Experience Grand Rapids launched the Discover Tourism Grant Program (DTGP) in summer 2024 to help local residents and organizations create lively, inviting spaces where people want to spend time. We refer to this as “placemaking” – a participatory process that makes a destination more attractive and memorable for visitors while also improving the quality of life for residents. Effective placemaking can significantly boost tourism and enhance community pride.
We’re pleased to introduce the 20 Discover Tourism Grant recipients from our latest application cycle, listed below. It’s the largest and most diverse collection of projects we’ve funded so far, enhancing more public spaces, touching more lives and making Grand Rapids an even better place to live and visit.
All of these projects will be activated in 2026, but some dates have not yet been finalized – we’ll update this article and our Events Calendar as dates are announced. In the meantime, please feel free to forward this article to anyone you think might want to participate in one or more events. They are all designed to engage and connect community!
Have an idea for improving a local neighborhood or community space in a way that benefits residents and attracts tourists? Visit our Discover Tourism Grant page for details – and return to the site in March 2027 to apply for the next round of funding.
This community painting was one of the 2024 grant recipients.
AMP’d Up Summer Bazaar
A one-day creative marketplace and community celebration featuring local makers, artists and entrepreneurs alongside live music, creative demonstrations, mini workshops, and food and beverage tastings. Held at downtown’s Studio Park. Date TBA.
A Place to Sit
An interactive public art installation designed to give visitors a meaningful space to reflect on grief, healing and connection includes a small stage where local artists and community members can share poetry, storytelling, music and spoken word. Date TBA.
BLVCK PAUSE: The Table
A curated community dining experience bringing women from across the Midwest together for facilitated conversation, shared meals and intentional reflection centering the lived experiences of Black women. Oct. 18, 2026.
The Bridge: Midwest Cultural Summit
Bringing together Black and Brown creatives, organizers and spacemakers from Grand Rapids, Detroit, Chicago and beyond, The Bridge will create a space to connect, share resources and build real collaboration across the region. Location and date TBA.
The Creative Palette: The Alter Ego Experience
A one-day, immersive cultural activation in which participants will explore their creative identity through guided prompts, interactive art-making and live cultural engagement, followed by a long-table fellowship brunch. Date TBA.
Creston Pride 2026
Now in its third year, Creston Pride celebrates the LGBTQ+ community as an important part of what makes Creston great. The family-friendly festival includes a parade, live entertainment, food trucks and a vendor market. Sept. 20, 2026.
Eastown Event Series
Due to a loss of government funding, the Eastown Community Association (ECA) is transitioning to a community-supported model for two beloved events: the 28th Annual Bizarre Bazaar (June 20, 2026) and the 53rd Annual Streetfair (Sept. 19, 2026).
Grand Rapids Art Museum: Sunset on the Terrace
Launched in 2025, Sunset on the Terrace features local DJs, emerging artists and a rotating small-business marketplace on the rooftop terrace of the Grand Rapids Art Museum. Free and open to the public, Sunset on the Terrace 2026 kicks off June 11.
Grand Rapids Children’s Museum: Community Art
The Museum is hosting a collaborative mural project to celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2027. A local artist will lead workshops with children to generate a mural concept and design, and then facilitate child participation in mural painting. Activation Date TBA.
HAS HEART Veterans Fashion Show
HAS HEART Coffee Shop will host a community-driven fashion show at Veterans Memorial Park in downtown GR during ArtPrize 2026. The event will highlight original designs created by wounded and disabled veterans, and provide a platform for healing. Date TBA.
Heartside Public Mural: Studio Park Corridor
A new public mural within the Studio Park corridor will draw on the Heartside community’s rich history of arts, entertainment and gathering to transform an overlooked space into a point of exploration. Activation date TBA.
Keep Bouncin!
This free outdoor music activation series runs 2-3 Sunday afternoons in July and features DJ-led continuous music, a dance floor, food trucks and public restrooms. Downtnown location and dates TBA.
Menopause Documentary
A film exploring the lived experiences of Black women and women of other marginalized identities navigating menopause, which tends to produce more severe and longer-lasting symptoms for them – yet they’re less likely to receive appropriate care. Date TBA.
Radical Hospitality
Supporting newcomers, residents and visitors who are still finding their place in Grand Rapids. The Radical Hospitality program transforms the experience of relocation into one of connection, inclusion and belonging. Activation date Aug. 12, 2026.
RESIDE @ MUSE
A 4-week immersive artist residency hosted at Leonard St. art gallery Muse GR. A resident artist will live, work and lead eight-public facing experiences onsite in the Muse Art House loft above the gallery. Activation date TBA.
Roosevelt Park Community Garden Beautification
This initiative will install mulch pathways, add educational signage and create a colorful mural on the garden shed at Roosevelt Park. A local artist will design and guide the mural, and locals will be invited to contribute to the artwork. Activation Date: May 29, 2026.
Rooted in Community Greenhouse
HOPE Gardens is building a new greenhouse in Wyoming, creating a central space where community members can gather, contribute and take part in growing plants for schools, homes and community gardens. Activation Date: May 8, 2026.
The Silent Soul Experience Series
Using silent disco technology, participants can listen, move and connect without overwhelming noise in three formats: a picnic-style activation at Studio Park, nature-based experience at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, and indoor lounge at 1530 Event Space. Activation Date: Aug. 14, 2026.
Urban Garden Bus Tour
Jade Rabbit’s Urban Garden Bus Tour brings together neighbors, school families, faith community members and local food advocates to share experiences across the city’s growing sites. Activation Date: Aug. 1, 2026.
Voices of Return
An immersive cultural experience centered on the narrative of women whose travels to Africa have shaped their identity, creativity and perspective. Visitors will engage through storytelling, cultural food, textile interaction, artmaking and a curated African Diaspora soundscape. Activation date TBA.
