Before she unveils her large interactive piece, Unspoken, for ArtPrize 2026, artist Ruimin Ge (VOTE ID #95779) wants to give visitors a taste of the “emotional and visual language” of her work. For September’s First Friday reception at ArtRat Gallery, she’ll help us create our own beautiful little works on paper. The simple idea: Take home a word, leave behind a stroke. =|||= 
Participants will choose an inner state, receive or draw an artist-curated Chinese word or short phrase connected to that feeling, and handwrite it onto a bookmark to take home. Before leaving, they’ll be invited to choose one color and add a single anonymous brush stroke to a shared paper surface. (While your experience is a personal one, no names or personal stories will be collected.) =|||= About her ArtPrize work, Ruimin writes: “Unspoken is a participatory public art installation that invites people to anonymously share something they have never said out loud — a regret, a memory, a truth, a grief, a love, or a silence they still carry. In response, I offer each participant a live Chinese calligraphic translation: a word, phrase or symbolic response created not as a literal transcription, but as an emotional interpretation they can take with them."

First Strokes (A Prelude to 'Unspoken') w/Ruimin Ge

CakePrize at Sugar Bar: where frosting becomes fine art.
Our 2nd annual CakePrize kicks off on weekends during ArtPrize.  Each participant receives a cake and decorating supplies to create their own masterpiece.  After all the entries are received the public will vote on their favorite cakes.   First, second and third place will receive sweet prizes and bragging rights.  No reservations needed!

CakePrize

Get ready for an inspiring weekend of independent cinema! We’re bringing back-to-back screenings, bold stories, and incredible community vibes across Grand Rapids.

FRIDAY | Kicking Off the Festival Vibe
Where: The one and only MUSE
What: Kick start your weekend with high-energy networking and a special short film screening. Best of all? It’s completely FREE!

Schedule

7:15 PM Mall Video Store

7:45 PM Q&A with Documentary Directors

Grand Rapids Film Festival Kickoff  @ Muse GR

The Joyful Disruptors take flight at Rosa Parks Circle with a flash mob set to Fatboy Slim's "Praise You," with individuals dressed as Michigan Birds. Choreographed by Whitney Pyles — 2023 ArtPrize Juried Installation winner for The Zone of Authenticity — the piece complements Michigan Birds, Andrea Napierkowski's portrait series on view at Rewind. Catch it Saturday, September 12 at approximately 6pm, right after the Grand Rapids Ballet's Preview Week performance wraps (time may shift slightly if the ballet runs long).

Michigan Birds Flash Mob: The Joyful Disruptors

September 12th-September 17th

Revived from the earlier years of ArtPrize, Preview Week offers Grand Rapidians and early visitors an intimate first-look at some of 2026’s entries before the competition begins.
With this expanded calendar footprint, ArtPrize will elevate additional art forms through its new themed weekends.

Participating Venues include:
1 1 1 1 Lady of The (b o i l e r) House
Art of the Table
ArtPrize ClubHouse
ArtRat Gallery
Brewery Vivant
Bridge St Electric
Cellar Bird Books
City Life Church
Crow's Hold
DeVos Place Convention Center
Ferris State University's Kendall College of Art and Design
Fountain Street Church
Gazelle Sports
Happy Cat Café
Healing in Arts - Between Two Worlds
Heritage Hill Offices/Neighborhood
Lilith’s Lair
McKay Tower
Mobile GR - 87 Monroe
Niksi
Reagan Marketing + Design
Rebel Nell
Shinola Grand Rapids Downtown
Spectrum Theater
Sugar Bar
Swift Printing
The 1850 Room
The Atrium at Uccello's Downtown
The Blue Bridge
The Elevated Market and The Glasshouse
The Roll Inn
United Bank of Michigan
Yesterdog

**ArtPrize Venue required hours listed. Please check individual venues for actual hours of operation during ArtPrize Preview Week.

ArtPrize Preview Week

A powerful outdoor exhibit honoring the resilience, hopes, and stories of refugee children during ArtPrize. Visitors are invited to engage with the art, share their own messages of hope, and become part of the exhibition .

Healing in Arts (HiA) - Between Two Worlds

Get ready for an inspiring weekend of independent cinema! We’re bringing back-to-back screenings, bold stories, and incredible community vibes across Grand Rapids.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12th, 1pm - 9pm

Watch the big screen all day! Catch a dazzling array of films at the gorgeous Grand Rapids African American Museum & Archives (GRAMMA). Dive into a cinematic adventure – doors open at 1pm!

Afterwards, join us for our Awards Ceremony. Winners for Best Film, Short Film, Music Video, Commercial and 1-Minute Micro Film will be announced!

Location: GRAMMA

GRAMMA Directions

Schedule - Room 1

01:00 PM Funkateer Dance: Past, Present, Future (Dir. Ronald Ford)

02:30 PM Painted Faces (Dir. Ryan Hill)

04:30 PM Q&A (Info TBA)

05:00 PM Byeeee (Dir. Chell Stephen)

07:00 PM Shouldering Sanctuary: Chicago’s 2025 Battle With ICE (Dir. Ben Kolak)

08:15 PM GRFF Awards

Schedule - Room 2

1:30 PM Shorts Block: Las Cosas Que Brillan, In Love & Struggle, Rosemary, Intertwined, Don in the Fast Lane

3:00 PM Shorts Block: Loco, Life After a Lifetime and Endless Rebirths, Still Life, Reverence: Reclaiming the Forgotten, Justice for Katherine Gomez

5:00 PM 24hr Microfilm Challenge - Live Screening and Judging

6:15 PM Shorts Block: Nuisance, Pictures of Us, Silent Night, Dark Side of the Track, Ca$h Cow$, Final Frame

Get tickets and find more info in the links below

Grand Rapids Film Festival - screenings & awards ceremony @ GRAMMA

Preview Week kicks off with a free-to-attend dance festival at Rosa Park Circle. The Grand Rapids Ballet will curate the stage with incredible performances of their own, as well as additional elevated dance forms from outside companies.

2-6PM event, doors at 1 PM

Confirmed performers include:
Arthur Murray Dance Studio
Currents Dance Theatre
CPR Dance: Inhale Movement
Deos Contemporary Ballet
Essence Movement Co.
Grand Rapids Ballet
Grand Rapids Ballet School
Grand Rapids Ballet’s Moving with Parkinson’s
Hope College - H2 Dance Co.
Scoil Rince Ní Bhraonáin
Seben Dance


ArtPrize DanceFest with Grand Rapids Ballet

Meet the artist, see the Mediterranean Journey artworks, get a copy of The Visionary Art Magazine featuring the artist, get a signed mini giclée (ready to be framed and displayed on your wall). Limited quantities of the magazine and of the giclées.

Meet the Artist - Dani Phillip

Join us at The Glasshouse for the performance of Primary/Secondary by Avant Theatre Ballet

Primary/Secondary by Avant Theatre Ballet

Join Grand Rapids Film Festival on Saturday, September 12th at 7:00 PM at the Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives for a special screening of Shouldering Sanctuary.

We are proud to partner with Migrant Legal Aid, led by former GRFF board member Diana Lamphiere! To support their vital work in our community, $1 from every ticket sold will be donated directly to Migrant Legal Aid.

Come out for an impactful evening of film, conversation, and community support.

📍 Location: Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives (GRAAMA)
⏰ Time: Saturday, Sept 12 @ 7:00 PM
🎟️ Get your tickets now and support a great cause!

Grand Rapids Film Festival 2026 - Shouldering Sanctuary screening

Join us for one of Heritage Hill’s favorite traditions—Movie in the Park on Saturday, September 12 at Pleasant Park! Festivities begin at 8:00 p.m., with a showing of Hocus Pocus starting at 8:30 p.m. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, family, and friends for a fun evening under the stars.

Movies In the Park

GRFF is taking over Celebration’s Studio Park once again. Experience our next wave of breathtaking films at this premier central hub. Grab a seat in their state-of-the-art indoor theaters or cozy up on the piazza for our outdoor screenings.

Screenings at Celebration Theatre 
Filmmakers Q&A’s at TBA
Get tickets and find more info in the links below!


Schedule - Indoors

10:00 AM Reel Conversations (Dir. Ryan Simmons)

11:15 AM Shorts Block: Serenity, Downbeat, Rewired: Identity in the Age of Mass Distraction, Last Kill, The Crumbs, Bad Date, Made of Meat

1:00 PM This is George & Monty (Dir. John Schwert)

2:45 PM Shorts Block: I Wanted To Hear Your Voice, Patty's Last Resort, Backstabbers, Nowhere Good, Joker of Freetown, Party Foul, Too Perfect

04:30 PM Infernus (Dir. Vincent Vente)

Schedule - Piazza

10:00 AM Shorts Block: Heavy Lids, Can This Be Reel, Final Press, A Recipe For Disaster, Dagger, Graveyard Gremlins

11:00 AM Hawk Watch (Dir. Alicia Wszelaki, Matthew Nothelfer)

11:45 AM Post Screening Grand Rapids Audubon Q&A with biologist Daniel Goldberg, local hawk watch expert Josh Haas, and Hawk Watch filmmaker Matt Nothelfer.

12:30 PM Shorts Block: GodCocteauTheory, Zastava Bros, Life of a Human Firecracker

1:30 PM Behind the Beard: Making Santa Real (Dir. Brandon Rice)

3:00 PM Shorts and Music Videos Block: 
Shorts: Humanity (1984/2026), Me My Dad and the Thing in the Shed, Max Q, Drive Through Smoke: A Night with John Popper, Bridge Swim: Conquering the Mackinac Straits, Talking Days Music Videos: Emma's Addiction, Change, Digging My Own Grave, Athena

Grand Rapids Film Festival @ Celebration Cinema - Studio Park

IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN....Artprize is happening and so is the African American Arts and Music Festival, with an amazing line-up of performers. This years event will take place at the new MLK Park Community Center, with Food Trucks, Merch vendors, Kids games and plenty of amazing local performances. Come oput and support your local talent, with the night ending with the Mitch Meyers Prince Tribute Band. September 13th from 12:00-8:00PM, and its FREE!

See you there!

Grand Rapids African American Art and Music Festival 2026

Tech Week Grand Rapids is a weeklong celebration of technology, innovation, and community collaboration.

As an unconference, Tech Week is participant-driven. That means that the events, discussions, demos, and showcases are led by the people who live and work in our community. This is your chance to mingle with like-minded people — from our region and across the country — face-to-face, to exchange ideas, network, pick up new information and ultimately help move the conversation forward.

Learn more about all the 120+ independently hosted events occurring during Tech Week on our website, and sign up to attend!

The Right Place is the proud organizer of Tech Week Grand Rapids. The organization works alongside other community leaders to create Tech Week and establish Greater Grand Rapids as a leading destination for tech and innovation.

Tech Week Grand Rapids

September 12th-September 17th

Revived from the earlier years of ArtPrize, Preview Week offers Grand Rapidians and early visitors an intimate first-look at some of 2026’s entries before the competition begins.
With this expanded calendar footprint, ArtPrize will elevate additional art forms through its new themed weekends.

Participating Venues include:
1 1 1 1 Lady of The (b o i l e r) House
Art of the Table
ArtPrize ClubHouse
Brewery Vivant
Bridge St Electric
Cellar Bird Books
City Life Church
Crow's Hold
DeVos Place Convention Center
Ferris State University's Kendall College of Art and Design
Fountain Street Church
Gazelle Sports
Happy Cat Café
Healing in Arts - Between Two Worlds
Heritage Hill Offices/Neighborhood
Lilith’s Lair
McKay Tower
Mobile GR - 87 Monroe
Niksi
Reagan Marketing + Design
Rebel Nell
Shinola Grand Rapids Downtown
Spectrum Theater
Sugar Bar
Swift Printing
The 1850 Room
The Atrium at Uccello's Downtown
The Blue Bridge
The Elevated Market and The Glasshouse
United Bank of Michigan
Yesterdog

**ArtPrize Venue required hours listed. Please check individual venues for actual hours of operation during ArtPrize Preview Week.

"Everyone knows what sumo is. But until you see it live, you have NO IDEA what sumo is." 

Come watch a sumo exhibition put on by the Grand Rapids Sumo Club, with guests from numerous other clubs around the region! History, culture, demonstration, audience participation, and live matches over the course of two hours!

Live Sumo Wrestling

Abbie Lemke will be showing her OFF AIR Film at the beginning of each Garage Bar comedy show during ArtPrize.

 Every Tuesday night at The Garage Bar & Grill, Abbie Lemke hosts a one-of-a-kind Stand-up comedy show! On Tuesdays during ArtPrize she will also be premiering her film OFF AIR as a part of the show.

OFF AIR Pilot & Stand-up Comedy Show

Come see - for the first time - a scale model of Sullivan (Valley) Field - and related paintings. Food & Drink specials! Meet the artists - Terry Lowery & Steve Diekman. Join us!

Fans of Valley Field / Fratelli's - ArtPrize Unveiling Party

You're invited to come meet the 22 artists exhibiting at our venue. Expect light refreshments, giveaways, inspiring stories, and artist introductions.

Artist Reception Meet & Greet

Come celebrate the opening night of "Metamorphosis." This exhibition features 25 different artist entries with over 100 works of art! Join us September 17th 5:00pm-8:00pm at 1101 Godfrey Ave SW.

"Metamorphosis" Opening Reception

Meet the ArtPrize Artists hosted by Periwinkle Fog and view their entries.  23 Artists within the store space and bonus space next door in the historic Ledyard Building!

3rd Thursdays Meet Our Artist Mixer

Each Thursday evening Artists will discuss their ArtPrize entry with the public. Join us in the exhibit spaces at Fountain Street Church.

Artist Chat

Join us for our ArtPrize Launch Party hosted by Midwest Movement Collective! Visitors will have the opportunity to meet the artists, visit with fellow ArtPrize enthusiasts, and get a sneak preview of our time-based entry “Visible Frequencies” by Threshold Dance Project.

This is a free event and open to the public. Space is limited. RSVP via the lodus link is encouraged. 

Come celebrate the start of ArtPrize with us!

Launch Party - Midwest Movement Collective

KV painted this heavily textured, 8-foot modular mural in only two weeks - stop by to see it and ask her any questions! You'll also be able to take home with you a small sample of the glossy paint she used in the piece. Free and open to the public. Cookies by Foliage and Flour will be provided while supplies last.

Meet the Artist: KV w/ v.deliberate.art

United Bank of Michigan ArtPrize Reception 
Meet our ArtPrize artists! Discover their incredible works, hear their stories and get inspired. Enjoy light refreshments.

5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
United Bank
Downtown Branch
44 Ionia Avenue SW Suite 2
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Thursday, September 17, 2026

We look forward to celebrating art with you!

United Bank of Michigan's Artist Reception

Get an early look at Cūra Gallery before ArtPrize officially begins. 

Cūra is an incredible pop-up gallery showcasing an eclectic group of contemporary artists Curated by the ArtPrize Exhibitions Team. With 50 ArtPrize artists, Cūra gallery is one of the more densely populated venues and offers an elevated multi-room gallery experience juxtaposed with an active parking garage located within one of Grand Rapids’ historic former furniture facto

Enjoy a playlist, cash bar, and an evening of art and conversation as we gather ahead of ArtPrize.

Preview Night @ Cūra Gallery


Come get the first look at Art for Honor, an exhibit of ArtPrize entries by veteran artists, open to the public.
 
Our exhibit will be located on the north side of City Hall behind Calder Plaza. Come and explore a variety of inspiring pieces, meet the artists (all U.S. veterans), and celebrate the stories, creativity, and service behind each work.

**Right at 6:30, U.S. Army veteran, writer, and veteran advocate Jill Hinton Wolfe will read her essay, The Coin, as part of her ArtPrize entry. The piece begins with the unlikely way she ended up in the Army, after a coin toss at the Military Entrance Processing Station, and explores how a decision made almost casually can go on to shape a life. It’s about military identity, chance, purpose, and the strange ways we come to understand the choices that made us.

*Private invite-only artist reception to be held beforehand*

Art for Honor Opening Reception

Join us Thursday, September 17 from 6:30-8pm to meet three of the artists whose work will be featured in Cellar Bird Books during ArtPrize: Lain Leo (Self), Laura Colleen (The Luthier's Lost Library), and Paige Lamphere (Cyclical Rebirth).

Meet the Artists at Cellar Bird Books

Army veteran and writer Jill Hinton Wolfe will read her essay The Coin during the opening ceremony for Art for Honor, a veterans art project at Calder Plaza.

The essay begins with a literal coin toss at the Military Entrance Processing Station that helped determine Jill’s path into the U.S. Army. From there, she explores the surprising ways military service can shape a life, an identity, and a sense of purpose long after the uniform comes off.

The reading will be part of an evening featuring veteran artists participating in the Art for Honor exhibition and celebrating the stories, experiences, and creative work of those who have served.

The Coin: A Veteran’s Story of Chance, Service & Identity

Enter a world of glowing bubbles, luminous illusions, and playful immersion—including the chance to become part of the art and step inside a giant bubble.

A collaborative experience created as part of Kendalyn’s Chromadigm Shift: Immersion, at the Artprize Clubhouse!

The Bubble Portal: A Luminous Immersion

Presented by The Brick Guru, Josh Devries

Embark on an imaginative journey through a custom-designed LEGO® universe filled with towering mountains, hidden caves, and unexpected discoveries. This playful exhibition reflects the Grand Rapids Children's Museum's mission to inspire curiosity, creativity, and learning through hands-on exploration, inviting visitors of all ages to imagine, explore, and discover together. 

A LEGO® Space Adventure

Meet and Greet with Artist Greg Urbin at Sundance Bar & Grill 
Artist will be present every day from 9 AM - 7:30 PM from Sept 18th- October 3rd

Meet and Greet w/ Greg Urbin at Sundance Grill & Bar

Walk through an exhibit featuring NIA Centre's ArtPrize 2026 artist, Jennifer Maples. The exhibit will include Jennifer's ArtPrize submission: Through My Eyes, as well as other pieces within the NIA Centre's office. Explore Jennifer's mixed medium artistry, beautiful artwork, and pieces for sale during this limited time.

Healing Through My Pain, A Jennifer Maples Exhibit

The ArtPrize ClubHouse is a central hub for visitors, artists, and volunteers.

Stop by for water, official ArtPrize merch, and friendly customer support at the concierge. Grab an event guide, take a seat, and plan your next ArtPrize adventure.

Explore a small gallery of curated ArtPrize entries selected by the ArtPrize Exhibitions Team, then relax, connect, and recharge in the shared lounge space.

The ArtPrize Clubhouse is supported by Swift Printing and the Michigan Arts and Culture Council.

ArtPrize ClubHouse

ArtPrize voting is officially underway! Explore the art, discover new favorites, and make your voice count. With thousands of entries across Grand Rapids, there’s plenty to see - and every vote helps shape this year’s ArtPrize.

For more information on how to vote, click 'More info' below.


ArtPrize Voting Opens

CommuniTree is a collaborative installation made by the patients, caregivers and staff of Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in downtown GR. The willow tree represents the interconnectedness we share as community members. Viewers are encouraged to walk around the tree to see artwork made by MFB patients, family and staff depicting what they need and what they give back to their communities.

CommuniTree by Mary Free Bed

Participants: Young Women of Kent County Girls Court 
Facilitated by: Healing in Arts 

These collaborative self-portraits explore identity, resilience, and hope. Through paint, color, and individual expression, each participant reflects on who she is today and who she is becoming. Together, the works invite viewers to look beyond labels and recognize the strength, dignity, and humanity of every young woman.

This is Me: Self-Portraits by Justice-Involved Young Women

Check out our annual ArtPrize Brush Studio Artist Canvas Sale!  All artists sample canvases are $10 and available for purchase during open ArtPrize hours.

Brush Studio Canvas Art Sale

Join us for an unforgettable evening as we kick off ArtPrize with a community celebration and we turn Pearl Street Bridge into a musical instrument! 

Start the evening at Rosa Parks Circle with drinks, activities, and a few unexpected characters who will help lead the way as we head into the ArtPrize Opening Parade. Join the parade as we make our way through the city to the Pearl Street Bridge, where the celebration continues with music from an area DJ, drinks from the bar, and time to meet and mingle before experiencing a one-of-a-kind musical performance from William Close & the Earth Harp Collective.

Featuring the world’s longest stringed instrument stretched across the Pearl Street Bridge, Earth Harp transforms the space into an immersive experience of sound, connection, and wonder. The evening continues with fireworks over the Grand River, officially launching ArtPrize.

5:30 PM — Kickoff @ Rosa Parks Circle
7 PM — Parade leaves Rosa Parks Circle
March with us! Find the parade route on the ArtPrize map.
8:30 PM — Earth Harp @ Pearl Street Bridge
At the end of the parade route, enjoy music, drinks and time to gather before the performance.
9:30 PM — Fireworks

ArtPrize Opening Celebration

Feeling inspired as you view the amazing ArtPrize creations? Join us for a paint night in downtown Grand Rapids!  Don't worry, we teach you every step of the way.  Enjoy our awesome bar, 5 incredible ArtPrize installations, legendary playlists, and an upscale downtown atmosphere.  Pick your date and register online (no walk-ins) www.brushgr.com

Paint and Sip at Brush Studio

Lady of The (boiler) House Is an immersive, site specific opera. The anchor performative work at Lora Robertson’s studio: 1111 Godfrey Avenue SW, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503. An opera-forward, site specific mash up of art forms, this project features original lyrics by poet Lucy Ernst, a durational performance by Lora Robertson, and rigorous soprano vocals by Ruby Duimstra. Inspired by climate change, invisible feminine domestic work loads, and a global disconnect from the earth and its rhythms, this project brings opera out of the proscenium stage up close to the audience who can immerse themselves in the experience on their own terms. Winner of an ArtPrize 2026 Seed Grant, this project allows audiences to experience elite art forms in an historic architectural relic, because opera, poetry, and conceptual performance should be available to everyone. Featuring Lora’s scale form sculpture of The Statue of Liberty’s heart

Lady of The (boiler) House

Hosted by GRAM Visionnaires during ArtPrize Opening Weekend, GRAM After Dark is the can’t-miss celebration.

For one night only, the museum comes alive after hours with music, art, food, and the energy of Grand Rapids’ creative community. 

Join artists, creatives, tastemakers, and enthusiasts for an unforgettable night inside GRAM.

• Music by Dogfood and DJ Deeechild
• Food trucks
• Cash bar + N/A beverages
• Late-night gallery access

GRAM AFTER DARK

Enflame is a mixed-media dance piece. It merges the traditional art of fire dance with the emerging art medium of drone light shows. This piece intends to expand the horizon of creative storytelling. Drone lighting and movement accent and extend the fire performance, amplifying the emotional experience.

Enflame

Erasing Color...The Saving of Black Art

Presented by The Brick Guru, Josh Devries

Embark on an imaginative journey through a custom-designed LEGO® universe filled with towering mountains, hidden caves, and unexpected discoveries. This playful exhibition reflects the Grand Rapids Children's Museum's mission to inspire curiosity, creativity, and learning through hands-on exploration, inviting visitors of all ages to imagine, explore, and discover together. 

Artprize Workshop  Mini-Landscapes: Create an Artist Trading Card

Try out this new trend of creating an Artist Trading Card by making a miniature landscape from collage and oil pastel.  Artprize artist Heather Jean Boersma will share her inspirational supplies, such as National Geographic magazines, tissue paper, and oil pastels, and guide students to create abstract landscapes that travel through grassy meadows, through mysterious tunnels, over bridges, or just down a country road to home.

Children's Art Workshop with Heather Jean Boersma

Habitat for Humanity of Kent and Northern Muskegon Counties, in collaboration with Friends of Grand Rapids Parks, is excited to present "Community starts with home," our interactive exhibit at ArtPrize 2026!

It will feature artist-painted doors displayed across two local parks and Habitat Kent ReStore, giving life to our mission of bringing people together to build homes, communities, and hope. Alongside each of these, there will also be a blank door for community members to portray their own interpretation of the theme.

This display highlights that when everyone has a strong foundation and we open the door to possibilities, entire communities can thrive.

Community Starts with Home - Live Painting Event

Keep Bouncin! presents a FREE Block Party in downtown Grand Rapids on Saturday, September 19, bringing together a stacked lineup of DJs and local talent for a full day of music, energy, and community. The event runs from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM, with all ages welcome until 7:00 PM, and features performances from Deeechild , Dinero Crew, Richard Oxygen, Superdre, DJ Composition, DJ Omega Supreme, Head Debiase, AB, DJ Ill One, DJ James B, Dogfood, Dimelo Jossy , Troy Ceasar , and more. It’s a celebration of music, culture, and the city—right in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids.

Keep Bouncin!

The Merchants and Makers ArtPrize Market is taking place ALL THREE Saturdays of ArtPrize! This is our 4th year collaborating with ArtPrize, and our second year RIGHT downtown in the middle of it all. We are in Rosa Parks Circle, along Monroe Center, and on Ottawa Ave! The roads are closed, and we are on the street for a fun STREET MARKET!
Live music all day all over the market.
Drinks available as part of the Downtown Refreshment Area! https://refreshments.downtowngr.org
This is a FREE Community Event. Get out and enjoy ArtPrize!

Merchants and Makers Market

The Exchange is an interactive space where ArtPrize’s partners showcase their services through creative displays and hands-on experiences. This engaging area offers visitors a chance to connect with the brands supporting the event, blending art and community.

The Exchange 

Art of Resilience: Veterans Healing, Creating, and Connecting Through Art Art of Resilience by Healing in Arts, under the leadership of Pamela Alderman, transforms Veterans Memorial Park into a powerful outdoor exhibition featuring artwork created by U.S. military veterans. Surrounded by memorials honoring those who served, the park becomes a living gallery—inviting the public to reflect, connect, and experience veterans’ stories through art. The park is located in downtown Grand Rapids near the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum.

September 19th 2026 is the opening day for Art of Resilience and there will be live music, artwork submitted by Veteran artists, and a live JROTC Rifle Drill Exhibition. The following days the artwork submitted by the Veteran artists will remain in the park until October 4th 2026 for the community to enjoy.

Art of Resilience - Veterans Memorial Park - Opening Day

During ArtPrize, trained pharmacy professionals will be at the DeVos Place offering flu and COVID-19 vaccines, making it easier to get protected right where you are. No need to make an extra trip or add another stop to your schedule. It’s a simple, convenient way to stay protected this season.
✅ Flu vaccines available
✅ COVID-19 vaccines available
✅ Trained pharmacy professionals on-site
✅ No appointment needed
Take a few minutes while you're downtown and stay protected all season long. We look forward to seeing you at DeVos Place! 

Presented by D&W Fresh Market

Immunize at ArtPrize

Join me for a meet and greet where I’ll share a behind-the-scenes look at my creative process. I’ll bring a live demonstration showing how I develop a piece from the initial idea through each stage of its creation, with examples along the way.
Come see the process, ask questions, and get a closer look at how an idea transforms into a finished piece. Everyone is welcome!

Flow

Step outside Rewind and dye your own bird-inspired outfit using More Joy Studio's 150 shades of powdered pigment. With a simple dash and bag method, you can take your piece home for a one-of-a-kind colorful ArtPrize treasure. Bring an item from home or grab a shirt on-site. Adding color is just $10 per item transformed. Saturdays & Sundays, noon–6pm, just outside Rewind on 17 Division, throughout ArtPrize.

Michigan Birds Dye Experience

Multidisciplinary artist Nicole Coman announces the debut of her deeply personal and highly anticipated installation, Bed of Lies. Created in collaboration with Tricia Zeno. At its core, Bed of Lies confronts the universal human experience of midnight contemplation—specifically, the lies we tell ourselves at night when the distractions of the day fade away. The installation serves as both a literal and figurative sanctuary where these intrusive, fabricated truths are brought into the light. Coman’s work posits that the physical act of writing down these lies creates an immediate emotional release and establishes a vital sense of accountability.

We invite everyone to come share your lies on the provided fabric stips which will be added throughout ArtPrize to form the quilt on the bed. You will also have the opportunity to get in the bed to lie on the lies ☺️.

Bed Of Lies Interactive Experience

KV painted this heavily textured, 8-foot modular mural in only two weeks - stop by to see it and to watch her paint LIVE! Supplies and a community canvas will be provided for you to try out her paint for yourself. Free and open to the public. First come, first served while supplies last.

Live Painting with Community Participation

Please join New Mexico artists Carissa Samaniego and Bree Lamb for a conversation about their collaborative work "Mirage" (VOTE ID #91402). Samaniego and Lamb will share insight into their process, material choices, conceptual interests, and look forward to speaking with artists and community members.

'Mirage': In Conversation w/Carissa Samaniego & Bree Lamb

Join us for a festive Oktoberfest-style celebration in our parking lot! We’ll have delicious food and refreshing drinks — including beer and other alcoholic beverages — served from our food truck by our friendly staff. Grab a seat under our spacious open-air tent, enjoy the lively atmosphere, and celebrate with us.

Oktoberfest celebration in The Winchester's Parking Lot! Live Music: J Wells German Band 5:00-8:00pm | Beer | Food Features | Tents | Outside Bar | Free Admission All Day

Saturday 9/19 – Food & Drinks + Live Music from 3 PM–10 PM

Oktoberfest

Feeling inspired as you view the amazing ArtPrize creations? Join us for a paint night in downtown Grand Rapids!  Don't worry, we teach you every step of the way.  Enjoy our awesome bar, 5 incredible ArtPrize installations, legendary playlists, and an upscale downtown atmosphere.  Pick your date and register online (no walk-ins) www.brushgr.com

2 sessions available:
3:00-5:00 pm 
and
6:30-8:30pm 

Paint and Sip at Brush Studio (2 sessions)

Due to rain, this performance has moved indoors to The DeVos Place Grand Gallery.

Experience an afternoon of powerful voices and unforgettable music as Opera Grand Rapids takes the stage during ArtPrize 2026.

The performance will feature six talented soloists performing a selection of recognizable songs from opera, musical theatre, and beyond. Inspired by Opera Grand Rapids’ upcoming season, Unconventional Women, the performance celebrates memorable women and the powerful stories, voices, and characters they bring to life on stage.

Presented by the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Supported by Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

Opera Grand Rapids

Hue in I
is a multi-disciplinary collaboration created with the intention of stimulating conversation on our collective experiences, while viewing the world from our individual lenses. Through a fusion of dance styles, poetry, and original music produced by DJ Tron, the piece shares our perspective of the ever-changing human experience. We invite viewers to contemplate the collective systems that are in place, our individual purposes, and our relationships with our environment.

This piece is performed in up-cycled costumes, with a large 9x12 canvas painting intended as a backdrop,  made using acrylic paint, and spray-paint.

2 live performances:  5pm-5:15pm & 5:30pm-5:45pm

Hue In I

ArtRat Gallery welcomes ArtPrize 2026 and its “Chromariffic!” group show with a colorful assortment of treats, entertainment and art! =|||=


This year’s lineup plays with color through the eyes of a diverse spectrum of 15 artists: Sterling Converse, Ruimin Ge, Karen Godfrey, Meghan Hernandez, Jah, Amanda Koss, Michelle Leidich, Kai Lum, Jerri Puerner, Robert Robbins, Calhen Robinson, Carissa Sanariego & Bree Lamb, Janiah Skye and Sareya Tyler.  =|||= 


Come join ArtRat and our artists in a joyful riot of color!  .

‘Chromariffic!’ opening reception

Discussion and Q&A with artist Katherine Lewis.

Artist Talk

Performance of time-based work. “Do you want to start at the beginning or the end?” is an interactive duet that allows the audience to control the narrative(s) and literally build the dance. As two humans interact within a personal space centered around a lamp, a chair, and a rug, the audience, by responding to prompts on their smartphones, both reveals and manipulates the relationship between the dancers. Each viewing will be unique, shaped by everyone present at the performance.

Do you want to start at the beginning or the end?

Glitch/Go is a site-specific and immersive dance work developed by Currents Dance Theatre. The piece explores the power of community and connection to combat an isolating and emotionally distant culture. Free admission, standing room with limited seating.

Glitch/Go

RAWWR! HBA Pekich Park Artist Erik Cederquist (VOTE ID #98460) has created 100 plywood dinosaurs and assembled them in the park for ArtPrize 2026. Join Erik as he brings his beasts to life with light and sound!

Dinosaur Project Night!

Christa Terry, Senior Art Critic for Observer, makes a special trip from New York to discuss making art in turbulent times with Lora Robertson and her collaborators. Please join us at Lora’s working studio and ArtPrize venue to meet the artists, experience their work, and talk about addressing challenges artistically.

Panel Discussion with Christa Terry

Artprize Events

Explore ArtPrize events: Diverse celebrations of artistry in an unmatched festival atmosphere. Dive into a world where creativity and community converge.