Publication select ▼
FARMINGTON HILLS — At its meeting Sept. 8, the Farmington Hills City Council issued a proclamation for the 25th anniversary of the city’s Cultural Arts Division, recognizing its impact on the community.
Current and former staff and volunteers with the Cultural Arts Division were lauded for their work, as were former and current members of the Farmington Area Arts Commission.
“Art and recreation aren’t enrichment — they are life,” said Nancy Coumoundouros, retired cultural arts supervisor for the city of Farmington Hills.
Coumoundouros started the Cultural Arts Division in 2000, inspired by residents saying they wanted to see more art around town.
She recalled her interview with Dave Boyer, the director of Special Services at the time. He asked about her vision for the Cultural Arts Division.
“I want to make this the biggest, best cultural arts division in the state,” she recalled saying. “(Boyer) laughed, because at the time there were no art classes or places to hang art.”
In those early days, the Farmington Concert Band would perform on a show-mobile in Heritage Park where Coumoundouros worried the musicians would fall off the platform or it would break, and more than 170 kids would perform at a local gym with no dressing rooms or backstage area.
Today, such performances are now held at The Hawk, a state-of-the-art facility. More than 20,000 people attended concerts there last year.
City Councilwoman Jackie Boleware is the current liaison for the Farmington Area Arts Commission.
“I love this commission,” Boleware enthused before reading the proclamation. “The City of Farmington Hills has one of the largest municipal art divisions, which has played a vital role in shaping a vibrant community with award-winning programs.”
Coumoundouros retired in 2014 and passed the leadership baton to Rachel Timlin, who has led the division ever since.
“In Farmington Hills, art and cultural programming are considered essential services,” Timlin said.
Timlin described how the programs, which span all ages from toddlers to adults, have been the deciding factor for many families choosing Farmington Hills to live. She also described how teens who once felt isolated and alone found a sense of belonging when they participated in the theater program.
Timlin also cited a study released by Americans for the Arts that found art inspires and enhances creativity that contributes to personal and professional success.
The arts help individuals to cope during stressful times and provide shared experiences that unite different people, she said, and cities that support art and culture are seen as more desirable places to visit, work and live.
“We in Farmington Hills have known this to be true for years,” Timlin said.
The Farmington Area Art Awards 2025 will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Cultural Arts Division and the achievements of the 2025-2026 Farmington Area Art Awards recipients. The event is 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4 at The Hawk located at 29995 W 12 Mile Rd, Farmington Hills, in the Blackbox and Mainstage Theatres.
Other award recipients will also be recognized. Admission is free but reservations are required.
For more information, visit https://app.arts-people.com/?show=289536.
You May Also Be Interested In
