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Art contest in Grand Rapids, Michigan From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
ArtPrize is an art competition and festival in Grand Rapids, Michigan.[1] Anyone over the age of 18 can display their art, and any space within the three-square-mile ArtPrize district can be a venue. There are typically over 160 venues such as museums, galleries, bars, restaurants, hotels, public parks, bridges, laundromats, auto body shops, and more.
| ArtPrize | |
|---|---|
| |
| Status | active |
| Frequency |
|
| Location(s) | Grand Rapids, Michigan |
| Country | United States |
| Inaugurated | 2009 |
| Founder | Rick DeVos |
| Website | artprize |
ArtPrize lasts for 19 days beginning in late September, and during each festival $500,000 in cash prizes are awarded based on public voting and a jury of art experts.[2]
ArtPrize was created in 2009 by Rick DeVos, the son of Republican gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos and United States Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.[3] The DeVos family contributes approximately $560,000 annually to the ArtPrize budget.[4] In 2017, the festival's connection to the DeVos family's wealth and their conservative politics was criticized by artist Eric Millikin in his “Made of Money” installation, placed within ArtPrize.[5]
In 2014, The Art Newspaper listed ArtPrize as one of the most-attended "big ticket" art events (those where visitors are often counted more than once), with ArtPrize's attendance of 440,000 being roughly one quarter of the 1.6 million who attended the Russian Imperial Costume exhibition at the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg.[6] ArtPrize was highlighted along with Slows Bar BQ and the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park as one of the reasons to visit Grand Rapids in The New York Times’ "52 Places To Go in 2016."[7]
In 2018, ArtPrize announced the Project exhibition to showcase larger works and planned to hold ArtPrize every other year, though the Project 1 event in 2019 experienced substantially less visitors.[8][9] The twelfth ArtPrize was postponed in 2020 with officials citing the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2022 event ran from September 15 to October 2, 2022, with many visitors criticizing the smaller scale of works present.[10]
ArtPrize was conceived by Rick DeVos as an untraditional art contest with its goals being: any artist in the world could compete; anyone with property in downtown Grand Rapids could turn their space into a venue; and any visitor could vote for their favorite artwork. Event organizers would provide no selection committees or curators. And the largest cash prize in the art world would be awarded entirely by popular vote.
At the inaugural ArtPrize, held in 2009, the winners were determined solely by the public, voting from mobile devices and the ArtPrize website.[11] In 2010, ArtPrize added categories judged by art experts,[12] and in 2014 restructured the awards format[13] bringing two parallel tracks of public vote and juried awards with equal prize amounts. The updated award structure includes two Grand Prizes of $200,000, one chosen by public vote and one selected by a panel of three arts experts. An additional $100,000 in awards are given to artists in four entry categories—Two-Dimensional, Three-Dimensional, Time-Based, and Installation—as well as the Outstanding Venue Juried Award for best curatorial presentation.[14][15]
Visitors must attend the annual event in person in order to vote. They can either download the ArtPrize mobile app, free for iOS and Android devices, which uses location services to determine when a visitor has stepped into the three square-mile event district—or visit an ArtPrize HUB location to register in person. Each artist is assigned a 5-digit vote code which is posted near their entry during the event, and available both online and in the mobile app.[16]
The 2009 exhibition occurred in a 3-square-mile (7.8 km2) area of downtown Grand Rapids, from September 21 to October 9, 2009. 1,262 artists or artist collaboratives displayed their work in 159 venues.[17][18] An estimated 200,000 attendees visited the event, with 334,219 total votes cast throughout the 19 days.
ArtPrize 2009 official participation numbers:
The 2009 prizes, totaling to $449,000, were:
On October 1, the top 10 entries were announced, and their ranking was announced October 8:[19]
Two previously unannounced awards were handed out:
The 2010 event took place from September 22 to October 10.[22] The event introduced "Exhibition Centers," local cultural institutions featuring professional curation. Each ArtPrize Exhibition Center was required to host voter registration/activation as well as a retail presence. ArtPrize sought to have at least one Exhibition Center in each downtown Grand Rapids neighborhood.
ArtPrize 2010 official participation numbers:
The 2010 prizes, which were decided by public vote, totaled $449,000, were:
On September 30, the 2010 Top 10 entries were announced, and their rankings were revealed during the Winners Announcement on October 7:
Event organizers announced the addition of four juried awards for ArtPrize 2010.[24] Event organizers noted that, depending on sponsor availability, more juried awards might be added to the program.
| Award | Juror | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Two-Dimensional Work | Patricia Phillips | Dean of Graduate Studies for the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) |
| Three-Dimensional Work | Xenia Kalpaktsoglou | Curator and co-director of the Athens Biennale |
| Time/Performance-Based Work | Judith Barry | Director of the MFA program at the Art Institute of Boston |
| Use of Urban Space | Jeff Speck | city planner, architectural designer, author and former Director of Design at the National Endowment for the Arts |
The 2011 event ran from September 21 to October 9.[22] The biggest change to the competition was the addition of an exhibition center dedicated to performance art—St. Cecilia Music Society.[25][26] The organization was also the recipient of a $100,000 Our Town grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.[27]
ArtPrize 2011 official participation numbers:
The 2011 prizes, which were decided by public vote, totaled $449,000, were:
On September 30, the 2010 Top 10 entries were announced, and their rankings were revealed during the Winners Announcement on October 6:
In addition to awards distributed as a result of a public vote, the organization distributed seven juried awards for ArtPrize 2011.[30] An award dedicated to an outstanding venue was added in 2011. Each juried award winner received $7,000.
| Award | Juror | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Two-Dimensional Work | Anne Ellegood | Senior Curator, Hammer Museum in Los Angeles Calif. |
| Three-Dimensional Work | Glenn Harper | Editor-in-Chief, Sculpture magazine |
| Time/Performance-Based Work | Kathleen Forde | Curator of Time-Based Arts at the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) in Troy, N.Y. |
| Use of Urban Space | Reed Kroloff | Director of the Cranbrook Academy of Art and Art Museum |
| International Award | Nuit Banai | Art historian and critic, Tufts University |
| Sustainability Award | Susan Lyons | Principal of Susan Lyons Designs |
| Outstanding Venue | Reed Kroloff | Director of the Cranbrook Academy of Art and Art Museum |
The 2012 ArtPrize competition ran from September 19 to October 7. The event introduced new changes to the ArtPrize Juried Awards program, including category prizes valued at $20,000 (up from $7,000) and a first-ever $100,000 Juried Grand Prize, decided by panel of three art experts.
ArtPrize 2012 official participation numbers:
The 2012 prizes, which were decided by public vote, totaled $360,000, were:
The top 10 entries were determined by a record 412,560 votes, and announced on October 10.
In addition to awards distributed as a result of a public vote, the organization distributed seven juried awards, totaling $200,000, during ArtPrize 2012 in five categories and a juried grand prize.[30] Each category winner received $20,000. The Juried Grand Prize winner was awarded $100,000. The award was decided by a three-member jury panel.
| Award | Juror | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Juried Grand Prize | Jerry Saltz | Senior Art Critic, New York Magazine |
| Tom Eccles | Director, the Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College | |
| Theaster Gates | Chicago-based artist and community activist | |
| Two-Dimensional Work | Tyler Green | Editor, Modern Art Notes; Columnist, Modern Painters |
| Three-Dimensional Work | Lisa Frieman | Chair, contemporary department, Indianapolis Museum of Art |
| Time/Performance-Based Work | Cathy Edwards | Director of Performance Programs, the International Festival of Arts & Ideas |
| Use of Urban Space | Susan Szenasy | Editor-in-Chief, Metropolis magazine |
The 2013 ArtPrize competition ran from September 18 to October 6.
ArtPrize 2013 official participation numbers:[31]
The 2013 prizes, which were decided by public vote, totaled $360,000, were:[32]
The top 10 entries were determined by a record 446,850 votes, and announced on October 4.[32]
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In addition to awards distributed as a result of a public vote, the organization distributed seven juried awards, totaling $200,000, during ArtPrize 2013 in five categories and a juried grand prize. Each category winner received $20,000. The Juried Grand Prize winner was awarded $100,000. The award was decided by a three-member jury panel.[33][34]
| Award | Juror | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Juried Grand Prize | Anne Pasternak | President and artistic director of Creative Time, New York, N.Y. |
| Manon Slome | President and chief curator of No Longer Empty, New York, N.Y. | |
| Mel Chin | Artist and activist | |
| Two-Dimensional Work | John Yau | Editor of Hyperallergic Weekend |
| Three-Dimensional Work | Hesse McGraw | Vice president for exhibitions and public programs at the San Francisco Art Institute |
| Time/Performance-Based Work | Rashida Bumbray | independent curator in New York, N.Y. |
| Urban Space | Eva Franch i Gilabert | Executive director and curator of the Storefront for Art and Architecture |
| Venue | Alice Gray Stites | Chief curator of 21c Museum |
David Dodde's Fleurs et riviere was an entry that placed magnetic flowers on the Alexander Calder sculpture La Grande Vitesse. After getting complaints, the City of Grand Rapids contacted the Calder Foundation to get their input. Calder's grandson, Alexander S. C. Rower, replied: "The initiative is luckily temporary and reflects an utter lack of understanding and respect of Calder's genius." The city decided to have the flowers removed before the end of the exhibition.[35]
The 2014 ArtPrize competition ran from September 24 to October 12.
ArtPrize 2014 official participation numbers:[36]
The public vote determined three $20,000 category winners and a $200,000 grand prize winner. The grand prize winner does not receive $20,000 for their category win.[37]
The jury awarded five $20,000 category winners and a $200,000 grand prize winner. There was a tie for the grand prize, so each winner received $100,000.[38]
A first in ArtPrize history, the Grand Prize Jury recognized two outstanding works—splitting the $200,000 Juried Grand Prize.
This is also the first time the opinions of both the voting public and the jury of art experts converged, awarding a top prize to one piece – Intersections by Anila Quayyum Agha.
| Award | Juror | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Juried Grand Prize | Susan Sollins | Executive director of Art21 |
| Leonardo Drew | Artist | |
| Katharina Grosse | Artist | |
| Two-Dimensional | Andrew Russeth | |
| Three-Dimensional | Shamim Momin | |
| Time-Based | Hrag Vartanian | |
| Installation | Ariel Saldivar | |
| Outstanding venue | Tumelo Mosaka |
The 2015 ArtPrize (also known as ArtPrize Seven) competition ran from September 23 to October 11.[41]
ArtPrize 2015 official participation numbers:[42]
The public vote determined three $12,500 category winners and a $200,000 grand prize winner. The grand prize winner does not receive $12,500 for their category win.[43]
The jury awarded five $12,500 category winners and a $200,000 grand prize winner.[14]
The category winners were:[14]
The jurors were:[49]
| Award | Juror | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Juried Grand Prize | Dan Cameron | |
| Michael Rakowitz | ||
| Lisa Freiman | ||
| Two-Dimensional | Justine Ludwig | |
| Three-Dimensional | Sarah Urist Green | |
| Time-Based | Shari Frilot | |
| Installation | Robin Cembalest | |
| Outstanding venue | Steven Matijcio |
The 2016 ArtPrize competition, also known as ArtPrize Eight, took place from September 21 to October 9.
The public vote determined three $12,500 category winners and a $200,000 grand prize winner. The grand prize winner does not receive $12,500 for their category win.
Wounded Warrior Dogs – James Mellick, Milford Center, Ohio
The jury awarded five $12,500 category winners and a $200,000 grand prize winner.
The Bureau of Personal Belonging – Stacey Kirby, Durham, North Carolina
The ArtPrize Eight jurors included:
| Award | Juror | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Juried Grand Prize | Michelle Grabner | Artist and professor at School of the Art Institute of Chicago |
| Paul Ha | Director at the MIT List Visual Arts Center | |
| Eric Shiner | Senior Vice President at Sotheby's | |
| Two-Dimensional | Tina Rivers Ryan | New York-based art historian and critic |
| Three-Dimensional | Omar Lopez-Chahoud | Artistic Director and Curator of UNTITLED Art Fair, Miami Beach and San Francisco |
| Installation | Deana Haggag | Director of The Contemporary in Baltimore, Maryland |
| Time-Based | Yesomi Umolu | Exhibitions Curator at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts at the University of Chicago |
| Outstanding Venue | Steve Dietz | Founder, President, and artistic director of Northern Lights.mn in Minneapolis |
The 2017 ArtPrize competition, also known as ArtPrize Nine, took place from September 20 to October 8.
The public vote determined three $12,500 category winners and a $200,000 grand prize winner. The grand prize winner does not receive $12,500 for their category win.
A. Lincoln – Richard Schlatter, Battle Creek, Michigan
The jury awarded five $12,500 category winners and a $200,000 grand prize winner.
The Heartside Community Meal – Seitu Jones, St. Paul, Minnesota
The ArtPrize Nine jurors included:
| Award | Juror | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Juried Grand Prize | Gaëtane Verna | Director of The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery in Toronto |
| Christopher Scoates | Director of Cranbrook Academy of Art and Art Museum in Detroit | |
| Gia Hamilton | Director at Joan Mitchell Center in New Orleans | |
| Two-Dimensional | Miranda Lash | Curator of Contemporary Art at the Speed Art Museum in Louisville |
| Three-Dimensional | Rachel Adams | Senior Curator of Exhibitions for the University at Buffalo Art Galleries |
| Installation | Anila Quayyum Agha | Artist, Associate Professor of Drawing at Herron School of Art in Indianapolis, and $300,000 Public Vote and Juried Award winner at ArtPrize 2014 for her work Intersections |
| Time-Based | Scott Stulen | Director and President of Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa |
| Outstanding Venue | Larry Ossei-Mensah | New York-based independent curator and cultural critic, co-founder of ARTNOIR |
The 2018 ArtPrize competition, also known as ArtPrize 10, ran from September 19 to October 7.
Important Dates[51]
| Item | Dates |
|---|---|
| Venue Registration | March 5 – April 5 |
| Artist Registration | April 16 – June 7 |
| Connections | April 25 – June 28 |
| Volunteer Registration | Opens early-August |
| Preview Week | September 12–18 |
| ArtPrize 10 | September 19 – October 7 |
For 2019, ArtPrize began its "Project" exhibition series, with Project 1 running from September 7 to October 27. The concept was to alternate between ArtPrize and the Project series every year. While ArtPrize organizers described Project 1 as a success, crowds were much smaller and visitors criticized the event as being less festive.[8] As Project 1 was concluding, the executive director of ArtPrize, Jori Bennett, announced that she would step down.[9]
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