky of The D Brief how it all came together.

How do you expand your art from one medium into another? Sarey Ruden is a visual artist who turns misogynistic messages she receives from men through dating apps into works of art. But when she wanted to explore the issue even further, she crossed into the audio-only world of podcasting. She talks to Seth and Becky of The D Brief about what she learned in the transition.

As an Iraqi-American woman, Weam Namou didn't see stories that reflected her own in pop culture, so she wrote the novel Pomegranate. Now, she's tuning it into an indie film. She talks to Seth and Becky of The D Brief about the experience.

Arts & Scraps is a Detroit non-profit that works with schools to create educational programs involving arts and crafts with recycled materials. But what happened when schools closed and children couldn't come to the Arts & Scraps store? Executive Director Ang Adamiak joins Seth and Becky to talk about how the organization pivoted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 Pandemic is changing the way people think about how they use land — from where they work to how they travel. It's also causing restauranteurs to rethink how they use land. EastEats, a new restaurant voted Metro Detroit's Best Outdoor Dining for 2021 by MLive, is Michigan's first completely outdoor dining establishment. The co-owner, Kwaku Osei-Bonsu, joins Seth and Becky on The D Brief to explain why its use of land is setting a precedent.

In early 2021, The Detroit Historical Society became the first major museum in the area to launch a podcast. Untold Detroit: Beer explores the rich history of brewing in America. The host of the podcast, Billy Wall-Winkel, joins Seth and Becky of The D Brief to talk about the process of creating the podcast. Check out Untold Detroit: Beer wherever you get your podcasts!

Darren Shelton, Executive Director of Planet Ant in Hamtramck, talks about the history of the improvisational theatre and performing arts training center and how the organization is adapting to the pandemic.

Lee DeVito, Editor-in-Chief of the Metro Times, Detroit's alt-weekly paper, talks about the impact that COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter protests have had on the local art scene and local journalism.

Satori Shakoor, founder and producer of The Secret Society of Twisted Storytellers, joins Seth and Becky on the livestream to talk about her upcoming virtual storytelling event, “Black Men Count,” on Friday, June 19th.

Rochelle Riley, the Director of Arts & Culture for the City of Detroit and the former columnist at the Detroit Free Press, joins Seth and Becky to talk about the protests in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.

The the Detroit arts and entertainment scene shut down, Seth and Becky decide to put the podcast on hiatus. But before they do, they talk to longtime friend and contributor Bailey Sisoy Isgoro (now Moore) of Detroit History Tours to see if the past can offer any clues about what the future holds for the Motor City.