Miah J. Davis Gardner, Executive Director

miah@detroitartistsmarket.org

With over a decade of experience, Miah J. Davis brings a dynamic blend of artistic expertise and nonprofit management to her role. Davis received her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Painting from Wayne State University, where she honed her artistic skills and developed a deep-rooted belief in the transformative potential of arts education. Throughout her career,  Davis has been a passionate advocate for the multifaceted skills that artists acquire in an academic environment and how they can be applied and leveraged across various career paths.  As the Director of the DAM, Davis is committed  to nurturing and supporting artists as entrepreneurs, providing members with the necessary educational resources,  platforms, and opportunities, and creating pathways for young artists to see themselves reflected in the organization.

Davis previously held roles at Wayne State University, the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, College for Creative Studies, and BasBlue. Outside of work, her hobbies include ornamental horticulture, researching new developments and trends in philanthropy, and sharing her love of North America’s only marsupial, the Virginia Opossum, with anyone who will listen.

Kelly Farrell, Assistant Director

kelly@detroitartistsmarket.org

Kelly Farrell is an arts administrator based in Detroit, MI. She is passionate about creating opportunities for artists and supporting Detroit’s creative community. As Assistant Director at the Detroit Artists Market, Farrell oversees day-to-day operations and exhibition services, while also leading program development and community impact initiatives. She values building meaningful relationships with artists, patrons, and community partners and seeing new, emerging artists thrive.

Farrell holds a Master of Arts in Arts Administration from Wayne State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from Rollins College. Prior to joining DAM, she played a key role in developing and coordinating an interdisciplinary Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) program at Wayne State, supporting arts-integrated learning across departments.

Outside of her professional work, Farrell enjoys traveling, experimenting in the kitchen, and spending time with her two cats and black lab (sometimes he visits the gallery).

Hayla Hay, Gallery Manager

hayla@detroitartistsmarket.org

Hayla Hay is an artist, writer, and arts administrator based in Detroit, Michigan. She currently serves as the Gallery Manager at the Detroit Artists Market (DAM), where, for the past four years, she has supported the city’s creative community through exhibitions, artist development, and programming.

Hayla earned her BFA in Painting and Photography, with a minor in Art History, from Wayne State University. Primarily working in painting, her artistic practice draws from mythological iconography and folklore to create new rituals of seeing, feeling, and believing.

In addition to her creative and administrative work, she made her curatorial debut in 2024 with GIRLHOOD at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit—a group exhibition inviting inclusive dialogue around the complexities of coming of age across diverse lived experiences—and Nest: Reflections of Safe Spaces at CCS Center Galleries, which delves into the profound human need for sanctuary—places where one feels nurtured, loved, accepted, and shielded from harm.

Outside of work, Hayla is an insatiable reader, a collector of vintage clothing and cameo jewelry, and a seeker of all things whimsical. She still dreams, occasionally, of running away to the circus.

Amara Murphy, Gallery Assistant

amara@detroitartistsmarket.org

Amara Murphy is a recent Wayne State University graduate, receiving her BFA in Photography and minor in Art History. She received her associates in science from Oakland Community College in 2022. She brings an interdisciplinary perspective to her creative work, shaped by both scientific inquiry and visual storytelling. She is also a 2025 Kresge Gilda Award recipient.

Murphy served as a curatorial intern at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, where she supported exhibition research. In 2025, she was selected for the McMullan Family Foundation Summer Intensive at the Art Institute of Chicago, collaborating on a research-based exhibition proposal, Invisible Labor, which focused on design and labor behind works with unknown artists. She has a passion for community engagement in the arts and making art spaces such as museums and galleries more inclusive.

Outside of work, Murphy loves creating jewelry, taking nature walks, and picking up new art hobbies.

Charlene McNary, Bookkeeper

Mike Kearns, Art Installer