Cities and municipalities
Festival series, Juneteenth celebrations, arts crawls and placemaking that align culture with economic development and resident pride.
Event production and cultural programming · Southeast Michigan
Irma Hayes
Cities, venues, booking agencies, galleries and artist teams trust me to make events happen. I handle the logistics, find the answer when something breaks, and bring the relationships to get it done. Twenty years, and the people I have worked with keep calling back.
Trusted by and serving with
- Michigan TasteFest
- City of Harper Woods
- City of Pontiac
- Michigan Municipal League Foundation
- Pontiac Arts Commission
- Dirt Road Gallery
- Leadership Detroit
Events and programming across
- Detroit
- Southfield
- Hazel Park
- Lake Orion
- Rochester
- Lathrup Village
- Flint
- Grand Blanc
- Clio Amphitheater
What people say
REAL QUOTE 1
REAL QUOTE 2
REAL QUOTE 3
Who I work with
Few people are trusted in all of these rooms. I am, and that is what saves you time.
Venues, clubs and bars
Programming that fills rooms: talent research, booking, staging and the details that keep nights running smoothly.
Booking agencies and artist teams
Local and national talent coordination, technical riders, and honest read on what works for a Detroit-area audience.
Radio and media
Former radio announcer. I know how to tell the story, shape the campaign and get the word out.
Developers, sponsors and nonprofits
Sponsorship development, grant coordination and community partnerships that make public programming possible.
Galleries and private clients
Curation, openings, showcases and private events with the same care as a large festival.
Why people choose me
Festival and event production
Concept to load-out: staging, lighting, sound, staffing, vendors, permits and budgets.
Talent and artist coordination
Artist research, booking, riders and hospitality for local and national acts.
Curation and openings
Exhibitions and openings featuring local and international artists, at my gallery and abroad.
Cultural strategy and placemaking
Plans that tie arts programming to neighborhood revitalization and economic development.
Campaigns and community engagement
Culturally grounded marketing and outreach that reaches the people you want in the room.
Grants and sponsorships
Funding strategy, sponsor packages and partner development.
Working with me
Anyone can send a proposal. These are the things you cannot learn from a checklist.
Logistics that land
I run rollouts from first walkthrough to load-out: staging, sound, staffing, vendors, permits and budgets, on time.
Resourceful under pressure
Weather, a cancelled act, a permit snag. I find another way and you never have to see the scramble.
A rolodex that opens doors
City officials, venue owners, booking agents, radio and artists. One call to me replaces twenty cold ones.
Trusted and respected
Board Director of the Michigan Municipal League Foundation and former Chair of the Pontiac Arts Commission. People know I deliver.
Dirt Road Gallery
I own and curate Dirt Road Gallery, where local and international artists get real exhibition space. I also curate outside the gallery, including abroad, so the artists I work with reach audiences well beyond home.
If you need a curator who knows how to select work, place it and open a show to a crowd, this is the same craft I bring to festivals and city programming.
Track record
Festivals, concerts and events
- Michigan TasteFest: 20+ years of entertainment programming, artist research and national talent coordination.
- Juneteenth celebrations, Blues Festivals, Pontiac Arts Crawl and City of Pontiac concert series.
- Out of the Box PR (1992 to 2009): public events, artist showcases and sponsorships across Southeast Michigan.
Artists I have worked with
Common · George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic · Teena Marie · John Legend · Brand New Heavies · Randy Scott · Thornetta Davis · Tim Bowman Sr. · Kimmie Horne · DeSean Jones · Jonathan Harris · Oshun Williams
Municipal and civic work
- Harper Woods, MI (2024 to 2026): Deputy Director of Economic & Community Development. Led arts, culture and placemaking initiatives tied to the City Master Plan.
- Harper Woods Community Center Dome (about $2.4 million): helped lead redevelopment and placemaking.
- City of Pontiac Public Relations Advisor (2008 to 2011): municipal communications and public engagement workshops.
Gallery and curation
- Owner and curator, Dirt Road Gallery: local and international artists
- Guest curation abroad
Leadership
- Board Director, Michigan Municipal League Foundation
- Former Chairman, Pontiac Arts Commission
- Co-Chair, OU/Pontiac Initiative
- Leadership Detroit, Class 46
About Irma
I was born in Ohio and found my creative footing after moving to Pontiac, Michigan. Both places shaped me: Ohio gave me my roots, and Pontiac gave me my stage. Before events, I was a radio announcer, a licensed social worker and a United Airlines flight attendant. Those years taught me to communicate, read a room and stay calm when things move fast, and I still start every event with the people. I give area artists a platform, mentor students and emerging talent, and produce events that give neighborhoods something to be proud of.
I have led cultural campaigns and events across Southeast Michigan for more than two decades, and I bring ethical sensitivity and real cultural awareness to every project. Ideas become experiences that last, for the audience and for the artists.
Let's talk.
Tell me what you are working on. The first call is a conversation, not a pitch.