Join us in our adventure through the artistic universes, past and present, of Asia and the Islamic World

Friends of Asian Arts and Culture
Friends of Asian Arts and Cultures (FAAC), founded in 2006, is a group of patrons and friends with an international flavor. Its members are dedicated to fostering appreciation and understanding of the visual and materials cultures that extend geographically through Asia and the Islamic World, and temporally through the Ancient Middle East.

FAAC sponsors five public lectures a year by notable figures in the world of art, architecture, archaeology and the study of religion that reveal our past, analyze our present moment, and anticipate our collective future. All lectures are free to the public with museum admission. 

FAAC also helps to fund the acquisition of works of art for the DIA's permanent collections. In 2007, FAAC contributed to the purchase of three photographs by well-known, Japanese photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto from his Hall of Thirty-Three Bays series (1995). In 2008, FAAC funded the purchase of a bi-folio from a large, 16th-century Qur’an from Egypt. View our recent acquisitions

FAAC members enjoy special receptions that follow every lecture, visits to museums and other collections, and invitations to travel nationally and internationally on exclusive DIA tours. Come and enjoy the company of other like-minded lovers of art, and get to know the curators in the department. We look forward to welcoming you as a member at our next event! 

Members enjoy:
  • Invitations to festive gallery previews
  • Invitations to scholarly symposia and colloquia
  • Invitations to travel to exciting art destinations nationally and internationally on DIA tours
  • Insider’s view of gallery installations and special exhibitions
  • Advance notice of lectures
  • Invitation to post-lecture receptions
Members’ contributions support:
  • Several exciting public lectures each year
  • Acquisitions of works of art
  • Publications about DIA artworks

The Board of Directors, elected annually, is a dedicated group of members who govern the FAAC’s activities including allocating funds for acquisitions, events and programming, community outreach, and fund-raising events. The officers of the Board head committees that provide an opportunity for all members to become involved with planning FAAC activities.

Membership Levels

Membership Level Annual
Individual $50
Family $100
Contributing $250
Sustaining $500
Benefactor $1,000
Major Benefactor* $2,000



Join/Renew Membership

All members are eligible to join the departmental curators on local trips to other institutions, collections and workshops. 
PDF iconFAAC Bylaws 2014.pdf

Members at the Sustaining level and above receive an annual invitation to a special curatorial brunch and private tour of the department’s galleries or collections in storage.

In order to be eligible for membership in the Friends of Asian Arts and Cultures, you must be a member of The Detroit Institute of Arts. For program inforamtion, call us (313) 833-9830.

Officers

Alicia Masse, President

Anita Rajpal, Vice President

Sharon Dow, Treasurer

Dr. Li Hsieh, Co-Chair of Membership

Dr. Mieko Inaba, Co-Chair of Membership

Freda Giblin, Recording Secretary

 

Directors

Jill Best

Elie Boudt

Dr. Song Chae

Dr. Yee-Ho Chia 

Jumana Cooper

Meenu Gulati

Robert Jacobs

Young Ho Kim

Rupali Lunani

David Morrison

Monica Park

Raina Patel

Emmy Peck

Hema Rachmale

David Roden

Carol Stepanchuk

Shiro Tomeoki

Nurten Ural

Dr. David Weinberg

Dr. Jerry Xu

Honorary Directors

Dr. Jiu-Hwa Lo Upshur, Honorary Director Emerita

Staff

Nii Quarcoopome, Co-Chief Curator

Katherine Kasdorf, Curator

Deborah Odette, Development Liaison

Tarya Stanford, Administrative Assistant