The Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series at the University of Michigan
The Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series brings respected leaders and innovators from a broad spectrum of creative fields to the historic Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor. Events take place Thursdays at 5:30 PM unless otherwise noted, and are free, non-ticketed, and open to the public.
In partnership with Detroit PPBS and PBS Books, each week’s events will be released online the following Friday at 8pm on this page, and on the Penny Stamps Series Facebook page for on-demand viewing. Some programs may not be available online, depending on artist requests.
Fall 2025 Season
Catherine Chalmers | Watch Now: Catherine Chalmers blends art, science, and nature to explore humanity’s complex ties to the environment. Her latest work examines beetles, wildfires, and trees, revealing both beauty and loss to inspire deeper care for Earth’s fragile ecosystems.
Friday, September 19 at 8 p.m. – Roberto Lugo: Roberto Lugo uses clay to challenge high art traditions, highlighting racial injustice and celebrating Black and Latino culture. His works blend history and storytelling, reclaiming ceramics to center voices long missing from the art world’s narrative.
Friday, September 26 at 8 p.m. – Dana Miller and John Yau: Curator Dana Miller and poet John Yau come together to discuss Carmen Herrera and Leon Polk Smith’s abstract art and lasting friendship, featured together for the first time in the exhibition Both Sides of the Line.
Friday, October 3 at 8 p.m. – Rhiannon Giddens: Rhiannon Giddens, Grammy winner and MacArthur “Genius,” blends folk roots with bold innovation. As Silkroad Ensemble’s Artistic Director, she champions overlooked Black musical histories, creating powerful art across opera, TV, podcasts, and festivals.
Friday, October 10 at 8 p.m. – Gary Graham: Fashion designer Gary Graham designs small-batch collections inspired by history and antique textiles. His artistic practice includes site-specific work and museum installations that bring hidden histories and forgotten stories to life.
Friday, October 17 at 8 p.m. – Émilie Monnet: Émilie Monnet creates interdisciplinary theatre blending memory, history, and love. Founder of Onishka Productions, she centers Indigenous voices globally, directing acclaimed works like Marguerite: le feu and Uvattini, bridging cultures through performance.
Friday, October 24 at 8 p.m. – Mario Moore: Detroit-born Mario Moore blends painting and sculpture to challenge American history’s gaps. Through rigorous research and skilled craft, he reclaims Black narratives, merging beauty and truth to honor overlooked lives and reshape cultural memory.
Friday, October 31 at 8 p.m. – Jacob Collier: Jacob Collier, Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist and genre-bending visionary, inspires millions worldwide with his joyous, boundary-pushing music and collaborations, uniting audiences through warmth, creativity, and radical inclusivity.
Friday, November 7 at 8 p.m. – Lucy McRae: Lucy McRae blends art and tech to explore human evolution and future realities. Through speculative design and narrative prototyping, she challenges how emerging tech like CRISPR reshapes identity, reproduction, and society in a rapidly engineered world.
Friday, November 21 at 8 p.m. – Eddie Opara: Eddie Opara blends strategy, design, and tech across brands, exhibitions, and digital media. His innovative work is in MoMA’s collection, earning top honors. As a senior critic at Yale, he shapes future designers with clarity and cultural insight.
Friday, November 21 at 8 p.m. – Narsiso Martinez: Narciso Martinez, a former farmworker, creates powerful portraits on discarded produce boxes. His art highlights the dignity and struggles of agricultural laborers, using found materials to expose the hidden stories behind America’s food system and labor exploitation.
Friday, November 28 at 8 p.m. –Â Marshmallow Laser Feast:Â MLF blends art, science, and tech to create multisensory journeys that blur reality and imagination. Their immersive work spans galleries to the metaverse, exploring our ties to the living world through research-driven stories that shift perception and expand connection.
