'An Explosion of Creativity' in Grand Rapids

The ArtPrize competition in Grand Rapids, Michigan resulted in 1,262 artists temporarily installing their pieces in 159 venues around downtown. The public picks the winner.

1 minute read

September 27, 2009, 7:00 AM PDT

By Tim Halbur

The competition is possibly the world's largest, and is largely uncurated. Amateurs bump up against well-known artists, and the entire city gets involved.

Reporter Alissa Walker wrote, "I realized that for the next two weeks Grand Rapids would essentially be host to a large-scale scavenger hunt. Find this artist, climb inside this venue, poke into dark corners, visit a new neighborhood, campaign on behalf of your favorite artist, debate a piece's value with your friends, make a decision, and move on to the next one, as quickly as you can. It's like a massive multi-player, explore-your-city game, and these people were taking it extremely seriously."

FULL STORY: Grand Rapids Masters the Art of Urban Engagement

Friday, September 25, 2009 in GOOD Magazine

Community / Economic Development Michigan Public Art Festivals Grand Rapids

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