With six weeks of free, drop-in programming June 26-August 6, there is something for everyone. Teens are welcome daily, Monday- Thursday from 2-6 PM. Come every day, join for a few weeks, or just attend on the days you want.

Starting the week of May 4th, the Blake Transit Center will be moving to Fifth and Washington due to construction.

Click below for more information about how this impacts Neutral Zone teens and families.

At Neutral Zone, we are grateful to provide youth with a place to authentically be themselves, to belong, and be celebrated.

At a gathering last year, we were honored when an NZ teen told us we were doing just that.

“I’d like to say a few words about my experience here …

Hundreds of supporters packed the Neutral Zone on Saturday at NZ Engage and raised over $20,000 for programs! Deepest thanks to all of you who attended, listened, funded and celebrated our teens and their project ideas

Submit digital versions of your art to this juried opportunity using the form below. Selected works will be printed on vinyl stickers and put on the van. Imagery should reflect Neutral Zone’s values and/or community in some way. Artwork from any area high-school age teen welcome.

At our NZ Engage event last November, teens pitched their project ideas of what they dreamed of doing this school year.  And our community listened to their ideas and funded them.  Here are some highlights from those projects this year.

The N Zone podcast is now LIVE! This year, teens at the Neutral Zone launched the N Zone a new podcast for youth voice. Youth leaders Nick and Aiden Runchey worked to conceptualize, write, record, and release podcasts for three episodes

Thank you, City of Ann Arbor for recognizing Neutral Zone for its LGBTQ+ community as we enter Pride Month. NZ Youth leaders Juniper Rooze and Aiden Runchey accepted the award and spoke about the upcoming NZ Rainbow Resistance Project.

Several teens involved at Neutral Zone have been recognized for their community leadership as Washtenaw County Young Citizens of the Year.

“It was a rare opportunity to have the expertise provided by the engaged staff, the permission to pursue the wackier ideas we had, and the resources to execute those ideas at a professional level. I learned so much at the Neutral Zone about leadership and communication, as well as professional-level technical skills in the behind-the-scenes aspects of the music industry.”

“I wouldn’t be who I am without the zone,” stated Sterling Field, now a Senior Research Specialist at Michigan State. “The experiences I had there have been invaluable, and they are still with me.

Click to read more

Make a donation today to support Neutral Zone’s mission to be a transformative, youth-driven community where youth embrace their power, ignite their creativity and launch their future to build equity, justice and collective liberation.

“Not only does Neutral Zone help you to uncover your passions, it gives you resources to pursue them. It provides teens with the opportunity to walk away from the space and enter adulthood independently, with new-found knowledge of themselves, discovered at Neutral Zone.” - Jayla Fields

"The prize uplifts our youth as creative artists and leaders in our community” - Lori Roddy, Neutral Zone executive director. Click to read about Neutral Zone receiving this incredible honor

Enormous thanks to filmmaker Toko Shiiki who created this 12-minute film to commemorate Neutral Zone on our 25th Anniversary. Take a peek for a look into Neutral Zone programs, events, alumni and our leadership over the years.

The Neutral Zone is celebrating 25 years!

It has been 25 years of creating a vision, finding a home, building our skills, developing structures, and facilitating program opportunities for thousands of youth in our community to thrive.

Did you use to hang out at Neutral Zone when you were a teen? Or did someone in your family? Your donation from now until the end of the year will be matched, doubling the impact you can make for teens! Just use the link below or send us a note along with your favorite method of giving and we’ll make sure to double your donation. Thank you!!