by Martie Lownsberry

Created on: October 09, 2009   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

The results are in the first ever ArtPrize contest is by all accounts a whopping success!

Grand Rapids, Michigan has a long history of supporting public art and the artists who create interesting work. Their first commissioned piece of public art was funded by the National endowment of Arts, and was entitled the La Grand Vitesse. This bright red sculpture by world renown artist Alexander Calder was quickly dubbed the heart of Grand Rapids and began a continuing love affair between private organizations, public agencies, and the citizens of Grand Rapids with the world of art.

This year (2009), Ric Devos, an art lover and philanthropist, whose family has a long history in the City of Grand Rapids put his home town on the map by announcing an exciting experiment experiment called ArtPrize. This experiment turned the a large portion of the city of Grand Rapids into an art gallery for two weeks, from September 23 to October 10th.

He designed an innovative concept that involved the entire city. He would through his parents foundation, put up the half million dollars in prize money and the citizens of the city would offer their businesses, their front lawns, warehouses, garages, whatever space they had available as venues to display art work from all over the world.

The citizenry of Grand Rapids rose to the challenge opening 150 venues in a three mile radius of the center of the city.

Artists could apply for the contest right online by simply signing up for an ArtPrize account, filling out an artist profile and submitting a proposal for their work with a fifty dollar registration fee. Over 1,300 artist did.

Aritsts in all genre of the art world from pencil sketches to performing arts could compete for prizes, with awards going to the top ten places and a whopping $250,000 to the first place for a mere $50.00 fee.

The judges of these art works would not be the art critics or gallery owners but the American public who were invited to come see the many works of art, register and vote for the piece of art they liked the best.

Though critics said that he should not have the public, who knew nothing about fine art, be the judge DeVos held firm wanting to bring the artists and the public together. The result was an unqualified success.

From day one of the competition the public showed up in droves to view the amazing transformation of their city.

Everywhere you went in the center of this city you viewed some amazing work of art.

The mediums used were

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