Arts-Based Community Development Convening
Transforming Post-Industrial Cities through Art and Innovation
April 12 through 14, 2012 - St. Louis

Aaron Timlin

Executive Director + CAID (Contemporary Art Institute Detroit)

Panelist - 10:30am, Thursday, April 7th – Alt Development : Feral & Virtual Spaces to Fuel Creativity

Executive Director, Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit (CAID). Timlin coordinates and implements a variety of public programs, events, and exhibitions for the 29-year-old nonprofit organization and has been integral in the effort to revive arts and culture in Detroit. In 1998, Timlin purchased abandoned warehouse space and opened Detroit Contemporary Art Space to rave reviews. He successfully ran and operated the popular exhibition and performance space for more than five years before becoming executive director of the Detroit Artists Market. During his tenure there, Timlin effectively doubled exhibition art sales and grew membership four-fold. He interned under the curator of contemporary art at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City in 2003, assisting with the international exhibition “The American Effect.” He has served as a juror for the Art Gallery of Windsor, Canada; ArtServe of Michigan; Rhode Island State Council; and Central Michigan University’s annual student exhibition. Timlin has been a featured speaker for the California College of Art, Wayne State University, Central Michigan University, Cranbrook Academy of Art, and the Canadian Consulate, and has taught at the College for Creative Studies. He has served on the boards of the Detroit Artists Market, the Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit, and Art on the Move; and the advisory boards for Detroit Synergy Group, Detroit Film Center, and the Forum for Contemporary Art for the Detroit Institute of Arts.