ArtPrize Blog
January 17th, 2012
ArtPrize today announced its registration timeline for our 2012 event, which will run from Sept. 19 through Oct. 7.
The ArtPrize platform creates a system that values creativity, experimentation and above all, collaboration. Artists are encouraged to build a relationship and partner with a venue as early as possible to create a memorable and successful installation. Registration dates include:
Venue Registration
Open: Monday, March 12 (Noon EDT)
Close: Thursday April 12 (5:00 p.m. EDT)
Artist Registration/Connections Open
Monday, April 23 (Noon EDT)
Artist Registration Close
Thursday, May 24 (5:00 p.m. EDT)
Connections Period Close
Thursday, June 14 (5:00 p.m. EDT)
There are few differences between the 2011 and 2012 registration process, key changes include simultaneous Artist Registration and Connections Period, allowing artists to immediately coordinate with a venue upon registration. Connections will remain open beyond Artist Registration until June 14.
Any art proposed for installation in the Grand River, which runs through the center of the ArtPrize district, must be submitted to the city of Grand Rapids and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) according to the following schedule:
Pre-application filed with the City of Grand Rapids
Monday, March 5
Application filed with the DEQ
Friday, March 16
The DNRE will process the application using the following steps:
Public notice period begins: Friday, March 30
Public notice period ends: Friday, April 20
Public hearing, if requested: Friday, May 18
Required time for comments: Tuesday, May 29
Permit Decision
Thursday, June 7
This process allows the State of Michigan and City of Grand Rapids to review proposed work and ensure that the installation meets specific criteria relevant to the environmental, structural and navigability impact on the river.
In ArtPrize 2011, Mia Tavonatti, of Orange Co. Calif., captured the top prize of $250,000 for her work, Crucifixion. Chris LaPorte of Grand Rapids, Mich. won the top prize in 2010 with Cavalry, American Officers, 1921, and Ran Ortner of Brooklyn, N.Y. won in 2009 for his work Open Water No. 24.
September 23rd, 2011
Children and young adults challenge us to think differently, to take a new perspective. Artists do the same. Today is the first of two ArtPrize education days. These days are creative catalysts, combining artists, their installations and the youth of Michigan and challenge them to question and investigate art.
In the past two years of ArtPrize, hundreds of schools brought hundreds more busses to bring more than 7,000 students to downtown Grand Rapids, all of it happening without a glitch, thanks to the logistical skills of the Arts Council of Greater Grand Rapids. The event continues to be a smashing success thanks to our amazing institutional partners:
Arts Council of Greater Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids Art Museum
Grand Rapids Children’s Museum
Grand Valley State University
The Public Museum of Grand Rapids
St. Cecilia Music Center
Urban Institute for Contemporary Art (UICA)
This group established ARTcation, a community-wide collaboration between art and humanities organizations that uses downtown Grand Rapids as a learning laboratory. By combining their resources and partnering with ArtPrize, we provide students with free programming that supports multi-sensory learning experiences and active curriculum investigations.
ARTcation is presented by PNC Bank and is coordinated through the Grand Rapids Community Foundation and the Arts Council of Greater Grand Rapids.
September 23rd, 2011
Are you ready to GO!? Because it’s GO TIME!
It all starts tonight on the Westside. If you’re looking for free, fun, fantastic exploration in ArtPrize’s largest neighborhood, we know where you should start your journey. Check it out!
Westside Neighborhood – GO TIME!
Friday, Sept. 23;
6:00-8:30 p.m.
Location: Parking lot at 620 Stocking Avenue NW, next to Compucraft
Begin your Westside neighborhood journey at our “GO” Station!
We’re giving away 300 FREE maps along with a snack and beverage when you arrive. We’ll give you instructions and a sticker sheet to begin your journey. Between 8-8:30pm, return with your marked map to the “GO” Station – the first 100 people to visit five or more venues get FREE ArtPrize stuff!
But wait… one important note, you’ll need to make the most of your time seeing art – no freebies will be given away until venues close at 8:00pm!
Remember, it’s not a race, it’s a journey!
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 »
September 11th, 2009
How will artists diplay their voting numbers during the event? How will visitors know they’re walking past a venue? Where’s Kinkos?
Simmer down. ArtPrize will provide each artist and venue with a packet full of necessary labels and signs and even digital files so you can make more labels–like if you want to print off your personal statement the night before opening.
We will deliver all packets to the venues. (Artists, your labels will be available at your venue.)
Delivery to venues by end of day Monday, 9/21 (hopefully)
Venue Signage Kit will include
- Easel for street level identification
- Sidewalk chalk stencilList of artists showing in your venue
- Directional signage (to be printed on official venue paper)
- Downloadable templates (available soon on your You page)
- Pre-printed laser-compatible paper (with official venue seal)
- Clear re-sealable envelopes (for outdoor spaces)
Artist Signage Kit will include
- Official Voting Label (name, location, title of work and voting ID numbers)
- Pre-printed laser-compible paper w/ official artist seal
- Clear re-sealable envelopes (for outdoor work)
- Downloadable PDF files (available soon on your You page) for printing a work statement or new voting label
What about my work statement? Outdoor signage? Lists of collaborators?
All those questions and more are answered in the instructions:
Download complete signage instructions
Where’s Kinkos?
Kinkos is centrally located in the district:
233 Fulton St W
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(616) 742-2614
Open Mon-Fri 7AM-9PM, Sat-Sun 10AM-6PM
September 2nd, 2009
The Artprize District will be divided into five Neighborhoods (see map below). The purpose of dividing the districts was to help visitors figure out a walkable (or semi-walkable) area to arrive and to help venues and businesses in neighborhoods coordinate their events together.
The idea of Neighborhood Days (originally from Caroline Older of the Arts Council of Greater Grand Rapids) is simply to assign certain dates to certain neighborhoods that they can organize around. It does not mean only venues in this neighborhood are open on that day, but it gives the neighborhood a chance to organize their receptions, parties, special events and merchant deals around a specific time when visitors will be encouraged to visit their neighborhood.
If you are planning an event for a Neighborhood Day, email events@artprize.org and we’ll add it to our Events Around Town calendar.
Westside Thur, Sept 24 & Fri, Oct 2
Monroe North/Belknap Fri, Sept 25 & Mon, Oct 5
Center City Sat, Sept 26 & Sun, Oct 4
Heartside Sun, Sept 27 & Sat, Oct 3
Hillside Mon, Sept 28 & Tues, Oct 6
Read More »
August 6th, 2009
Wouldn’t it be great if a venue could check a box on the website and we’d all know it was full? Well, unfortunately, that probably won’t be a feature we can add this year. (Did I mention there’s this voting thing we have to finish?)
VENUES – When you’ve reached capacity, add the word FULL to your Venue Name. (Edit your Venue Name by clicking Edit Venue.)
Example:
Full venues as of Aug 6, 2009
(I’ll update this list regularly)
- Grand Rapids Children’s Museum
- The Castle
- The Hauenstein Center at Saint Mary’s Health Care
- Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
- One Trick Pony Grill & Taproom
- Paula Scott Unlimited and Think Design
- West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology
- Amway Grand Plaza Hotel
- Huntington
- Arts Council of Greater Grand Rapids
- The Chop House Restaurant
- Ledyard Building
- Collins Fine Art
- UICA
- Kendall College
- Degagé Ministries
- Pub 43
- Peaches Bed & Breakfast
- Music and Movement
- Masonic Temple
- Independent Bank
- The Pita House
- Monroe Community Church
Matching deadline is midnight, August 15. Make sure you know the final step.
A “full” venue means it reached an agreement with as many artists it had capacity to exhibit. This post is updated from earlier one published July 21, 2009.
July 22nd, 2009
Considering over 50 artists have secured venues in the two days since we hit 200, the following message is clearly not for everyone. For a few venues and artists out there who do not know…
THE FINAL STEP
Artists & Venues have until midnight, August 15, to complete the offline/online process of securing space
OFFLINE
Artist & Venue complete and sign a Hosting Agreement
ONLINE
Venue clicks “Secure artist” on artprize.org
Artist clicks “Secure venue” on artprize.org
FINISHED
Artist will appear on the artist list as “Connected”
July 8th, 2009
For venues with a lot of space to fill and not a lot of time on their hands, I’ve uploaded a list volunteers willing to help.
The list indicates their willingness to:
- Create a shortlist from the 1400+ artists and help with selection
- Manage negotiations with artists (completing the Hosting Agreement)
- Help oversee installation and/or install artwork
- Be available during the event
DOWNLOAD LIST OF VOLUNTEERS
ARTDOT–a group with a lot of art event coordination and marketing experience– will not only help with the artist selection process for your venue, but also plan parties and events and promote these events. Of course, ARTDOT charges a fee for their services, but they offer a full service package.
Kathleen Schiefler
kschiefler@artdotgr.com
June 17th, 2009
Photo from Brian Kelly of Old Federal Building
The first ten artists to secure a venue, secured the space through Steve Samson, Exhibitions Manager for UICA (UICA is also selecting artists for Old Federal Building). So, he’s the closest thing ArtPrize has to a “veteran” of the process and I thought a quick email interview with Steve would be helpful to artists and venues.
For artists interested in showing at the UICA or Old Federal Building, keep reading. For venues, Steve offers advice about securing artists. Read More »
