from the top...
Move to the Rear, Rosa Parks Bus by Tyree Guyton
1955
Rosa Parks makes history; Tyree Guyton is born.
1967
Detroit Infamous 1967 Civil Unrest (riots) begin.
1986
Guyton founds the HP with wife, Karen and grandfather and mentor Sam (Grandpa) Mackey. Guyton introduces the concept of found object art in his community.
1988
The HP receives national media attention from People and Newsweek magazines. 1989 Guyton receives "Spirit of Detroit" Award. The first children’s program is introduced on Heidelberg Street in partnership with the city of Detroit’s New Detroit program.
Tyree and Grandpa Sam Mackey
1990
Guyton exhibits a one man show at the Detroit Institute of Arts and simultaneously his first solo exhibition at the Ledisflam gallery in New York.
1991
Artist appears on the Oprah Winfrey Show with opposing neighbor Otila Bell. Shortly after, Detroit Mayor Coleman Young orders the demolition of three Guyton house installations.
1992
Grandpa Sam Mackey passes in June. Guyton receives the Governor’s “Artist of the Year Award” from Governor John Engler and is recognized nationally in "Who's Who in Black America."
1993
Jenenne Whitfield joins the Project in June as Executive Director, spearheading renewed activity and direction. City elects Dennis Archer as its new Mayor.
1994
The HP hosts its first official street festival. Council member Maryann Mahaffey and Motown Museum Founder, Esther Gordy Edwards are guest speakers. Martha Reeves performs and Spain Marching Band. Heidelberg Project registers and receives its first three copyrights.
Tyree meets with students for a tour of the Heidelberg Project site
Filming for HBO documentary Come Unto Me, The Faces of Tyree Guyton
1995
Guyton and Whitfield meet regularly with Mayor Dennis Archer to discuss future of the HP. Work begins on a documentary about Tyree and the HP. The HP establishes educational tours of the HP.
1996
Guyton & Whitfield take the HP to Germany. Guyton commissioned to create Soul People, the Shoe House, in Minneapolis MN. A photo exhibition of the HP travels throughout Europe. Guyton is featured in Time and Essence Magazines. The HP begins art and education programs at Bunche Elementary school.
1997
The HP receives its first substantial grant from the City of Detroit Cultural Affairs Dept. for the development of a Cafe and Welcoming Center. In October, certain council members attempt to have the HP demolished. Guyton is featured on “The Today Show.” HP sets up first office in the Motor City Blight Busters headquarters.
1998
The HP is determined to be the third most visited cultural destination in Detroit, with over 275,000 visitors annually and presented on WDIV News Carmen Harlan. Guyton and Whitfield travel to Hungary to share the vision. The HP film, Come Unto Me: the Faces of Tyree Guyton premiers at the Detroit Institute of Arts. The HP legal team files and receives a restraining order issued by Judge Morcom preventing demolition of the HP.
1999
Judge Morcom is not re-elected. Newly elected Judge Hathaway lifts restraining order and within one hour the city begins tearing down part of the HP marking the 2nd demolition of three Guyton house installations on Heidelberg street. HBO in New York licenses the HP, Come Unto me: the Faces of Tyree Guyton for one year. Tyree Guyton and Councilwoman Kay Everett battle it out on Court-TV.
Protest of Heidelberg Project demolitions at Detroit city hall, 1999
Face House is razed during the 1999 demolitions
2000
Guyton and Whitfield take Heidelberg to Harvard University, Three Rivers Art Festival (Pittsburgh), and Ecuador. Detroit’s historic Scarab club invites Tyree to become an Honorary Member. Guyton and Whitfield travel to Ecuador to represent the United States in “Artist in Embassy Program.” The HP’s documentary, Come Unto Me: the Faces of Tyree Guyton, wins 10 awards locally, nationally and internationally including Honorable Mention at the Sundance Film Festival and an Emmy Award.
Tyree Guyton’s Open House installation at the Detroit Institute of Arts, 2001
2001
Tyree is invited to the Detroit Institute of Arts' celebration of Detroit's 300th birthday to create a house installation entitled Open House. Guyton is commissioned by Pelham Art Center to create an installation in Mt Vernon NY where Guyton proposes to Whitfield. September 11th shocks the world. In October Guyton and Whitfield return to NY for wedding and make the NY Times Society Page.
2002
Kwame Kilpatrick elected mayor of Detroit (known as the first hip hop Mayor). Tyree Guyton is commissioned by the City of Detroit Cultural Affairs Department to participate in the City of Detroit’s historic Thanksgiving Day Parade with an artistic-styled garbage truck on wheels called “Tic Tock on the Spot.”
2003
Guyton receives the Wayne County International Artist Award from the Wayne County Council for Arts, History & Humanities. Idea commences for the development of the House that Makes Sense. Guyton exhibits in NY in a show called D’troit. The HP introduces takes it vision to suburban school, Scotch Elementary where over 700 children paint Faces of Scotch.
2004
Guyton travels to Australia for his biggest project to date, Singing for that Country, spearheaded by internationally renowned performance artist Aku Kadogo. Heidelberg Project receives three-year commitment for support from Hip Hop mogul, Russell Simmons of Rush Philanthropic in NY. HP moves its office to Franklin Wright Settlement.
2005
The HP wins the Silver Medal Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence (Cambridge, MA). Guyton has solo exhibition at the Charles Wright Museum of African American History, An American Show.
2006
The HP celebrates its 20th anniversary with an international “Connect the Dots” festival directed by Aku Kadogo (Australia). Work begins on a multi-authored book published by Wayne State University Press entitled, Connecting the Dots, Tyree Guyton’s Heidelberg Project. Guyton exhibits An American Show at Michigan State University Law School.
Connect the Dots 20-year anniversary celebration takes place on Heidelberg street
2007
Connecting the Dots, Tyree Guyton’s Heidelberg Project wins two awards, the Michigan Notable Book Award, the Eric Hoffer Award. Wayne State University and Guyton wins Joyce Award celebrating the 20th anniversary of the HP. Guyton exhibits at Western Michigan University and receives a Pollock Krasner award. Young Adults of Heidelberg (YAH) program is introduced.
Students from Clark Preparatory Academy visit the Heidelberg Project in part of the ACE2 program (ACE2 launched 2008; Photo taken 2012)
Tyree Guyton installs Invisible Doors sculpture at Wayne State University
2008
Businessman Dave Bing contributes metal for new Guyton sculpture, Invisible Doors installed on the grounds of Wayne State University. The HP represents the United States in the Venice Architectural Biennale, Venice, Italy. Guyton’s one man 20th anniversary exhibition travels to the Marshall Frederick Sculptural Museum in Michigan. Council President, Ken Cockrel, Jr. becomes Mayor following Kilpatrick scandal. Bunche School Closes. HP launches the Art, Community and Environmental Education (ACE2) program in Detroit schools. ACE2 serves more than 600 students over the course of the next three years.
2009
Guyton receives one of 20 inaugural Kresge Fellowship awards. Guyton’s exhibits at the McColl Center for the Arts, Charlotte, NC. Guyton and Whitfield embark on a five-city European tour sponsored by Daimler Financial. Guyton creates an installation at Handwerk Vocational School in Bolzano, Italy. Heidelberg receives first major grant in 12 years from the Erb Family Foundation. In May of 2009 Guyton receives an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Art (DOFA) from the College of Creative Studies in Detroit Michigan. Dave Bing elected new Mayor of Detroit.
2010
Guyton receives 2009 Community Leadership Award from Wayne State University. Guyton exhibits a one-man exhibition in Switzerland (Bern). Following the decline of the auto industry, the HP leads a new resurgence of art in Detroit. The Oprah show contacts the HP to explore 25 years after Guyton’s 1991 appearance. Heidelberg receives major support from the Kresge Foundation and the Community Foundation for Southeastern Michigan. HP Emerging Artist program begins.
2011
Guyton invited to Basel to serve a prestigious one-year residency at the Laurenz Haus, founded by Maja Oeri and Hans Bodenmman. As a special bon voyage, The Erb Family Foundation commissions “the Heidelberg Suite,” an original jazz composition by notable Detroit Jazz artists featuring Marcus Belgrave.
Street Folk installation by Tyree Guyton for Art X Detroit
2012
The HP makes the front page of Crain’s Detroit Business after Williams College revealed that the HP pumps 3.2 million dollars into Detroit’s Wayne County region and 2.4 million to Detroit proper—on a modest budget of $410k. Opponent of the HP for 25 years, Otila Bell, joins forces and becomes a supporter. Guyton and Whitfield lecture in Aix en Provence, United Kingdom, & London (Ont). The HP receives support from Rauschenberg Foundation.
Tyree Guyton salvaging items after fire at the Obstruction of Justice House on Friday May 3, 2013 (Photo by Paul Sancya, AP)
2013
Guyton/Whitfield invited to Bochum, Germany to give keynote address at a conference “This is not Detroit.” The HP experiences arson for the first time in its history—an unprecedented 8 fires beginning in May through Dec 2013. Mike Duggan elected Mayor of Detroit (first Caucasian mayor in nearly 40 years). The Number House gift shop opens on Heidelberg street.
2014
Four more fires rock the HP site, bringing the total number of arsons to 12. HP board and staff struggle to hold the organization together. Guyton receives awards by the National Conference of Artist and the Michigan Chapter of the American Institute of Architecture (AIA). Whitfield lectures at the AIA’s annual retreat and receives first standing ovation in the retreats history. The HP launches the One313 Workshops, a series of drop-in workshops for youth. The POST-HAB gallery opens inside the Number House and hosts its first rotation of exhibitions.
2015
Two exhibitions are held at the University of Michigan in honor of the HP’s 30th anniversary at the University Michigan Museum of Art and the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies. Tyree is invited to represent the US in the Shenzhen Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism (China) where he and Jenenne create Power to the People, a large-scale house installation. Guyton partners the James and Grace Lee Boggs school to transform a blighted home adjacent to the school into the House of Stars. Tyree introduces a new artistic vision for Heidelberg Street. Bloomberg Philanthropies joins Heidelberg’s list of supporters.
2016
The Heidelberg Project introduces a new vision called Heidelberg 3.0. Tyree receives a second honorary doctorate (Humane Letters) from the Ecumenical Theological Seminary. Chrysler UAW awards Tyree/The Heidelberg Project for 30 years of artistic excellence. The Heidelberg Project receives formal recognition by the state of Michigan declaring the month of December, Heidelberg Project month. Led the reactivation of the McDougall-Hunt community group which led to the McDougall-Hunt Neighborhood Association. Tyree Guyton is commissioned to create “Gold Street” mural in part of Murals in the Market and exhibits “Face-ology” at Inner State Gallery.
2017
The HP sets off a media blitz in June after denial by the Detroit Land bank to purchase lots it maintained for 30 years. The HP collects 2500 petitions in support of land purchase. City of Detroit opens its doors for conversation. Renovations begin on the Number House, one of two iconic installations standing after the fires of 2013/14, Heidelberg purchases its first headquarters in the community featuring a 7,000 sq. ft. bldg., a residence and six adjacent lots. Tyree's mother, Betty Guyton, enters eternal life on September 25th, 2017. Guyton is commissioned to create The Times for Monument Lab in Philadelphia.
2018
A historic turn of events, the HP and the city of Detroit enter into an agreement evidenced by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in January 2018. The Heidelberg Arts Leadership Academy (HALA) launches a pilot phase with four schools surrounding the McDougall-Hunt neighborhood. The HP partners with global digital agency Isobar to create a walking tour mobile app. Two major exhibitions of deconstructed works from the Heidelberg Project at the Museum of Contemporary Arts Detroit and SiteLab (in conjunction with ArtPrize) in Grand Rapids, MI. The HP hosts its first ever conference, 360° of Heidelberg.
2019
HP moves into its new HQ and campus located at Heidelberg and McDougall. The evolution of HP is featured in the NY Times Sunday Magazine. Heidelberg Arts Leadership Academy (HALA) students are commissioned to paint a Heidelberg-inspired bus for the Detroit Bus Company. HP hosts an inaugural Heidelburgers pop-up at Heidelberg HQ. Guyton exhibits Love, Sam at Martos Gallery in New York.
2020
HP wins the LCD Berlin SoftPower Destinations of the Year award for ‘Best Cultural Activation.’ HP President & CEO Jenenne Whitfield travels to Germany to accept the award at the LCD Berlin award ceremony, also known as the “Oscars for Museums.” A global pandemic rocks the world. The art environment on Heidelberg street serves as a refuge for people to escape to in uncertain times. HALA activates its first-ever classroom and podcast studio space at Heidelberg HQ. Tyree Guyton installs a large-scale clock sculpture, The Dispensation of Time: A Divine Ordering of Worldly Affairs at Mack Alive in partnership with HP and Wayne State University. Guyton exhibits Tyree Guyton: The whole world on fire at Art Basel’s OVR:20c.
2021
Jenenne Whitfield publishes her very first children’s book, Yeret Nutyog, in honor of the 35th anniversary of the Heidelberg Project. HALA hosts its first-ever Heidelberg Arts Day Camp and launches Navigating Purpose, a career pathways program for 10th-12th grade students. Tyree Guyton is recognized by the City of Detroit as an inaugural recipient of the Detroit ACE Honors, a lifetime achievement award for artists and art patrons who have contributed 25 or more years of service to Detroit arts and culture.
2022
Let Go to Let Grow: In 1993 Jenenne Whitfield founded the Heidelberg Project organization as a 501c3 non-profit to support the artistic vision of Tyree Guyton and the art environment he began in 1986. Jenenne lead the organization, as its founding Executive Director, and eventually CEO/President, until stepping down at the end of July 2022 to become the new Director at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore. Under Jenenne’s direction the HP organization grew and changed many times, and has fostered countless community and youth serving programs, building off Tyree’s original vision to heal that community through art. We are forever grateful for the time, energy, love, and fight that Jenenne brought to the first 29 years of the Heidelberg Project organization and we look forward to the next 29 years as we stand on her shoulders. Thank you, Jenenne!
