ArtPrize Blog
August 25th, 2010
The line around the Old Federal Building to see Ran Ortner’s Open Water No. 24 was an iconic image of ArtPrize 2009. Located at 155 N Division Ave in the center of downtown Grand Rapids, it is not an official ArtPrize venue this year. However, for 2010 the organizers of ArtPrize will turn Old Federal into a physical space to be the hub of the ArtPrize conversation. A space we’ve nicknamed–what else? The Hub.
In 2009, we saw so much conversation whirling around ArtPrize–both on the street and online–but no central place where the visiting public could join in.
“This year we’re trying out a central resource center, called The Hub, where voters get support and information,” says Rick DeVos, ArtPrize founder. “It will be home to our Speaker Series–where ArtPrize and the international art world collide–and it’s a practical start and end point for the visiting public.”
The Hub will provide a lounge decked out with Herman Miller furniture where the visiting public can relax and talk. It will have free access to computers for voting and trained technical support. There’s an artist lounge, volunteer offices, voter registration and the only store carrying the full line of ArtPrize merchandise.
What will be at The Hub?
Computers for voting
Mapping and navigational assistance
Store with exclusive product
Voter registration
Public lounge
Artist lounge
Volunteer headquarters
The Speaker Series
Shuttle stop
Guest speakers
Hasan Bakhshi – Economist, Director of Creative Industries at NESTA
Brett Colley – Associate Professor at Grand Valley State University
David Greenwood – Professor of Sculpture & Functional Art at Kendall College of Art & Design
Xenia Kalpaktsoglou- Curator & Co-director of the Athens Biennale
Adam Lerner Ph. D. – Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver
Jeff Speck – Urban planner, architectural designer, author of Suburban Nation
Paul Ha – Director of the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis
Patricia Phillips – Dean of Graduate Studies at the Rhode Island School of Design
Raphaela Platow – Director & Chief Curator, Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati
Julie Rodrigues Widholm – Associate Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago
Deborah Rockman – Chair of Drawing and Printmaking at Kendall College of Art and Design
Norwood Viviano – Assistant Professor at Grand Valley State University
August 19th, 2010
Beginning Monday, August 23, official ArtPrize 2010 merchandise will go on sale! We’ve got all kinds of great stuff: clothing, bags, even baby onesies and doggie t-shirts. This year’s product line features designs tailor made for each of the five ArtPrize neighborhoods. Each retail location will have a slightly different selection, so be sure to shop around.
Here’s a tease of what’s for sale (this is not a complete catalog of products, there’s a lot more than will fit on this page). All ArtPrize 2010 apparel is designed by Neil Hubert and printed on American Apparel®.
Read More »
August 4th, 2010
The official poster for ArtPrize® 2010 is for sale from now until the end of ArtPrize 2010 in October. Pick up the poster for $12 at one of the following Exhibition Centers for ArtPrize 2010 or supporting retail outlets (see map below)
The poster is reminiscent of many artists who deconstructed the printing process by deliberately separating the four colors. The ArtPrize logo is printed in four different colors, overlaid on each other, with the additional colors that result created naturally from the layering.
EXHIBITION CENTERS
- Cathedral Square
- Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
- Grand Rapids Art Museum
- Grand Rapids Public Museum
- Grand Valley State University – Pew Campus
- Urban Institute for Contemporary Art
- Women’s City Club
RETAIL OUTLETS
- Amway Grand Plaza Hotel
- Frames Unlimited – 28th Street
- Frames Unlimited – Plainfield
- Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce
- Grand Rapids Public Library – Main Library
- JW Marriott
- LaFontsee Galleries
- Schuler Books – 28th Street
- Schuler Books – Alpine
- Schuler Books – Downtown
- Spirit Dreams
View ArtPrize Poster 2010 in a larger map
July 6th, 2010
After the final audit of artists and venues that secured each other for ArtPrize 2010, the results are…
Artists from 21 different countries will exhibit, including the United States. 44 different states in the U.S. will be represented.
Note: If you were watching reports last week, you may have noticed a sightly lower number of countries and slightly higher number of states. Those numbers were pulled from a report generated a day prior to Connections closing, with hundreds of artists still left to secure venues. Artists and venues also canceled connections they decided–for whatever reason–were made prematurely. Hence, the shift in numbers has the ability go up or down.
July 1st, 2010
ArtPrize is still doing a final audit of secured artists and venues, so the official numbers will not be available until perhaps early next week. However, if you look at the artist list and the venue list now that the connections period has closed, you will see…
- 1,713 artists secured a venues (up from 1,262 in 2009)
- 192 venues secured artists (up from 159 in 2009)
With that said, over the increased quantity of artists and venues, we at ArtPrize are far more encouraged at signs that the overall quality of the event will go up a notch this year. There are more international artists coming and from more states in the US, and many more emerging artists who are rising through the ranks of the art world.
With venues, the Urban Institute for Contemporary Art put on fantastic exhibitions at their facility and the Old Federal Building in 2009. They’re back this year, and joined by other regional institutions–like the Grand Rapids Art Museum, The Public Museum, Grand Valley State University, Meijer Gardens and others–who’ve all stepped up the scale of their exhibitions this year.
Maybe most encouraging is to see places like Stepping Stones Montessori School, which is located in the farthest northeast corner of the district, use the platform of ArtPrize the way we’ve designed it to be used. They’re bringing in artists with work that enhances the experiential learning of their students. Whether or not one of those artists goes home with an award, their show will leave an imprint of the lives of the students and artists involved. Which is just the type of experience we hoped ArtPrize would become an excuse to create.
June 30th, 2010
In just over 24 hours, the artist/venue matching period for ArtPrize 2010 will be complete. There are already more artists with venues than last year, and the number keeps growing! Like last year, these final hours are a bit of a scramble. Here are a few things you need to know.
Finalize connections!
Artists and venues, you must finalize your connections on artprize.org before 5:00 PM EDT tomorrow, July 1. After that, it’s too late, and connections cannot be made. Do not wait until the last minute!
Once the hosting agreement is complete, artist and venue return to artprize.org to make it official. Both artist and venue must click the SECURE button before the artist is secured. Note: the SECURE button is not on the artist or venue profiles, it’s on your Manage Connections page. To find your Manage Connections page, log in and click the “Connections” link (it’s over to the right).
What about artists without venues?
While we won’t know for sure until tomorrow, there’s a good chance that not all artists will secure a venue. Artists who do not secure a venue will not compete in ArtPrize 2010. Also, venues that do not secure at least one artist will not be a venue during the event.
When will we know the final number of artists and venues?
After matching ends at 5:00 PM EDT tomorrow, we’ll perform an audit. We’ll know the final numbers early next week. You’ll be able to see a complete list of artists here, and a complete list of venues here. Each venue profile contains a list of the artists showing there.
June 17th, 2010
***TODAY AT 5:00PM EDT ARTIST REGISTRATION CLOSES FOR ARTPRIZE 2010***
Important information on collaborators is below.
Painting of squid by Meg Perec from ArtPrize 2009. Photo by JohnE777 on flickr.com
To be registered you must:
- Complete a personal profile
- Complete an entry proposal
- Pay the $50 registration fee (nonrefundable)
Register now for ArtPrize 2010.
A receipt will be emailed to you after you pay the $50 fee. Please, keep this receipt for your records.
After registration closes, artists have until July 1 to secure a venue.
Artists must secure a venue to participate in the ArtPrize event. Learn more about securing a venue.
Will I appear on the list of artists when I register?
When you register, you will appear on a list of artists that only venues can see. Once you secure a venue, you are officially in the 2010 event and will appear on this list.
Collaborators
All collaborators must be registered by June 17. Each collaborator must be added under the entry, and a $25 fee must be paid for each one added.
In the case of a winning entry, ArtPrize only recognizes the artist who submitted the entry and registered collaborators under that entry as stakeholders in prizes and copyright.
June 11th, 2010
This Thursday, June 17, at 5:00PM EDT, artist registration for ArtPrize 2010 will close.
To be registered as an artist, you must
- Complete a personal profile
- Complete an entry proposal
- Pay the $50 registration fee
Register now for ArtPrize 2010.
Registering for ArtPrize does not guarantee an artist a venue at the event. Each artist must secure a venue, and artists are securing venues from now until July 1.
Learn more about securing a venues or view artists that have currently secured venues for 2010.
What about collaborators?
No collaborators can be registered after June 17. Each collaborator must be added under the entry, and a $25 fee must be paid for each one added.
In the case of a winning entry, ArtPrize will only recognize the artist who submitted the entry and registered collaborators under that entry as stakeholders in prizes and copyright.
June 1st, 2010
***Connections are open, artists must secure a venue on artprize.org by July 1 to compete in ArtPrize 2010***
Artists and venues have now entered the time we refer to as “matching” or “connections,” when they formally commit to each other for the 2010 event. It’s when artprize.org, essentially, becomes a dating website.
So, how does it work?
WE LIKE SURPRISES
The process of connections is what makes ArtPrize fundamentally different from any other event. We like surprises, and that’s what we get when the event is handed over to artists and venues to organize themselves. ArtPrize, the organization, has no curator or jury to pick artists for the event.
Each venue independently chooses which artists to show from the website. Some venues will be run by highly qualified curators in the art world, others by amateur enthusiasts. The huge variety in venues–and decisions made by venues–is what makes ArtPrize so radically open and unpredictable.
Venues have been browsing artists on artrpize.org since April 19 (when artist registration opened). Many artists have contacted venues to informally discuss their options. From today until July 1, they can make their agreement official on artprize.org. As they do, you will see the list of artists slowly grow as the program for ArtPrize 2010 is built real-time. Read More »
May 18th, 2010
***ARTIST REGISTRATION EXTENDED TO JUNE 17, 2010***
Press release follows:
ARTPRIZE EXTENDS 2010 ARTIST REGISTRATION
With More Competition, Venues Ask for More Time to Build Exhibitions
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – May 18, 2010 – While more than 1,000 artists have already begun their registration process to enroll in ArtPrize 2010, several of the more than 220 venues have reported that increased competition for artists has already begun for the 2010 event, and asked ArtPrize organizers to extend the artist registration deadline. ArtPrize officially announced that the artist registration date will be extended from May 27 to the new deadline of June 17, 2010. The matching period between the artist and venue will remain the same as published between June 1 and July 1, 2010.
“There is a huge demand for art this year,” said Bill Holsinger-Robinson, ArtPrize, Executive Director. “We’ve heard that many artists have informal agreements with venues already in place.” ArtPrize has gone from 159 to more than 220 venues. Many of the venues from 2009 have plans to increase the artists they’ll show.
“We showed maybe six or seven artists last year,” says Linda Lafontsee of Lafontsee Galleries, “We plan to fill the gallery with up to 40 artists this year.”
In addition, ArtPrize is seeing a number of curators who have been engaged by venues, such as the Blue Bridge and the Monroe Promenade. These curators bring their own network of artists that they would like more time communicating with.
“There is real competition for art happening, which is great for artists, but stressful for venues,” said Holsinger-Robinson. “The artists and venues want the opportunity to put on an even better show, they need a bit more time to help these new relationships take hold.”
- The new deadline for artist registration is June 17, 2010
- Artists have three weeks left to register
- The matching period will still begin on artprize.org June 1
- The matching period will still end Thursday, July 1
- Between June 17 (end of registration) and July 1 (end of matching) is two weeks for artists and venues to wrap up their agreements and secure each other on artprize.org
May 13th, 2010
A decision was quickly made on the heels of the 2009 event, that ArtPrize would actively pursue sponsors for additional awards that could be juried by internationally recognized jurors. With over 1,260 artists making the 2009 event happen, we wanted to bring more rewards for artists who take the plunge and do the experiment.
ArtPrize 2010 adds four juried awards and may be able to add more closer to the event, depending on sponsor availability.
***Remember, artist registration ends May 27 at 5:00PM EDT***
Steve Samson and Janet Teunis of the Urban Institute for Contemporary Art present Young Kim with the “Curator’s Award” at the Awards Ceremony for ArtPrize 2009. Photo courtesy of ArtPrize/Brian Kelly
2010 JURIED AWARDS
- Best two-dimensional work (2D)
- Best three-dimensional work (3D)
- Best time-based work (Performance/Film/Video)
- An award for use of urban space
Beyond the categories listed above, specific criteria for juried awards will be determined by the jurors themselves. Sponsors for each award will be announced later. A minimum cash prize of $5,000 will go to the artist for each award. Sponsors may choose to increase the cash prize solely at their discretion.
JURORS Read More »
April 19th, 2010
Artist registration began today for ArtPrize 2010. With over 200 venues to choose from, there should be room for a lot this year.
UPDATE: ARTPRIZE EXTENDED ARTIST REGISTRATION, READ HERE
ARTISTS HAVE UNTIL 5:00PM EDT THURSDAY, JUNE 17, TO REGISTER
For those of you who recall 2009, ArtPrize will not publicly display registered artists until they secure a venue. Since the matching period when artists and venues secure each other will not begin until June 1, that means the general public will not see any artists until then. Only venues will be able to see the full list of registered artists. We do this for simplicity, so the public is not confused between artists that will be in the invent, and those that will not. It’s also more discreet for artists that never secure a venue.
Artists, be sure you know…
ArtPrize ends venue registration before artist registration begins, so that artists have a complete picture of where they can work. Feel free to contact venues over the next six weeks–many of you already have–to discuss what the venue is looking for and what you have planned.
Starting June 1st, you can officially secure a venue through artprize.org.
As you may know, there are the Exhibition Centers that will be large spaces curated by regional institutions. You can expect competition for those spaces to be intense. However, do not forget the lessons of Young Kim from 2009: a hidden but well-executed piece can capture public attention and become instantly popular. ArtPrize will be brainstorming ways for some “treasure hunters” that emerged in 2009 to get buzz growing earlier about significant pieces.
For now, get registered and have fun thinking up what you’ll bring.
April 13th, 2010
Venue registration ends 5:00PM, Thursday, April 15 (tax day). If there’s a venue you want on the list for 2010, register now!
IMPORTANT: For venues that register at the last minute, ArtPrize plans to conduct inspections before Tuesday, April 20. Inspection is necessary for final approval to be a 2010 venue.
With two days left for venues in downtown Grand Rapids to register for ArtPrize 2010, registration is trending comparable to where it was at in 2009. However, there are signs that the approach of many venues will be different.
The trend we hear from 2010 venues is they’ll be more organized and host more artists. Consequently, some venues from 2009 with capacity for only one or two artists have fallen off for 2010. However, a substantial number of new, small venues are taking advantage of their proximity to exhibition centers, and clustering to create walkable art hops in their neighborhood. Also, several venues will bring in professional curators to raise the quality of their show.
Artist Registration Opens Monday
After venue registration closes there will be a long weekend, so ArtPrize can wrap up venue inspections and approvals, then artist registration opens. Many artists want time to identify a few venues and plan a piece for a specific type of space. Having a fixed list of venues to choose from as they consider registering from April 19 to May 27 helps that process.
Although venues can expect to hear from artists soon–if they haven’t already–a venue and artist cannot officially “match” on the website until June 1. That way, all participating artists are registered. Venues can feel comfortable that they know all artists available for the event as they build their shows and complete Hosting Agreements from June 1 to July 1.
If you’re an artist and there’s a specific venue you want to work with in 2010 that is NOT on the current list, contact that venue owner immediately. At 5PM EDT on Thursday, registration closes to all venues.
March 26th, 2010
Venue Registration is humming right along (register your venue by April 15), and Artist Registration looms on the horizon (starting April 19). With just a few days to breath between the two, we’ll take a break by slowing down and spending some quality time with great art.
Please join us for Slow Art Day at the Grand Rapids Art Museum, presented by ArtPrize.
Slow Art Day is a global event happening on April 17. It’s all volunteer-run, where hosts invite participants to visit their local art museum and look at just a few select works. Viewers spend time with each work–at least ten minutes–then meet for lunch afterward to talk about the experience. By devoting time to a small number of works, participants leave feeling energized by the experience, with a renewed appreciation for art in their city, and the institutions housing it.
47 cities are signed up for Slow Art Day 2010, from Sao Paulo to Birmingham.
Participants go to the Grand Rapids Art Museum on their own at 11:00AM (there is an $8 admission fee). Then, meet up for lunch at 1:00PM at the GRAM Café for discussion. Participants buy their own lunch. (Download the menu)
Grand Rapids Art Museum
101 Monroe Center
Saturday, April 17
11:00AM to 2:30PM
RSVP here. We’ll meet for lunch at 1:00PM in the GRAM Café. A list of the five works to view will be available on site.
Participants will spend time with the following five works from the permanent collection. Each is located on the third floor.
- William Merritt Chase, The Opera Cloak (Gallery 3)
- Richard Diebenkorn, Ingleside (Gallery 4)
- Oscar Kokoschka, Vienna, View from Liebharstal I (Gallery 6)
- Joan Mitchell, The River (Gallery 7)
- Lewis Luman Cross, Bird’s Eye View of Passenger Pigeons Nesting (Gallery 2)
ArtPrize + Slow Art Day
ArtPrize and Slow Art Day share a similar goal, but accomplish it in very different ways. When we met the founders of Slow Art Day, we wanted it to happen in Grand Rapids, so we decided to host and promote the event.
In some ways, we’re opposites, which we find really interesting. Slow Art asks you to devote a lot of time to each work, while ArtPrize challenges participants to sort through over a thousand works in a short period of time. ArtPrize pushes production of new work, Slow Art appreciates existing work in museum collections. ArtPrize turns the city into an art gallery, Slow Art requires participants to patronize (and in a small way, fund) existing art institutions.
Join us at the museum, take a deep breath, slow down, and enjoy some art.
March 15th, 2010
The Old Federal Building on the final day of ArtPrize 2009. Photo by Paul Moore
If you were part of ArtPrize 2009, you’ll remember the sense of urgency to rush through planning as part of “the experiment.” However, we don’t feel it has to stay that way.
This year, we start registration earlier–and change how we do it–to allow more room for planning and site specific work.
Venue Registration
Opens today! Monday, March 15 (Noon EDT)
Close: Thursday April 15, 2010 (5:00PM EDT)
Artist Registration
Open: Monday, April 19 (Noon EDT)
Close: Thursday, May 27 (5:00PM EDT)
Artist/Venue Matching Period
Open: Tuesday, June 1 (Noon EDT)
Close: Thursday, July 1 (5:00PM EDT)
ArtPrize 2010 Event
September 22 – October 10
Read More »
March 11th, 2010
Artists, there are some new rules and a few rules changes for 2010. A summary is below.
Download Official Rules for ArtPrize 2010
The winning piece will become a part of the ArtPrize collection
This rule was actually in place during artist registration 2009, but was removed when we could not get IRS approval in time for the event. The collection is a tangible way for ArtPrize to be invested in the long term cultural value of the winning works. Learn more here
Entries from ArtPrize 2009 cannot be re-entered in ArtPrize 2010
ArtPrize is meant to be a showcase for new work.
Entries cannot be more than three years old
Again, we want to see new work. If the work took a number of years to execute, the date the work was completed needs to be within three years of September 22, 2010–opening day.
Read More »
March 4th, 2010
The Grand River is a unique venue involving multiple factions from the City of Grand Rapids. Artists wishing to place art INTO THE RIVER (parks and bridges do not apply) must follow a unique process with unique deadlines, detailed below.
Artist applications to ALL OTHER VENUES will begin with Artist Registration April 19-May 27. Artist/Venue matching will take place from June 1-July 1. (Venues register March 15 – April 15.)
GRAND RIVER PROPOSAL PROCESS
Proposals must include:
- At least three (3) images of the proposed artwork
- Technical renderings that provide structural specifications
- Proposed site of the artwork within the river
- Method and materials for installation/mounting including structural specifications for engineering review
The City will convene two panels to review the proposals. The first panel will review the aesthetic merits of the work, and the second will review the engineering and technical merits. The artists that are chosen will be instructed by the City to develop and pay for a permit application to be filed with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE).
Submit all proposals by email to Jose Reyna
jreyna [at] grcity [dot] us
616.456.4075
Proposal Deadline: April 1, 2010
File DNRE Permit application: April 7
Public Notice Period: April 21 – May 11
Artist Registration on artprize.org (all chosen artists must register): April 19 – May 27
Period for Notice of Public Hearing (if required): June 11 – June 20
Additional Comment Period (If public hearing required): June 21 – June 27
Determination/Approval by DNRE: June 28
Read More »
January 28th, 2010
If you were a part of registering for ArtPrize 2009 and part of the “matching” process between artists and venues (think matchmaker.com, but with artists looking for space to exhibit), you’ll notice a few changes this year. Based on feedback from artists and venues regarding the 2009 event, we’ve changed registration and matching for 2010.
In 2009, artists and venues registered simultaneously. During registration, we even opened up matching. This created some confusion and angst. Many artists wanted to base their work on a specific space, but new venues were signing up all the time. Venues wanted to know all of the artists registered before planning their show, but artists were securing venues as new ones signed up each day. Urgency for artists and venues to rush through planning was part of the first year experiment. However, it doesn’t need to be part of the future.
In 2010, venue registration, artist registration and matching will be broken out into separate time periods.
Venue Registration for 2010
Open: Monday, March 15 (Noon EDT)
Close: Thursday April 15, 2010 (5:00PM EDT)
Artist Registration for 2010
Open: Monday, April 19 (Noon EDT)
Close: Thursday, May 27 (5:00PM EDT)
Artist/Venue Matching Period for 2010
Open: Tuesday, June 1 (Noon EDT)
Close: Thursday, July 1 (5:00PM EDT)
We’ll start with venues. So, when artists register, they can plan their work around a known quantity of spaces available. Then artists will register. Venues can use this time to see who is joining and start planning a show. After artist registration ends, matching begins. Venues and artists will have had time to develop a “game plan” during the registration process, and many will probably have already begun talks informally. So, during the month of June, negotiations over the Hosting Agreement can take place and artists can formally secure venues. By the close of Matching July 1, there’s plenty of time to work on the logistics of staging an exhibition.
ArtPrize 2010, the event, happens September 22 – October 10
Download ArtPrize 2010 Official Rules
January 28th, 2010
ArtPrize 2009 was, in many aspects, successful on a scale beyond what any of us anticipated. In looking toward 2010, we are careful not to make sweeping changes to an event that worked so well in it’s first year, and is still very much in its youth. ArtPrize is put on by thousands of independent participants working within the simple framework we’ve set up, and one of our biggest anticipations is how venues and artists will adapt their plans for 2010, now that 2009 is under their belts. So, we don’t want to drastically change the game. Our work for the past few months has been to identify a few key areas of the event that can run smoother, so overall participation is improved. One area we’ve identified is represented by the introduction of Exhibition Centers.
Within the first few days of 2009’s event, The Old Federal Building became a venue with tremendous buzz. “If you have two hours to go to ArtPrize, go to The Old Federal Building,” was the advice visitors passed on to their friends. Why was this? Read More »
January 7th, 2010
Michigan’s NPR affiliate, Michigan Radio, will air an interview tomorrow with ArtPrize founder, Rick DeVos.
UPDATE: Listen to the interview here
The interview is part of the launch for Michigan Radio’s new Three Things series:
To start a new year, Michigan Radio will take a look at how we can make things better in our state. We’re launching a series of interviews called “Three Things.” Michigan Radio’s Morning Edition host Christina Shockley will be asking artists, politicians, business owners, teachers, and people from all walks of life to give us their three ideas for things each of us can do to revive our state.
The interview with Rick DeVos airs tomorrow at 7:30AM. Listen to it on Michigan Radio or on the Three Things website.
You can also hear past interviews with:
In 2009, we saw so much conversation whirling around ArtPrize–both on the street and online–but no central place where the visiting public could join in.
