ArtPrize Held in Grand Rapids, Michigan

The first every ArtPrize was held in Grand Rapids, Michigan. ArtPrize is an open art contest where artists and the public can interact. $250,000 was awarded to the winner of this art prize, which was chosen by the public and nearly a half-million dollars in prizes total. ArtPrize runs from the last week of September through the first week in October, with artists from all over the world displaying their work. The first Artprize hosted over 1200 artists in over 150 venues.

ArtPrize 2009 drew in a huge crowd of onlookers despite the rainy and cold Michigan weather. The artists display their works throughout the downtown area of Grand Rapids indoors and out. There were even art pieces displayed in the Grand River. There were over 37,000 voters registered with over 33,000 people voting on their favorite artwork. Anyone 16 and older could register to vote in person at a registration center located downtown. An I.D. was required to vote. Voting takes place electronically either by cell phone or online. The top ten artists are nominated during the first week of competition and the finalists are decided during the second week of completion.

ArtPrize.org has the top ten 2009 winners on their front page, but you can go to Flickr and check out the various artworks that were shown. It truly was an amazing event. The atmosphere was almost carnival like with different interactive artwork and people in costume.

ArtPrize 2010 is sure to be even bigger and better, as the first ArtPrize proved to be such a huge success. Hotels and restaurants will be better prepared to handle the huge crowds that descended. Registration for the 2010 ArtPrize will be opening during the spring of 2010. There is a subscribe box on the ArtPrize website to get updates on the information as it unfolds sent to your email. ArtPrize 2010 will be held September 22 to October 10. It is advised that anyone looking to attend, book your rooms early or you may have to travel back and forth from neighboring towns.

ArtPrize's success was the talk of West Michigan's residents, as this was the most positive thing to happen in West Michigan and Grand Rapids for quite some time. With the gloom and doom of Michigan's economy, having something that was so much fun and exciting going on in our own back yard lifted the spirits of our residents. Big thanks go out to the Dick and Betsy DeVos Family Foundation for their vision at bringing ArtPrize to Grand Rapids and West Michigan.

Source: ArtPrize