The annual ArtPrize competition starts today in Grand Rapids, and thousands of people are expected to see works submitted from all over the world.
For the next 16 days, Grand Rapids will celebrate the arts with special installations and events all over the city.
WKAR’s Scott Pohl asked Executive Director Catlin Whitington about this year’s ArtPrize.
CATLIN WHITINGTON: Yeah, ArtPrize is super exciting this year! We have 1,100 artists coming in, 155 venues. They are distributed over about four and a half square miles of downtown Grand Rapids, the urban core of Grand Rapids, into some of the business districts. Very exciting event. We have artists coming in from 18 countries of residence, I think about 40 countries of birth, and from 41 states around the country. So, a very diverse group of artists both in geography, but also in medium and in genre. And so, excited to see what they bring out for this year's competition.
SCOTT POHL: Tell me about the different media that people are employing for this year's ArtPrize. Anything new?
WHITINGTON: Well, last year was the first year that we incorporated the plus design category, so we actually have a design category as part of the competition. Really excited about some of the new media art that's coming in. You know, this is digital art, this is very immersive stuff, and digital stuff that really is employing mixed media, but of a digital nature; a good partnership with Western Michigan University, who's brought in a diverse group of artists that they have hand-selected, and they have a great gallery and exhibit going on during ArtPrize this year. I think they have over 25 digital artists that are going to be presenting their work in their campus here in Grand Rapids. So, pretty exciting.
POHL: We're talking with Art Prize executive director Catlin Whitington. Tell me about the prize money this year.
WHITINGTON: Yeah, the structure has changed some. We are looking at even distribution between the jury prizes and the public prizes, so both will have a $100,000 grand prize. So the public vote, come out, experience the art, vote for the art that you like. Vote often, vote early, as they say, and that is a $100,000 grand prize, as well as $10,000 for artists from each of our six categories as recognizing them as the top vote getter within their category.
And then, there is the juried prizes, which will also be $100,000 grand prize and $10,000 in each category.
And then we also have our visibility prizes, which are recognizing artists from underrepresented communities. These are BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, as well as artists with disabilities. Those will be five $10,000 prizes as well, for a total pot of $370,000.
POHL: ArtPrize will kick off with an opening celebration Friday at Rosa Parks Circle in Grand Rapids, with live music and a parade. One highlight is an installation called Arborealis: An ArtPrize Experience. This is a walk-through inflatable environment from the UK-based Architects Of Air. Merchants and makers will gather on the next three Saturdays at the Monroe Center. Midway through the two weeks, there will be a halftime event at Sixth Street Park, including the reveal of the top 20 artists in each district. The award ceremony is scheduled for Friday, October 3rd. Most of ArtPrize is free, but tickets are required for Arborealis.
Catlin Whitington is executive director of ArtPrize in Grand Rapids. Thank you.
WHITINGTON: Thank you, Scott. Great to see you!
