Art post: More on ArtPrize in Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids Press on MLive: Changes to look for at ArtPrize 2010
Published: Sunday, September 19, 2010, 5:56 AM
Rachael Recker | The Grand Rapids Press
GRAND RAPIDS - A year ago, a 27-year-old entrepreneur invited Grand Rapids to get creative with an open-format, international art competition.
At the time, ArtPrize founder Rick DeVos couldn’t say how the experiment in creating a giant conversation about art would go, except it would be “a little crazy,” but “a ton of fun.”
ArtPrize 2010 opens Wednesday, and DeVos expects the excitement and atmosphere will be a new experience.
“There’s a totally different feel when you know what’s going to happen, at least in some way, more than we did last year,” he said.
Organizers believe what made last year successful - being an “intentionally simple, intentionally under-engineered event - not burdened with a lot of rules and regulation” - is helping to shape 2010.
“We’re letting the community really take full ownership in a variety of means, and I think that’s going to keep it fresh and innovative and changing all the time,” said ArtPrize executive director Bill Holsinger-Robinson.
Even so, staffers have made changes to help facilitate even more conversations and creativity.
And thanks to some changes, Holsinger-Robinson has high hopes: “This might be actually better than last year.”
Lots more at the link in the headline.
According to Michigan Radio, 1,262 artists competed in ArtPrize last year, and Grand Valley State University estimated that 200,000 people came out for the three-week event. This year, it should be even bigger. Looks like Ann Arbor and Royal Oak aren't going to have all the fun in Michigan from now on.