Twelve artists were selected from an international pool of thousands of artists to display their works during ArtPrize at Design Plus, Grand Rapid’s premier full-service architecture, engineering, interior design and landscape architecture firm located in the historic Pike House at 230 E. Fulton Street.

Some of the artists in the exhibit are full-time self-supporting artists; others pursue careers in much different fields but are gifted artists like Dr. Elahé Crockett, a medical science professor at Michigan State University-College of Human Medicine.

ArtPrize invites artists of all kinds from around the world to participate in an unprecedented competition that will award nearly one-half million dollars to prize winners, including $250,000 to the artist who receives the most public votes—there is not one official curator or jury for the competition.

The competition runs from Sept. 23 through Oct. 10. The public will decide the winners by voting, using mobile devices and the web. Votes may be cast online at http://www.artprize.org/vote or by text message to 878787.

You must come to Grand Rapids to be able to vote and help determine the winner of the world’s largest art prize. The first round of voting is from September 23^rd through the 30^th, and visitors will select the 10 finalists from over 1,000 participating artists.

Design Plus is inviting the public to attend the exhibition at their Pike House facility, which is open to the public and free of charge.  Exhibition viewing hours at Design Plus are weekdays: 9 am – 8 pm; Friday, 9 am-10pm.  Weekends: Saturday, Noon to 10 pm; Sunday, Noon to 6pm. 

Design Plus is located in the historical Pike House originally built in 1845, which is a nationally-registered historic building, and the first home of the original Grand Rapids Art Museum (http://www.artprize.org/venue/id/36) at 230 E. Fulton Street.