World’s Largest Art Competition: world record in Grand Rapids, Michigan

October 8, 2022

Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States--ArtPrize®, an open, independently organized international art competition which takes place in Grand Rapids, Michigan, celebrates artists working in all mediums from anywhere in the world, and is open to any creative with an artwork to enter and a venue willing to host it; the average number of entrants is around 1,500 and the average number of host venues is around 150 sites, thus setting the world record for being the World's Largest Art Competition, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY.

"For 18 days, art is exhibited throughout the city in public parks and museums, in galleries and vacant storefronts, in bars and on bridges. ArtPrize awards $450,000 directly to artists, through grants to support their ambitious work and through prizes which the public decides through the ArtPrize website," the official website reports.

"Since its inception in 2009, millions have participated in ArtPrize, displaying their work, opening their spaces to artists and visitors from around the world, and sparking countless conversations about what art is and why it matters."

"ArtPrize lasts for 19 days beginning in late September, and during each festival $500,000 in cash prizes are awarded based on public voting and a jury of art experts. ArtPrize was originally an annual event; in 2018, it was switched to a biennial schedule.[3]

"ArtPrize was created in 2009 by Rick DeVos, the son of Republican candidate Dick DeVos and United States Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. The DeVos family contributes approximately $560,000 annually to the ArtPrize budget.

"ArtPrize was conceived by Rick DeVos as an untraditional art contest with its goals being: any artist in the world could compete; anyone with property in downtown Grand Rapids could turn their space into a venue; and any visitor could vote for their favorite artwork. Event organizers would provide no selection committees or curators. And the largest cash prize in the art world would be awarded entirely by popular vote." (wikipedia)

"An art competition open to anyone 18 and up who can find a venue to host their piece, Art Prize takes over downtown Grand Rapids for 19 days each fall. Started in 2009 by Rick DeVos, this competition awards two $200,000 grand prizes (one for public vote, one for juried vote) as well as smaller awards in eight different categories, the travelthemitten.com reports.

"The average number of entrants is around 1,500 and the average number of host venues is around 150 sites."

"ArtPrize Seven still enjoys bragging rights as the world's largest art prize," the Michigan Live reports.

"We're not aware of any larger prizes, certainly not annually awarded," said Todd Herring, communications director for ArtPrize. "But we've moved away from that specific statement to give room for the 'world's largest art competition' superlative that we're honestly more proud of,"

"Since it launched in 2009, ArtPrize, underwritten by the Dick and Betsy DeVos Foundation, has been open to any artist working in any medium, of any nationality, living in any country, who's willing to bring work to Grand Rapids and who finds a place to show it.

"The best-known, best-paying art prizes worldwide include the Sweden's Carnegie Art Award, which awards 2.1 million Swedish kronor every other year."

All photos: Courtesy of ArtPrize