No Charge to Vote
This decision was made a while ago that voters at ArtPrize will not pay a registration fee. Since we’re still sorting through a lot of other details about voting (like, “What’s the best way to prevent fraud that doesn’t make registration wait times ridiculous?) we were going to just announce all of the voting information at once.
However, in the last week we’ve received emails and tweets and everything else asking specifically if we’ll charge a fee for people to register as voters for ArtPrize. The answer: No. (But we will charge you for the T-shirt, which looks pretty sick.)
If you know why this topic is hot this week, let me know. If, for some reason, you don’t know what we’ll be voting on, read this.
UPDATE: If you’re wondering whether or not ArtPrize will somehow charge you per individual vote, the answer is no. We will not charge anyone to register to vote or for casting individual votes. You can vote via text message or on artprize.org. If you choose to vote via text message, you can check with your mobile phone provider to find out how many text messages are included each month under your plan.
There’s another point worth bringing up with how the voting will work.
I just now realized that the voters must travel to Michigan to vote. That basically cancels out the votes from all the people I know, as I’m situated way far below in TX. The average person doesn’t have the time, money, and stamina to travel so far just to vote for a friend’s work, even if they are extremely moved by it. Promoting is one thing… but getting people far away to travel to Michigan to vote? To be honest, I’d probably have to bribe them or hold them at gunpoint (both of which would be illegal). Of course, this puts native Michigan people at a huge advantage.
This way… it seems to make the competition a little unfair. I do like the idea of making the voters physically sign up but complications such as this exist with it.
I see that this website is constantly updating with help to artists so I was wondering if there could be a post to advise out of state artists how to overcome this?
Oh sorry I forgot to mention this:
Before I looked more carefully, I had thought that anybody could just register online to vote for any piece without attending the event. Although it wouldn’t be as good as seeing the entries in person, they still see them online. If it were this way; Not only would it gain immense exposure, it allows a whole lot more people (around the world) to connect with the art.
Just suggesting another point.
Hi Jewell,
I have often heard the reaction that Michigan artists have the advantage for getting votes. My response is to ask artists to rethink the scale of the event. If 1,000 people come and vote at ArtPrize, then the artist with 100 friends has a definite advantage. If 50,000 people come and vote, that 100 friend advantage isn’t so much of an advantage anymore.
Paul,
Doesn’t your answer side step Jewell’s question. Her question isn’t whether 1000 or 50,000 people will come. It’s whether they will all be Michigan people.
I actually have to agree with Richard and Jewell on this one. I’m traveling the whole country this summer as part of my art piece, and I’ve already met thousands upon thousands of people. None of these people will be able to vote for me unless they travel to Michigan, even though most of these people love what I’m doing and believe in the project. Although I went into this knowing I won’t be getting those votes, I think it’s unfair to all of those people that want to participate that are unable because of this rule. Eventually, I hope Artprize will recognize they can still stimulate the Grand Rapids economy even if they allow voting from around the country. Is it possible that Artprize would consider nationwide voting for next year?