Arts & Culture

This Friday many of us head into a three day weekend that marks the unofficial end of summer. We might mark Labor Day with a family picnic, one last summer visit to the beach, or maybe with a mad scramble to get that last bit of school preparation done. But what is Labor Day really for? Joining us to take a look is Michigan Radio’s Political Analyst, Jack Lessenberry.

Organizers and artists are working hard to get everything done in time for opening day later this month.

The winner of the art competition gets $250,000 in prize money. Organizers claim it’s the world’s largest art prize.

People who visit Grand Rapids during the event determine the winner through online voting.

President Obama will be in Detroit Monday, September 5 to speak at the city's annual Labor Day festivities.

Aretha Franklin will sing at the event which will be free and open to the public.

More from the Detroit Free Press:

The event will be held at General Motor’s parking lot adjacent to the Renaissance Center on Atwater Street.

The gates will open at 10 a.m. for Obama’s speech, which is expected to begin at 1:15 p.m. The public should expect to go through airport-like security and should bring as few personal items as possible. No bags, sharp objects, chairs, umbrellas, liquids or signs will be allowed inside the speech area.

When something big happens in your life, sometimes you just have to get it out.

Talk to a friend. Share it with your family, or just shout it out loud.

You know, express yourself a little.

Expression through song writing and production are skills that the organizers of Studio on the Go hope to teach kids in Michigan.

Kyle Norris reports the program "travels to schools and community centers in Flint, Grand Rapids, and Kalamazoo":

Kids use computers and keyboards to make music and beats and then they write lyrics about their lives, and finally record the songs. Kids are given a topic to write about, like "education," “making it” and "family"... The results are songs about their personal struggles along with heartfelt tributes. Some kids sing about what it’s like to have someone they love die or to have a family member in jail. Instructors say the kids learn a combination of technical skills along with life skills.

Michigan Radio's Multimedia Producer Mercedes Mejia and Reporter Kyle Norris put this video together about the program:

If Studio on the Go came to your town, what would your "making it" or "family" song be about?