Earlier this year, Anthony and JJ Curis, the co-founders of Detroit-based gallery Library Street Collective, in partnership with neighbors and community stakeholders, launched an ambitious initiative called the Shepherd, a new cultural arts center and part of a neighborhood-wide revitalization project in the city called Little Village. The project comprises two new gallery spaces in the central nave and transept of a historic Romanesque church. The other transept houses the Little Village Library, curated by Asmaa Walton of Black Art Library, and larger installations and performances are staged outdoors in a variety of spaces on the grounds.

The Little Village campus aims to host a variety of exhibitions and workshops, provide studio spaces for artists, and open restaurants and bars within a thriving cultural destination. The current exhibition at the Shepherd, In an effort to be held, presents work by over twenty artists who have developed experimental approaches to material and form. The show continues through October 12.

The grounds of the Shepherd offer more than three-and-a-half acres of publicly accessible green space to the local community. “The Curises have worked closely with the City of Detroit, members of the East Village community, and other neighboring arts organizations to designate this area as Detroit’s next cultural district,” says a statement.

The next exhibition, Grace Under Fire, is a collaboration between Library Street Collective and The Bunker Artspace: Collection of Beth Rudin DeWoody. Presenting work by more than 40 artists, the show opens October 24. Find more on the gallery’s website and Instagram.

All images courtesy of Library Street Collective.