All aboard the Artrain


“I initially became interested in art in elementary school.” Debra Polich of Artrain said. “That interest carried me through high school and college. Art was my way of exploring and discovering the world outside of normal class work.” Debra attended Eastern Michigan University with the goal of majoring in theater and costume design, however, she came across the new Arts Administration program and knew she’d found her niche. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Arts Administration in 1986, and has continued her education toward her master’s degree in Arts Management and Non-profit Certification from Eastern Michigan University. “I was certainly a non-traditional college student because I paid for my education out of my own pocket.” She said. “Unfortunately that meant I had to pull back from time to time until I could earn the money to pay for classes.” This particular tenacity would serve her well in her future in the arts.

Artrain is a non-profit organization dedicated to delivering art and cultural exhibitions and educational programs to under-resourced communities throughout the country. Founded in 1971 by E.Ray Scott, former Michigan First Lady Helen Milliken and other visionaries of the Michigan Council for the Arts, Artrain originally utilized the American rail system to deliver art exhibits, but today, uses various means of transporting exhibits and cultural outreach and engagement programs to towns, villages and cities everywhere. Since its inception, Artrain has consistently delivered outstanding art exhibits and won the National Medal for Museum Service award in 2006, and has exhibited the works of artists such as: Elizabeth Catlett, Dale Chihuly, Willem de Kooning, Robert Indiana, Jacob Lawrence, Dan Namingha, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Robert Rauschenberg, Norman Rockwell, Andy Warhol and James Wyeth.

It’s more than exhibiting art, though. “Artrain’s mission is to use the power of the arts and culture to transform lives, organizations and communities.” Debra explained. “We work hand in hand with the communities we serve, we don’t just show up.” Realizing that engaging the entire community was necessary to the success of any project, Artrain has developed a community-building program to help local hosts reach across sectors and involve others within their community while developing a local cultural capacity that would last long after the exhibit. “We really have become a catalyst for community development and it’s wonderful to see the ways in which those communities continue to work together long after we’ve left.”

There are certainly ongoing challenges in the field. “As a society, people in the United States do not value art and culture.” Debra explained. “There is the misunderstanding that it’s an elite field, when the reality is that art and culture is everywhere and in everything we do. Art is in the images and photography we see and the music we hear every day. Art’s intrinsic value is that it helps us deal with the world around us.” As is true of most non-profit organizations that have an impact on their communities, Artrain is under-resourced financially. The non-profit categorization is a misnomer because while finances are not their resource engine, non-profits are businesses and comprise a large industry. “We’re loyal to the communities and states in which we reside and employ many people within those communities.”

Community involvement and service is an important aspect of Debra’s character, personally and professionally. In addition to serving as the president and CEO of Artrain since 1993, she also serves on the boards of ArtServe Michigan, Arts Alliance of the Ann Arbor area, the Ann Arbor Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, and served as co-chair of the Washtenaw County Cultural Plan and arts leader for Ann Arbor Success project. She’s taught Art Management and is a member of Eastern Michigan University’s School of Arts and Sciences Resource Development Board and the Master’s of Public Administration advisory board, and has served on the boards of numerous non-profit arts and community organizations.

Art really has become her life beginning with her internship and eventual managing director and interim executive director positions with the Michigan Theater Foundation to her tenure at Artrain. “It’s really been about helping others have access to and involvement with art and culture so they can discover and foster their own interests.”

If you have found this story interesting, informative or inspiring please let Debra know! You can contact her at 734-747-8300 ext. 701, email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or visit the website at www.ArtrainUSA.org.

By Mary Runser