Not Everyone in Grand Rapids Loves ArtPrize

ArtPrize has been a fixture in Grand Rapids since it launched in 2009. Many residents love it, while others absolutely hate it. Find out why from a recent online debate.

History of ArtPrize

ArtPrize was founded by entrepreneur Rick DeVos as a radically open, independently organized international public art competition. The idea was to shake things up by moving away from traditional, highly curated gallery settings. There were no selection committees, and artists from around the world could enter. Even better, the public got to vote for their favorite works, with the winners taking home some seriously big cash prizes.

Since launching in 2009, ArtPrize has evolved through several different formats, including a 2019 Project 1 and a pandemic-related pause in 2020.

Why Do Some People Hate ArtPrize?

As impressive as some of the artwork at ArtPrize can be, not everyone in Grand Rapids is a fan of the event. Recently, someone on the Grand Rapids subreddit asked if there were any ArtPrize haters out there, and plenty of people jumped in to share their thoughts.

Depending on the weather, ArtPrize can draw some pretty big crowds to downtown Grand Rapids, especially on the weekends.

Several commenters said that ArtPrize has moved away from its local roots, with some commenters saying the event now features more artists from outside the area.

AI was another issue that frustrated some commenters during ArtPrize 2026.

A few people in the subreddit thread even described ArtPrize as more of a tourist trap than anything else.

Several downtown workers said ArtPrize makes their daily routine a little more difficult, from heavier traffic and fewer parking spots to packed restaurants during their lunch breaks.

Get our free mobile app

There are plenty of comments from people who don't like ArtPrize. You can see the discussion here. What do you think about ArtPrize?

👇BELOW: All ArtPrize Winners from 2009 to 2024👇

All ArtPrize Winners from 2009 to 2024

In its 15th year, ArtPrize continues to draw hundreds of thousands of people to Downtown Grand Rapids to explore the art dispersed throughout the city. While there are many winners each year, there is only ONE Grand Prize winner determined by the public via voting. Here is each winner from 2009 to now. All photos are courtesy of ArtPrize.

Gallery Credit: Tommy McNeill