Media Contact:
Amy Stearns – Project 412, Executive Director
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 218-844-4221 ext.122
Online: Project412mn.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Project 412 Welcomes Clayton Ryan as Artist in Residence
(Detroit Lakes, MN – January 16, 2026) – Project 412 is excited to welcome alt-country performer and emerging Midwestern songwriter Clayton Ryan as its newest Artist in Residence. The residency will bring Ryan and a rotating special guest artist to the Detroit Lakes area each month through June. Made possible by an Arts Midwest GIG Fund grant, the six-month residency will feature free concerts, songwriting workshops, and community outreach in the Detroit Lakes area and surrounding Minnesota communities. The local outreach efforts will be led by the Historic Holmes Theatre.
“It is Project 412’s mission to “Do Cool Stuff,” and that includes expanding access to live music while showcasing up-and-coming talent to a broader audience.” says Amy Stearns, Executive Director for Project 412.
Minnesota native Clayton Ryan is made of a different kind of soil. Building his career the hard way, without streaming buzz, label backing, or financial support, he has honed a powerful, homegrown voice by winning fans one stage at a time in honky-tonks and venues across the country. A seasoned songwriter, performer, and multi-instrumentalist, Ryan’s work has appeared in TV and film, including NASCAR, Walker, NFL Sunday Night Football, and The Outdoor Channel, and he has shared stages with artists such as John Michael Montgomery, Jo Dee Messina, Collin Raye, Flatland Cavalry, and Liam St. John.
SAVE ALL THE DATES!
- JANUARY – Free Concert! Clayton Ryan with Sammie Jean Cohen, Thursday, January 29 at 7:00pm at Bucks Mill Brewing
- FEBRUARY – Free Concert! Clayton Ryan with Laura Hugo, Thursday, February 26, at 7:00 pm at Zorbaz – Detroit Lakes
- MARCH – Clayton Ryan with Molly Brandt (Flight Notes), Saturday, March 14 at 7:00 pm at the Historic Holmes Theatre. Ticket purchase required.
- APRIL – Free Concert! Clayton Ryan with Maddie Thies, Thursday, April 23, at 7:00 pm at CornerStone – Frazee
- MAY – Free Concert! Clayton Ryan with Ryan LittleEagle, Saturday, May 30, as part of the Detroit Lakes – Street Faire at the Lakes
- JUNE – Free Trucks & Tunes Concert in Detroit Lakes City Park! Clayton Ryan & the Clayton Ryan Band, Thursday, June 18 at 6:00 pm
These projects are supported in part by Arts Midwest, which receives support in part from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
About Arts Midwest: Arts Midwest amplifies Midwestern creativity, building community and opportunity across our region. They support, inform, and celebrate arts organizations and creative communities in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, the Native Nations that share this geography, and beyond. Learn more at artsmidwest.org.
About Project 412: Project 412 was created with the dream of making Detroit Lakes and the surrounding 412 Lakes Area an even better community by making waves and thinking outside the box with amazing ideas. Learn more at Project412mn.org.
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