We’re finally gathering!
When we first planted the seed for Kintsugi Village, we sat with our community and listened. We invited neighbors, nonprofits, artists, educators, dreamers into the process and asked a simple question: what’s missing?
One answer came up again and again—there aren’t enough spaces to gather.
Spaces for neighborhood groups to meet.
For nonprofits to learn from each other.
For teams to reconnect.
For people to simply be together.
So we set out to build them.
And this month, something shifted.
We didn’t just imagine gathering—we did it.
And we’re learning a lot.
Nonprofits and fellows need space to learn, be inspired and reconnect.
We hosted Challenge Detroit’s Leadership Fridays, welcoming fellows from across cohorts—years one through thirteen—into the same room. Over 70 people gathered on our second floor for the very first time. They learned from one another, created bowls for the Empty Bowls Project and shared stories across generations of leadership.
It was a great reunion.
Creativity needs a stage—and a community to cheer it on.
Detroit Design Core and ArtPrize came together for the first time to celebrate the creative communities of Detroit and Grand Rapids. Five artists. Five pitches. Five judges. A $10,000 award. One winner, Sarah Adnan.
Nearly 100 people filled the space—listening, snacking, connecting, moving to great music and showing up for bold ideas. The work was imaginative and expansive and one artist will now bring their vision to life.
It reminded us that when you create the right environment, creativity multiplies.
Art brings us together in quiet, powerful ways.
As part of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA)—a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and advancing the field of ceramic arts through education, exhibitions, and community—we gathered with ceramic artists from across the country and around the world to debut our very first gallery exhibition. In partnership with artist, professor and curator Brian Kakas, we honored 15 artists and their work over 15 days.
The closing reception on March 27 was a celebration of art, process and community.
But one of the most meaningful moments happened earlier—when we brought our Kintsugi kids into the gallery. They learned how to see without touching. Their curiosity filled the room in a way that felt just as important as the art itself.
Here’s what we’re learning:
People are hungry to come together.
Not just to attend something—but to experience something.
To break bread.
To learn.
To feel.
To belong.
In a world that can feel rushed, divided and sometimes unkind, we’re bringing kindness back.
This week, we shared meals.
We toasted to one another.
We experienced art through the eyes of children and the community.
We felt good energy—real, human, imperfect and alive.
As VML revealed in their “The Future 100: 2026” trends report, there’s something deeper taking shape—a quiet return to imperfect beauty and spaces that feel truly lived-in, textured, and real. There’s a growing pull toward immersive experiences, where art, food, learning, and wellness naturally intertwine and a longing for community that goes beyond simple transactions into something rooted in connection and belonging. We’re seeing people gravitate toward ritual and seasonality too, gathering in ways that follow the rhythms of nature, culture and creativity. And through it all, there’s a renewed appreciation for small, meaningful moments—the kind that linger with you long after they’ve passed.
This is what Kintsugi Village was built for.
And we’re just getting started.
As we continue, we’ll be hosting more ways to gather—to experience the arts, share meals, take a class, explore the pocket forest and community garden, or give back through volunteering. Our retreat and rental spaces are designed to welcome groups both small and large, from intimate board meetings to immersive leadership retreats.
Let’s be with each other.
If you’re interested in our gathering spaces, please feel out our interest form here.
