Sterling Heights previews cultural exchange, upcycled wind-turbine public art and May 1 community-center opening

Sterling Heights City staff announced local cultural and public-art plans Tuesday, including the 27th annual Cultural Exchange March 7 and two upcycled wind-turbine art pieces that will be installed at the new community center and nearby garden.

The nut graf: The Cultural Exchange is a longstanding community event featuring music, dance and food from many area cultural groups; city staff also described two public-art pieces made from retired wind-turbine blades that will serve as functional seating at the new community center and the community garden/butterfly conservatory scheduled to open May 1.

Assistant City Manager Dale Duajakowski said the 27th annual Cultural Exchange will take place March 7 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the community center and is free; a suggested donation of $1 will help fund future events. He listed cultures to be represented, including African American, Albanian, Bulgarian, Chaldean, Filipino, German, Hispanic, Indian, Iraqi, Irish, Italian, Macedonian, Polish, Scottish, Slovakian and Turkish groups.

Duajakowski also described two commissioned public-art works made from retired wind-turbine blades: a covered swing measuring approximately 96 inches wide by 36 inches deep and about 80–86 inches tall, and a bench roughly 44 inches wide by 66 inches deep. The pieces will be delivered primed and ready for painting; city materials say artists will complete painting by April 28, and the works will be promoted through city channels. Duajakowski said the community garden and Butterfly Conservatory in James C. Nelson Park are set to open May 1.

Ending: City staff directed residents to the Sterling Heights public-art page at sterlingheights.gov/publicart for more details and said the Cultural Exchange will feature food, music and cultural displays with overflow parking available across the street at the library/police parking lot.