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Cool City. Hot Art.
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"Few cities anywhere do more to celebrate creativity than Michigan's second largest Metropolis," reported Men's Journal in a 2011 profile of Grand Rapids. It's true - the city has long been a mecca for those who create art and those who appreciate it.
In fact, the symbol of the city is a work of art: Alexander Calder's "La Grande Vitesse" sculpture. Roughly translated as "The Great Swiftness," evoking the Grand River that runs through downtown, the sculpture stands 54 feet long, 43 feet high and 30 feet wide. It was installed in front of City Hall in 1969, where it still stands, and its likeness appears on everything from letterhead to street signs to garbage trucks.
Known simply as "The Calder" to area residents, this was the very first civic sculpture jointly financed by the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) and private funds. It ushered in a new era for art in Grand Rapids and inspired our annual Festival of the Arts celebration, which encompasses 10 city blocks surrounding the Calder and is attended by a half-million people every year.
Today, Grand Rapids is a destination for every kind of art - from visual to performing, from traditional to cutting-edge. It's also forged a new model for the business of art. Creative people come here to attend Kendall College of Art & Design, which in addition to fine arts instruction is known for the quality of its education and alumni in furniture and industrial design. This is the center of the office furniture industry and the birthplace of such iconic designs as the Herman Miller Aeron Chair and Steelcase Think Chair. Several area employers have joined together to create GRid70, a collaborative think tank in which designers and staff from different corporations rub shoulders and draw inspiration from each other.
GRid70 has helped reinforce the city's status as a creative center - and it's one more reason Grand Rapids is a magnet for the "creative class."
Outdoor Art
Downtown GR is a feast for the eyes, with sculptures, murals and historic buildings on virtually every corner. Just a few minutes away, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park features large-scale sculptures in stunning natural settings. Download a walking map of downtown art and take the GR Tag Tour of significant sites.
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ArtPrize
The world's richest, most radically open art competition takes place every autumn in Grand Rapids. More than 1,700 painters, sculptors, performing artists and other creative types display their work around the city for all to see - and everyone votes on who will win the $350,000 prize money. Discover more about ArtPrize here.
Museums
Take a walk on the cultural side: the Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids Public Museum, Grand Rapids Children's Museum, Gerald. R. Ford Presidential Museum and Urban Institute of Contemporary Arts are all within a ten-minute stroll of each other in downtown GR.
Performing Arts
Professional ballet, opera and symphony companies, several outstanding community theatres, and two mega-capacity performance venues ensure a steady stream of top-flight entertainment - from Lady Gaga to La Boheme. Check the performance schedule for your stay.
Contemporary Art
A vital contemporary art scene begins with downtown's Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts and extends to the Grand Rapids Art Museum and various art neighborhoods. Thousands of residents regularly participate in grand-scale art experiments like "chalk floods" and "zombie walks."
Live Music
A thriving local music scene finds expression in clubs and bars throughout the city, from live jazz nights to "acoustic stews." Outdoor concerts run the gamut from free "Blues on the Mall" events in downtown GR to a Summer Concert Series on the lush grounds of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.
Culture Pass GR
See more for less! Culture Pass GR offers exclusive specials and discounts at more than 20 area institutions. Get a free Culture Pass when you book select hotel packages.
Art of Fashion
Kendall College of Art & Design offers a fashion design degree in partnership with New York City's famed Parsons School for Design. Local designer Pamela DeVos creates clothing for some of the world's most famous women, while homegrown boutiques like Renee Austin dress local women in designer wear.
Galleries of Art in our Neighborhoods
Local artists ply their trade and sell their work in distinct creative hubs around the city, including Avenue of the Arts, East Grand Rapids, Eastown and Uptown. Check out area galleries.
Get Cultured in GR packages
Get cultured in Grand Rapids with a FREE culture pass giving you discounts and special offers to many West Michigan arts and cultural organizations.
Culture Pass GR
September 29, 2011 – September 30, 2012
Amway Grand Plaza Hotel
Includes the breakfast buffet at Bentham's for up to 2 adults and 2 children 12 and under registered under the same room, one Culture Pass Grand Rapids, self parking in the hotel ramp and use of the Plaza Fitness Center.
- Booking Method
- Visit Their Website
- Dates Unavailable
- 12/31/2011
Culture Pass Package
September 29, 2011 – September 30, 2012
Country Inn & Suites East Beltline
Includes our hot and cold deluxe breakfast buffet, two tickets to the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, a Culture Pass with discounts to over 20 other Grand Rapids cultural locations.
- Booking Method
- Call Hotel Directly
Culture Pass GR
September 29, 2011 – September 30, 2012
Courtyard by Marriott Downtown
Includes hot breakfast for 2 adults and 2 children 12 and under registered in the same room in The Bistro, one Culture Pass Grand Rapids and self parking in the hotel ramp for one vehicle.
- Booking Method
- Visit Their Website
- Booking Code
- CUE
- Dates Unavailable
- 12/31/11
Culture Package
September 29, 2011 – September 30, 2012
Holiday Inn Express Grand Rapids Southwest
Spend the night at the Holiday Inn Express Grand Rapids Southwest, enjoy the Free Hot Express Start breakfast in the morning, indoor pool, and receive one Culture pass per room booked. Room rates vary on time of the year.
- Booking Method
- Call Hotel Directly
- Dates Unavailable
- Not valid on Holidays
Culture Pass GR
September 29, 2011 – September 30, 2012
Homewood Suites by Hilton
Get Cultured in Grand Rapids! Book select hotels for a FREE Culture Pass giving you year-round benefits to exclusive discounts and special offers to many West Michigan arts and cultural organizations.
- Booking Method
- Call Hotel Directly
Culture Pass GR
September 29, 2011 – September 30, 2012
JW Marriott Grand Rapids
Includes breakfast buffet for 2 adults and 2 children 12 years of age or under registered in the same room at six.one.six, one Culture Pass Grand Rapids and self parking in the hotel ramp.
- Booking Method
- Visit Their Website
- Booking Code
- CUE
- Dates Unavailable
- 12/31/11
Culture Pass GR at the Radisson Riverfront Hotel
September 29, 2011 – September 30, 2012
Radisson Grand Rapids Riverfront Hotel
Starting at $123.00, package includes our Full Hot breakfast buffet at The Landing Restaurant for up to 2 adults and 2 children, one Culture Pass Grand Rapids, and all hotel amenities including complimentary on-site parking and hi-speed internet access.
- Booking Method
- Call Hotel Directly
- Dates Unavailable
- December 31st, 2011
