EMBARGOED UNTIL: June 17 at 10 a.m.
Host Committee Includes Marc Evan Jackson, Tim Meadows, Sam Richardson, Dax Shepard, Kristen Bell, J.K. Simmons, Diona Reasonover and more.
Detroit, MI — April 8, 2026 — The Children’s Foundation of Michigan and Marc Evan Jackson—actor (The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Parks and Recreation) and Founder and President of The Detroit Creativity Project—today announced the launch of The Coney, a new annual initiative designed to provide immediate funding and build permanent resources for youth arts education across Detroit. The Coney is made possible by the generous support of presenting sponsor, Rocket.
Centered around a celebrity-led homecoming weekend taking place September 25–26, 2026, The Coney will raise funds to both address urgent arts education needs today and establish the Endowed Fund for Youth Arts at the Children’s Foundation of Michigan to support future generations of Detroit youth. Through The Coney, Marc Evan Jackson is leveraging his platform and relationships to bring new support, broader audiences and national attention to Detroit youth arts education.
The weekend will culminate in a star-studded performance at the Detroit Opera House on Saturday, September 26, featuring a host committee of Detroit-native or connected artists and entertainers including Marc Evan Jackson, Tim Meadows, Sam Richardson, Dax Shepard, Kristen Bell, J.K. Simmons, Diona Reasonover and others. The stacked lineup of Detroit talent will bring a high-energy, anything-goes celebration of Motown—music, comedy, unexpected moments and plenty of surprises; one minute it could be Celebrity Motown Karaoke, the next it’s a Coney eating showdown. A limited amount of public tickets will become available June 24 at 12 p.m. ET via the Detroit Opera House. Sponsorship opportunities are still available.
Additional programming includes a first pitch during the weekend’s Tigers game, celebrity visits across the city to engage with youth and a private welcome party on Friday, September 25, bringing together celebrity guests, community leaders, sponsors and supporters. Full cast and additional programming to be announced.
“The Coney is deeply personal for me because I’ve seen firsthand what happens when young people are given the space and support to be creative,” said Marc Evan Jackson. “Through the Detroit Creativity Project, I’ve seen students grow in confidence, find their voice, build community and begin to see new possibilities for themselves and their future. Those experiences reinforced something I’ve believed for a long time: arts education doesn’t just shape artists—it helps shape resilient, creative and connected human beings. The Coney is about making sure more Detroit kids have access to those opportunities for generations to come.”
Building Long-Term Support for Youth Arts
The Coney was created in response to longstanding inequities and funding challenges impacting youth arts education and creative youth development programs in Detroit. To ensure sustained support for generations to come, the Endowed Fund for Youth Arts will be established at the Children’s Foundation of Michigan. While arts education plays a critical role in child development—supporting cognitive growth, communication skills, emotional well-being, collaboration and academic achievement—access remains inconsistent for many young people across the city.
“The arts are not extracurricular to a child’s development—they are fundamental to it,” said Andrew Stein, President & CEO of the Children’s Foundation of Michigan. “Through The Coney and the Endowed Fund for Youth Arts at the Children’s Foundation of Michigan, we have an opportunity to create sustainable, long-term support for Detroit’s young people by expanding access to creativity, expression, mentorship and opportunity. This initiative is about building a future where every child can experience the transformative power of the arts.”
Many youth arts programs operate with ongoing funding and capacity constraints, enrollment-based funding and limited philanthropic support. Transportation barriers, staffing shortages, aging equipment and unstable funding continue to restrict access to high-quality arts opportunities.
The Children’s Foundation of Michigan views arts education as part of a broader commitment to advancing health equity for children and families by investing in the social drivers that shape long-term well-being and opportunity.
Dual Investment Approach
The Coney’s giving model is designed to address both immediate community needs and long-term sustainability through a dual investment strategy:
- Immediate Community Impact: By the end of 2026, grants will be awarded to organizations serving Detroit youth and providing arts education and creative youth development opportunities.
- Long-Term Sustainability: Building the Endowed Fund for Youth Arts, established at the Children’s Foundation of Michigan, to provide permanent annual funding for youth arts education in Detroit.
The initiative is intended to complement and strengthen Detroit’s existing arts ecosystem by supporting organizations, educators and opportunities already serving young people across the city. Funding priorities were informed through conversations with youth, education and arts leaders and nonprofit organizations serving Detroit students. To distribute funds, the Children’s Foundation of Michigan will implement a targeted request for proposal (RFP) process following the event.
Join the Movement
The Children’s Foundation of Michigan and The Coney are inviting businesses, philanthropic leaders and community supporters to join them in establishing this annual tradition that creates long-lasting support for youth arts in Detroit.
For more information about The Coney, sponsorship opportunities or how to get involved, please visit theconeydetroit.org.
The Coney is made possible through the support of our generous sponsors: Rocket (Presenting), William Davidson Foundation, The Skillman Foundation, Four Friends Foundation, Bedrock, Ally, Erica and Ralph Gerson, James Group, Perri Family Foundation, Somerset Collection & The Detroit Shoppe, Amazon, Merrill Private Wealth Management – The Locniskar Pursel Biddinger Nienberg Rochow Vanerian Group, Ashley Capital, Susie and Dr. Jack Baker, Battier Take Charge Foundation, Michelle and David Carroll, Catalyst Solutions Group, Crain Communications, Christine and David Colman, C.S Mott Children’s Hospital, Gretchen and Ethan Davidson, Marjorie and Roy Furman, Marc Evan Jackson & Beth Hagenlocker, Jones Day, Mary Kramer and William Volz, Emily and Jeff Pitt, Drs. Jungho and David Kwon, Mona and Matt Simoncini, Ellen and Bill Taubman on behalf of the A. Alfred Taubman Foundation, and Walker-Miller Energy.
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The Children’s Foundation of Michigan promotes health and wellbeing for children in Michigan through strategic grantmaking, advocacy and fundraising efforts. The Foundation has a legacy of supporting efforts that create more equitable opportunities for kids, stewarding philanthropic funds from Children’s Hospital of Michigan dating back more than 130 years. Today, the Foundation advances the possibilities of philanthropy by building endowment for Michigan’s kids, improving durability of youth-serving organizations and supporting donors in achieving their unique giving goals. Learn more at YourChildrensFoundation.org
The Detroit Creativity Project (DCP) works to empower Detroit youth through improvisation, a performing art that builds confidence and fosters a creative, collaborative approach to life. The DCP was founded by working artists in 2012 to address the gap in access to arts education in Detroit’s public schools. Today, we serve over 1,700 youth annually with free school and community programs that advance performance, literacy, mental health and college and career readiness. Learn more about our programs and the life-changing impact of improvisation at www.dcpimprov.org
About Rocket Companies Founded in 1985, Rocket Companies (NYSE: RKT) is a Detroit-based fintech platform including mortgage, real estate and personal finance businesses: Rocket Mortgage, Redfin, Rocket Close, Rocket Money and Rocket Loans.
With insights from more than 160 million calls with clients each year, 30 petabytes of data and a mission to Help Everyone Home, Rocket Companies is well positioned to be the destination for AI-fueled homeownership. Known for providing exceptional client experiences, J.D. Power has ranked Rocket Mortgage #1 in client satisfaction for primary mortgage origination and mortgage servicing a total of 23 times – the most of any mortgage lender. For more information, please visit www.rocket.com.
