Artbeat was hosted by Rob Maniscalco, a gallery owner, portrait artist and art educator. Maniscalco brought a unique point of view to his journeys with the artists. He explored their creative processes, cutting through the perceived pretensions, peeled back the layers to expose the artists as people, following them through the birth of an idea to creating their art, all the while examining their motivations and methods. Artbeat allowed the artists to express themselves not only through their work but their way of being. Maniscalco takes you along on the sometimes wild, always enlightening ride for a 30-minute perspective of the artists in their own personal space, not a gallery or a museum.

The hit PBS series from the mid-2000’s is back and available for purchase in two beautiful collector’s edition boxed sets. For two glorious seasons, 2003-2005, WTVS – Detroit Public TV, produced 36 amazing episodes of Artbeat.
Artbeat is for everyone from the seasoned collector to the student searching for his/her own voice as an artist. Find out how Detroit’s most innovative artists channeled their creative energy into some of the most powerful, original work found anywhere since! Artbeat is a truly fresh look at the artists’ world. Host, Robert Maniscalco, is not afraid to ask the questions on all of our minds; he’s not afraid to have fun in his quest to reveal the workings within the serious world of art. He goes to the heart of the creative spirit, from a glass blower to a kickboxing painter to a found-art fish fanatic.
The area’s artists represent a wide range of media, work and notoriety. The creation of art is second nature to some viewers while others are mystified by the creative process. Artbeat takes a up-close and personal look into the lives of Detroit’s best artists.