ArtPrize

Yes! ArtPrize 2022 – the 12^th year of the international art competition – takes place September 15-October 2. Large-scale installations are viewable as soon as Sept. 13.

ArtPrize extends for 18 days to give visitors the opportunity to see as many of the hundreds of artworks on display as possible.

ArtPrize is open 7 days a week:

• Monday-Thursday: 5-8 p.m.
• Friday & Saturday: Noon-8 p.m.
• Sunday: Noon-6 p.m.

You can find hours for specific venues at artprize.org/maps. Of course, you can stroll downtown to see the many outdoor art installations at any time.

The ArtPrize district spans three square miles of downtown Grand Rapids. Art is displayed in and around museums, parks, universities, retail shops, office spaces, restaurants, breweries, churches and any other space within the district that wants to participate. The greatest concentration of art can be found in the Downtown Convention Neighborhood.

Select sites outside downtown – including Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park and the Gerald R. Ford International Airport – also host ArtPrize entries.

Yes, everyone is invited to the Opening Community Kick-Off of ArtPrize 2022 on September 16, from 7pm-11pm at Calder Plaza.

Final awards will be announced at a Closing Ceremony on September 30 at Studio Park. There will be two more days of ArtPrize after that, so you can make sure to visit the winners.

Yes, it is FREE – there is no charge to see any of the art, wherever it is located.

This interactive map is your personal guide to venues, artists, parking, public transportation, micro-mobility and more. Printed guide maps will also be available at hotels and various other sites.

Everything is worth seeing – but if you have limited time, you might want to check out the large-scale outdoor pieces in city parks, including Calder Plaza, Rosa Parks Circle + Ah-Nab-Awen Park, the Gillett Bridge, MacKay-Jaycees Park, Sixth Street Bridge Park and the Blue Bridge.

Also, visit ArtPrize’s online interactive map for daily updates on which art pieces have been the most “favorited” by visitors – you might want to see the works that are really connecting with other people.

Yes – visit the ArtPrize Education page for details on Education Days, K-12 Digital Education Kits and Community Education Events.

Are you a college student studying visual arts? You are invited to bring your portfolio – whether it’s in the beginning stages or well-polished – to Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University for a review by creative professionals. Sept. 22 from 2pm-6pm.

You do! When you create a ArtPrize Visitor Account, you’ll be able to “favorite” the art pieces you see and like at each location, and the number of favorites helps determine more than 400 daily and weekly prizes from a $175,000 pool.

Another $62,500 in prizes will be awarded by jury experts in five categories: 2-D, 3-D, Time-based, Installation or Digital. This is on top $200,000+ that has already been awarded to artists through grants, and a new $12,500 artist-to-artist award.

The process is a bit different from previous years’. Go to artprize.org/visitorlanding and register for an account. Then you’ll be able to hit a “favorite” button for the artists and art pieces you like. ArtPrize will track favorites to help determine how prize money is awarded.

No, all you need to do is go online to artprize.org/maps to find and “favorite” art.

Yes! The AllArtWorks online art-selling platform will start showing the ArtPrize pieces available for sale starting in early September. Any artwork you purchase can be picked up after the event concludes. 

Absolutely. Check out the ArtPrize Events Calendar and these recommendations:

• ArtPrize Maker’s Market – shop goods from local artists and vendors in the parking lot of the AC Hotel by Marriott Downtown, 11am-7pm every day of ArtPrize.
• ArtPrize Walking Tours – grab a drink and come along for docent-led tour of a curated collection of ArtPrize artists, Fridays 6-7pm & 7-8pm and Sundays, 3-4pm & 4-5pm.
• Voices at Veteran’s Memorial Park – downtown park hosts veteran art, an air show, kid’s crafts, free food and more, Sept. 17 from 10:30-11:30 am.
• The Pigeon Comes to Grand Rapids! ­– a Grand Rapids Children’s Museum exhibit featuring the work of children’s author and illustrator Mo Willems, opens Sept. 17.
• Grand Rapids Film Festival – screenings, a micro-film challenge, workshops and awards at downtown’s Studio Park, Sept. 23-25.
• Brewers on the Calder – 30 local breweries offer tastings in downtown’s Calder Plaza to celebrate the art of craft beer, Oct. 1.
• The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited – showcasing iconic puppets, historic costumes, film & TV clips, and more from the mind of Muppets creator Jim Henson. Opens Oct. 1 at the Grand Rapids Art Museum.

Festivals, performances, workshops, walking tours and more – check the ArtPrize Events Calendar for details.

Follow ArtPrize on social (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) and sign up for the ArtPrize Newsletter for the inside scoop.

The quickest way to get answers is via social media – start by sending a message to ArtPrize on their Facebook page.

You can also drop by the ArtPrize Visitor Center at 40 Pearl St. or the ArtPrize Headquarters at 80 Ottawa Ave.

More than 500,000 visitors typically attend ArtPrize in any given year. That makes it the world’s most attended public art event, according to The Art Newspaper.

Accessible parking spots can be found in all city ramps and lots ­– you can find them on the ArtPrize interactive map, the city’s interactive parking map and this downloadable parking facility map. The maps also show routes for the DASH shuttle, which is a FREE and convenient way to get around downtown – just look for the bright pink buses.

Metered spaces are also available throughout downtown.

“Before You Go” by artists Christian Reichle & Monica Pritchard won the public vote grand prize in 2021. You can see the winners in each category for every year of ArtPrize here.

You bet there will – mark your calendar for Sept. 14-Oct. 1, 2023.