Photo Gallery: Highlights from ArtPrize 2015
Julie Bitely
| 2 min read
Let the ArtPrizing begin! The seventh annual art competition officially kicked off today at noon, although patrons wishing to cast votes were delayed due to an Amazon Web Services outage, which hosts ArtPrize’s website and mobile app.
That didn’t stop the festivities from getting underway, however. Downtown was busier than usual for a Wednesday lunchtime, but it wasn’t quite the peak ArtPrize mob scene. Basically, it was the perfect chance to duck into the normally packed Grand Rapids Art Museum to see the displays there, so we did!
The streets have a different buzz as residents and out-of-towners start to descend on the city and explore the art that’s all around. There’s a ton of works to be seen within walking distance of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s office at 86 Monroe Center NW, including the work displayed in our very own window.
Amelea Pegman, ArtPrize Managing Director, said ArtPrize brings people together in “brilliant and powerful ways.” She said she’s particularly excited about the intentional inclusion of sometimes disenfranchised populations through ArtPrize programming such as the Rapid Rides program, of which BCBSM is a sponsor for the second year.
Todd Herring, ArtPrize Creative Director, pointed out the many ways in which ArtPrize continues to evolve and expand, including the addition of a new neighborhood venue through SiTE:LAB’s Rumsey Street Project, ArtPrize Tonight programming, and the addition of The Eddy, a 5,000-person music venue, which kicks off events on October 2.
Here’s a look at just a smidgeon of the more than 1,500 pieces of art on display in Grand Rapids through Oct. 11.
Have you been to ArtPrize this year? What was your favorite work and why? Let us know in the comments.
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Photo credit: Julie Bitely
