Hillsdale art students and other interested students get to look forward to a field trip coming up.
For the students of Hillsdale, ArtPrize is an exciting time to experience an eclectic range of artwork in a lively setting. On Oct. 10, a number of students will head north to experience ArtPrize and the art on display there.
Every fall since 2009, the city of Grand Rapids transforms its three square miles of its downtown district into one massive art fair. Artists from 47 countries around the world submit pieces from all genres—anything is fair game. Local venues like restaurants, coffee shops and banks host artists and their work while visitors from Michigan and beyond are welcome to visit and vote for their favorite piece online or through the new ArtPrize app.
The votes are tallied in real time, and the winner can bring home a pot of $200,000—the largest sum of money ever awarded to an artist from competition. A panel of judges also awards another $200,000 based on their own objective criteria. Theoretically, a single artist could walk away from the event with a $400,000 check.
According to the ArtPrize website, the event brought over $22 million in net revenue for the local businesses in the downtown Grand Rapids area in 2013. With 1,537 entries across 174 venues, 2014 looks to yield similar success.
“It’s one way of seeing art marketing in the world,” said Barbara Bushey, associate professor of art. “I think sometimes we get very elitist about art. I think it really should be for everyone.”
Because of the open nature and high media attention of the event, the Jackson Citizen Patriot called the ArtPrize the “American Idol for art”—certainly a fitting title due to the massive prize pot and visitor participation. Last year, visitors cast over 400,000 votes.
“Anything that develops this much energy seems like a good thing,” Bushey concluded.
Photography instructor Doug Coon submitted a series of three photographs taken in an ice cave near Lake Superior, titled “Frozen Cheese.” He was chosen to show his work at West Coast Coffee during ArtPrize.
“It was just a kind-of build it and they will come mentality,” Coon said in reference to the town relying on the high traffic of visitors to turn a profit and to garner media attention.
Coon attributed some of the success to the fluid nature of the set-up, where each venue holds less than fifty pieces. The exhibits feel integrated into the town, encouraging visitors to explore Grand Rapids.
“I find it really interesting,” Coon remarked. “It’s the scope of the work. It’s really all over the place.”
The art department is taking a bus full of eager art students to downtown Grand Rapids on Oct. 10 to view the exhibit.
After seeing the winners of last year’s ArtPrize, junior Faith Lamb decided that she needed to take advantage of this opportunity.
“This is a great opportunity to enjoy a diverse selection of media and style,” she said.
For students interesting in attending, there are still limited spaces open on the busses. Students of all grade levels are invited, and do not need to be involved in the art department to attend. The price is $10. All who are interested should contact Dr. Bushey. The bus leaves 8 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 10, and will return later that evening.
