ArtPrize
September 13-28, 2024
Did you know that the world’s most attended public art event takes place every fall in Grand Rapids, Michigan? Since its inception in 2009, millions of people have visited ArtPrize to see thousands of artworks displayed all over downtown.
ArtPrize 2024 doesn’t kick off until September 13, but 1,644 artists from 42 U.S. states and 53 countries have already registered to enter the annual art competition. They’ll display 1,152 different works of art at more than 180 venues across the city of Grand Rapids. These numbers represent the event’s highest participation since 2017, signaling the continued relevance and importance of ArtPrize to the global creative community.
These numbers also offer visitors the opportunity to completely immerse themselves in a dazzling kaleidoscope of artistic expression. You’ll be amazed, entertained, inspired, delighted, moved, challenged and forever impacted by what you see and experience at ArtPrize – whether you’re attending for the first time or the 14th.
Be Part of the Art
You can see yourself in a digital mosaic exhibit at ArtPrize 2024 – and support families who are struggling with the financial burden of cancer at the same time. Upload a picture of your face along with $10 on the FaceFunding website. You can do it today! Funds will also help sponsor grants for ArtPrize artists.
Explore 1 of America’s Best Towns to Visit
CNN named Grand Rapids 1 of America’s 10 Best Towns to Visit in 2024 – and ArtPrize is an ideal time to see why. In addition to the “creative energy” exemplified by ArtPrize, CNN praised the city’s inventive dining scene, thriving beer community, easy access to culture and family-friendly recreation. You can experience all of these within the ArtPrize district, which encompasses 200+ restaurants, 11 breweries, five museums and walking/running/biking trails along one of Michigan’s best fishing rivers.
The ArtPrize district is also hosting a number of concurrent events during the competition, including an African American Art & Music Festival (Sept. 14), Fiesta Mexicana Celebration of Mexican Heritage (Sept. 13-15), GR Margarita Fest (Sept 14), and the Confluence Tech & Innovation Festival (Sept. 20-21). Visit our Events page for a full list of Sept. 13-28 happenings.
Start Planning Today
Mark your calendar for Friday, September 13 through Saturday, September 28 – and start making plans and booking your hotel now to ensure a spot. We’ll see you in September!
FAQ
ArtPrize:
What is ArtPrize?
How long does ArtPrize in Grand Rapids last?
ArtPrize extends for 16 days to give visitors the opportunity to see as many of the hundreds of artworks on display as possible.
How long does ArtPrize in Grand Rapids last?
ArtPrize extends for 18 days to give visitors the opportunity to see as many of the hundreds of artworks on display as possible.
Where is ArtPrize located?
The ArtPrize district spans four square miles of the urban core of Grand Rapids, encompassing multiple neighborhoods and diverse districts within the city. 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 also host ArtPrize entries.
Is ArtPrize free?
Yes, it is FREE – there is no charge to see any of the art, wherever it is located.
How do I vote?
Anyone 13 years or older and present at the event (at least once!) can vote in ArtPrize.
Your first vote must be cast within the ArtPrize District via the ArtPrize mobile webapp or at the dedicated on-site voting location. Voting must be done via smartphone/mobile device.
Vote by scanning the QR code associated with each entry or by manually entering the five-digit code (searchable within the voting webapp).
More details and information regarding the voting process will be available soon.
How can I get the latest news on ArtPrize?
How many people go to ArtPrize?
More than 714,000 visitors came to ArtPrize in 2023, according to a Grand Valley State University study. That’s almost 4x the total population of Grand Rapids!
Who selects the Grand Prize winner of ArtPrize?
You do! Public voting determines who wins first place (and earns a $125,000 prize), second place ($50,000) and third place ($25,000). Stay tuned for details on how to vote.
There will also be a juror competition: a hand-picked committee will recognize artists who exemplify excellence in 2-D, 3-D, time-based, installation and digital categories. Each category winner will receive $20,000 and a second artist in each category will be recognized with an honorable mention.
New this year, Visibility Awards will award prizes of $15,000 each to recognize contemporary Black, Indigenous, Latino, Asian and LGBTQIA+ artists.
This is on top of $200,000 in grant money that is available to help artists produce their work in the first place.
Who won at ArtPrize 2023?
“Raining Wisdom,” a massive elephant-themed outdoor mural by African-born artist Abdoulaye Conde. The work is now a permanent part of the Grand Rapids landscape – you can see it on the west side of a two-story building at the corner of Ottawa Avenue NW and Louis Street SW in downtown Grand Rapids.
Click here to view all the 2023 winners.
ArtPrize 2023 in Review
The first year of a new collaborative leadership team behind ArtPrize proved a smashing success. More than one million people visited downtown Grand Rapids for ArtPrize 2023 to view captivating artwork from 950 artists representing 12 countries and 30 states.
Visitors cast more than 50,000 votes in the public portion of the competition, awarding $200,000 to the following artists:
- First Place for $125,000: Abdoulaye Conde’s “Raining Wisdom,” a massive elephant-themed outdoor mural that can still be viewed at 45 Ottawa NW.
- Second Place for $50,000: Rebecca Humes’ “Tale of Ten Dresses,” a collection of wearable art inspired by and made from children’s books.
- Third Place for $25,000: Peggy Slattery's “An Iris Collection of 5,” five oil paintings of the delicate flowers.
Another $100,000 was awarded in a juried competition, in the following categories:
- 2D: Stephen Brennan's “Mandy with Orchid”
- 3D: Kumkum Fernando's “"The Lost Mystics”
- Digital: Eric Souther and Benjamin Rosenthal's “Body-oddy-oddy-oddy: Destabilizing the Surveilling of Queer Bodies”
- Time-Based: Aryel Jackson's “The Future is a Constant Wake”
- Installation (tied): DisArt's “The Art of Disruption” and Whitney Pyles’ “The Zone of Authenticity”
Finally, $75,000 was distributed via the Visibility Awards, introduced to support contemporary artists from underrepresented communities and uplift diverse perspectives:
- Vanguard Award for Contemporary Black Artists: Maya James’ “#NoMoreStolenSist(a)s”
- Originators Award for Contemporary Indigenous Artists: Juan Pimentel's “"SERENITY” on display at Harmony Brewing Company
- Horizontes Award for Contemporary Latino Artists: Salvador Jimenez-Flores’ “Caminantes / Wayfarers”
- Crossroads Award for Contemporary Asian Artists: Minyoung Kwak’s “Isa(Moving)”
- Prism Award for Contemporary Queer Artists: Christopher Shields’ “Technophobia”
Congratulations to the winners – and all the other artists, entertainers, educators, volunteers and visitors who made ArtPrize 2023 special.
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