Macomb Cultural & Economic Partnership
MCEP Today
Our current focus is using art and gardens as a link between neighbors and neighborhoods in our community. There are four aspects to this work: outdoor sculptures, pocket park and pollinator gardens, and interactive displays (i.e., Bee Reader).
Outdoor sculptures invite you to stroll the neighborhood looking, touching, and feeling the art of gifted people. This has been a seven-year effort to raise up sculptures in our neighborhood. We have rented, borrowed, and purchased sculptures. Some of the sculptures are places on streets to add interest and to encourage you to explore. Some are grouped in our pollinator park where you can simply sit and enjoy.
We are trying to bring back beauty, nature and fun to the neighborhood that was divided by the failed 1960’s policy of urban renewal to make traffic move faster. We seek to raise up Mount Clemens, our county’s seat, and oldest city.
A Volunteer Board of Directors oversees the activities of MCEP
Julie Matuzak, President
Ed Bruley, Secretary/Treasurer
Kathy Banks, Board Member
Paula Drewek, Board Member
Judy Hartwell, Board Member
Patricia Rabaut Konrad, Board Member
Tim Morse, Board Member
In our small pollinator park, open to all by walking or parking nearby, we focus on planting native plants that encourage pollinators. We hope that neighbors who stroll through the small park will find ideas for native plants to add to their own gardens at home. We have also added some micro gardens around some of the street sculptures that are tended by volunteers.
Finally, we have added some interactive aspects to our pollinator park sculptures. The Bee Reader offers free monthly story and activity paperbacks to take home. Our fun sculptures are perfect for selfies.
This year we added 3D printed concrete sculptures with textured exteriors and with patterns that suggest movement. We encourage you to not just look but to also touch both plants and sculptures. Little ones can do a word/object hunt to find pollinators or native plants in various gardens.
We are making our city fun, beautiful and interesting. All MCEP programming is directed to young people and adults alike. We welcome the opportunity to partner with neighborhoods and communities. Have a suggestion or idea just call (586-783-6008) or email (mcep99@gmail.com) and see what we can do together.