When ArtPrize launched in 2009, I was skeptical. I’d never heard of anything like it (because there isn’t anything quite like it) and couldn’t conceive of the entire concept. Nonetheless, I picked up a map, planned a route, and headed downtown to check it out. Amazed isn’t an exaggeration of how I…
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Grand Rapids area attractions like Grand Rapids Public Museum and Grand Rapids Art Museum acknowledged the changes to at-home learning and have created field trip experiences for individual families, as an alternative to a traditional whole-class field trip. To change up their usual virtual school…
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Two Eagles Marcus is a Rockford-based Indigenous Native American artist from the Red Willow Tribe of Taos Pueblo in New Mexico. He also happens to be someone I’ve had the pleasure of knowing for many years. His work, “Infinity Mountains” is on display at Calder Plaza as part of the annual World of…
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The World of Winter (WOW) Festival has returned to downtown Grand Rapids, bringing art, color, and—frankly—fun in the height of winter. Downtown Grand Rapids, Inc. is the organization behind the festival, and I’ve noticed DGRI’s focus on highlighting local artists, especially women and BIPOC…
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Since it started in 2018, the World of Winter Festival (WOW) has invited all of us to rethink how we “do winter” here in Grand Rapids by filling the downtown with brightly colored artwork to enjoy during the day and night. Grand Rapids-based artist Mandy Cano Villalobos's work is part of the…
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The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) welcomes more than 250,000 visitors every year for a unique experience packed with a variety of cultural attractions. The 1928 Spillman Carousel within the GRPM has been running in the Cook Carousel Pavilion above the Grand River for over 28 years, providing fun…
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The 49507 Project is a liberated public arts project unlike anything that I’ve seen in West Michigan. The Diatribe, a Grand Rapids based nonprofit, partnered with local businesses and artists to raise awareness about redlining and disinvestment in the Southside neighborhoods, and they did so in a…
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Over the early fall of 2021, seven murals created by seven local BIPOC artists came to life in Grand Rapids’ Southside neighborhood. The driving force behind them? The Diatribe Inc., a local non-profit organization whose leadership is intentionally BIPOC and LGBTQ+ and whose mission is to use…
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As the hot humid air gives way to crisp cool mornings, Grand Rapids is ready for its glorious transition to all things fall… and so am I. Not only do the colors of the trees change, but so do the types of events and activities the Grand Rapids area has to offer. If you’ve been wondering what there…
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You can't beat fall in West Michigan. This is my favorite time of year when the trees flaunt their brilliant colors and cooler temperatures prevail. It's also a popular time for locals and visitors to enjoy the Grand Rapids art scene, which blossoms all year long but is especially vibrant in the…
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