Grand Rapids' ArtPrize exceeds all expectations

Michael H. Hodges / Detroit News Arts Writer

The votes are in.

Ten finalists have been chosen out of 1,200 artists vying for $450,000 in prize money at Grand Rapids' ArtPrize, the city-wide, radically democratic art competition in which visitors vote to determine the winners.

The bad news is that no metro-Detroit artists made the cut.

The good news is that, according to ArtPrize founder Rick DeVos, the art-loving crowds have far exceeded expectations. For example, DeVos said they hoped 10,000 visitors would register to vote. Instead they got 30,000. And the streets of the smallish city were choked with attendees.

"It's been crazy," DeVos says. "The police estimated 20,000 were in the streets Sunday afternoon, though I think there were more than that spread across downtown."

Royal Oak artist and ArtPrize contestant Mary Fortuna confirms this. "It was gridlock in Grand Rapids Sunday," she says.

The public now has one week to vote in a runoff election, to determine who wins the $250,000 grand prize, and the ranking of the remaining nine finalists.

The 18-day event opened Sept. 23 and runs through Oct. 10 -- two days after the final results are announced on Oct. 8.

mhodges@detnews.com (313) 222-6021