The 18-day event will welcome 1,000 international artists to Grand Rapids to compete for awards, while activating world-class displays and programming at 200 venues across the city. This year marks a return to significant ArtPrize prize money totaling more than $400,000 and up to an additional $200,000 in various artist grants.
A Celebration of Art & Culture
With fresh energy, new collaborations, and a full slate of cultural experiences in the pipeline, ArtPrize will feature a robust calendar of destination happenings for visitors and locals to enjoy. Brought together by The City of Grand Rapids, Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. (DGRI) and Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University (KCAD), and a host of significant donors, marquee moments will include daily ArtPrize-produced and community-led events.
"For nearly 15 years, ArtPrize has consistently drawn hundreds of thousands of artists and visitors to Grand Rapids as venues, parks, and public spaces are electrified with art, murals, activations, immersive experiences, and activities." said Whitington. "With a rejuvenated ArtPrize, we are honoring its legacy while ushering in a new era for the event and fostering a profound commitment to the arts community."
Recognizing & Supporting Artists
Artists displaying works during ArtPrize will compete for a selection of prizes – the Public Vote, with $125,000 awarded to first place, $50,000 to second and $25,000 to third, and the Juror Competition. For the Juror Vote, a hand-picked committee will recognize the artists who exemplify excellence in their medium in the following categories: 2-D, 3-D, installation, time-based and digital. Each category winner will be awarded $20,000 and ArtPrize will recognize a second artist from each category as Honorable Mention.
Committed to supporting and engaging contemporary artists from underrepresented communities, ArtPrize returns with expanded representation and increased prizes of $15,000 each through the Visibility Awards, which recognize contemporary Black, Indigenous, Latino, Asian and LGBTQIA+ artists who excel in their craft. Additionally, artists are eligible to apply for grants totaling $200,000 to help artists produce work, underwrite their participation, and help them realize ambitious works at ArtPrize.
Registered artists can connect with preferred venues to display their art. Likewise, venues can connect with artists to curate their spaces. Ultimately, the artists and venues work together to activate spaces throughout the Grand Rapids core. Bustling street corners, civic spaces, galleries, restaurants, bars and salons and everything between create a playful and vibrant canvas across the cityscape. In addition to displaying their art, artists will find opportunities to sell and market their art, find curated educational opportunities, and enjoy artist-focused networking and hospitality events, all while engaging attendees and the community.
As part of its mission to create accessible and meaningful conversations about art, ArtPrize is also investing heavily in education by creating opportunities for more than 10,000 regional students to experience and engage with art during the event, while generating content that will be used to drive a year-round arts curriculum in conjunction with the Grand Rapids School District.
Artists interested in learning more can attend ArtPrize's upcoming information sessions on May 12, 2023 (2:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m.), May 19 (4:00 p.m.- 6:00 p.m.) and June 2 (4:00 p.m.- 6:00 p.m.). The sessions will be held both virtually and in-person at 40 Pearl St NW #200, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. To RSVP, please email [email protected].
For more information about artist registration, the competition and experiences, please visit artprize.org.
About ArtPrize:
ArtPrize is an annual, international art festival and competition in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A celebration of creative ideas, conversations, experimentation and inclusiveness, ArtPrize is free and open to the public, welcoming visual and experiential artists and venues eager to host these works. For 18 days, art is exhibited in galleries, storefronts, parks, museums, speakeasies and in public spaces and at venues of all kinds. The City of Grand Rapids, Downtown Grand Rapids, Inc. (DGRI), and Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University (KCAD) came together to elevate ArtPrize – whose roots reach back to 2009 — with new inspiration for 2023 and beyond. Through a new public/private partnership, this remarkable event for the community is now a remarkable event of the community.
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SOURCE ArtPrize
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