ArtPrize is in full swing in Downtown Grand Rapids! With 750+ exhibits scattered throughout 150 locations across the city, ArtPrize is the world’s largest display of public art.
Whether you’re an avid art lover who’s attended the event since it began, or this is your first ArtPrize (like me), there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Signs outside each location and this interactive map make it easy to hit as many spots as you’d like! You’ll also be exploring the city as you take in the art, so don’t forget to stop and look around. You might even find yourself adding a new restaurant, local shop, or museum to your West Michigan bucket list!
In addition to the main attraction, there are various art-centric events happening throughout the 18-day festival. Unlock your inner artist at a painting workshop or enjoy a beverage on a walking tour in Grand Rapids’ social zone.
For those who tend to be food-motivated (like myself), you’ll find food trucks and concession tables scattered throughout the city, on top of Grand Rapids’ endless delicious restaurants! If you want to take in the excitement while you dine, check out our last blog post, which highlights the Best Outdoor Dining in West Michigan.
Our team explored the event last week. We spent about an hour making our way through the city to various exhibits and were able to hit most of the larger installations (as well as lots of city landmarks)! Here’s the route we recommend:
– We started by heading up Ottawa Ave to Calder Plaza, where we made music at the interactive EIRO exhibit. However, we’ve heard to get the full experience you should visit EIRO at night.
– Next stop was DeVos Place Convention Center, where art lines the walls on the second floor. This is a great place to see lots of smaller-scale pieces at once!
– From DeVos, we crossed Gillette Bridge, which featured another large installation.
– We saw several large pieces on the lawn of the Gerald R Ford Presidential Museum. There are exhibits inside the Museum as well!
– Next, we took the scenic route through Ah-Nab-Awen Park and down the riverfront sidewalk of the Grand Rapids Public Museum to the Blue Bridge and saw several installations along the way.
– Once over the bridge, we made our way down Monroe Center, which we found to be the most concentrated place for outdoor art exhibits! Including paintings on seemingly brand-new cars.
– Our little ArtPrize tour ended at Rosa Parks Circle to see the Sad Blimp (heads up, it goes up later in the afternoon)! If the route works up your appetite, so you’ll be in the right place because there are several food trucks parked at Rosa Park’s Circle!
Check out the “ArtPrize ‘22” highlight on our Instagram, @hellowestmich, to see all our ArtPrize adventures!
