Friends of Prints, Drawings & Photographs

 

Our group is dedicated to supporting the activities of the Department of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs and to developing the DIA collection. Each year a schedule of varied educational and social programs is created around the many exhibitions presented by the department and from the museum’s collection of 35,000 prints, drawings, and photographs.

Openings, previews, lectures, specialized gallery tours, workshops, and dinners are among regular activities, as well as trips to great art destinations in the United States and visits to artists’ studios and private collections. Proceeds from all our events are channeled into the Forum's Purchase Fund to make significant acquisitions for the DIA collection.

Founded in 1966 as The Drawing and Print Club, this auxiliary remains strong with a membership of over 200 individuals. Its first name change to The Graphic Arts Council was adopted in 1988 to reflect and to embrace the collection of photography, and then the Forum for Prints, Drawings & Photographs in 2007. In 2015, the name became the Friends of Prints, Drawings & Photographs, which truly clarified its interests.

To belong to this group requires nothing more than to care for works on paper on any level. Since its inception, the FPDP has supported the commissioning of prints and photographs which are offered for sale exclusively to the membership. Over the last decade, Summer Soirées has become a much anticipated, enjoyable staple which generates great camaraderie and significant funds for major acquisitions of prints, drawings, or photographs for the DIA. Encouraging and stimulating collecting among its members is as important to the PDP mission as building Detroit’s collection.

An annually elected Board of Directors drawn from the ranks of the membership administers all the Forum’s programs. We wish to remain a vibrant, creative, and vital part of the art community but we can’t do it without you. Please consider joining today.