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Ferris, Kendall College of Art and Design Ready for ArtPrize 2013

Ferris State UniversityGRAND RAPIDS – Ferris State University and Kendall College of Art and Design are gearing up for ArtPrize 2013, the international art exhibition and competition that attracts hundreds of thousands of people to Grand Rapids.

The annual event, which boasts the world’s largest art prize, kicks off Wednesday, Sept. 18. ArtPrize awards $560,000 in prizes – $360,000 by public vote and $200,000 in juried awards. Ferris and KCAD are sponsors of the event, which runs through Sunday, Oct. 6.

KCAD is one of 169 venues hosting 1,524 entries in the contest, created five years ago by social media entrepreneur Rick DeVos, the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Business and Industry from Ferris in 2012.

“Designed to Win” is the theme of this year’s ArtPrize exhibition at KCAD. The exhibit features work by nine artists who focus on “how we interact and engage with our environments and each other,” according to the ArtPrize website.

The exhibition, in the Woodbridge N. Ferris building at 17 Pearl St. NW, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Expanded hours, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, begin when ArtPrize kicks off on Wednesday, Sept. 18. 

KCAD also is one of five Exhibition Centers where voters can complete the registration process.

Ferris’ KCAD made a significant, long-term commitment to the community event by pledging to serve as an ArtPrize Exhibition Center and Premier Leadership Sponsor through 2017. The college also will provide exclusive sponsorship of the ArtPrize Juried Grand Prize for the next five years.

ArtPrize annually presents six juried awards, including a $100,000 Juried Grand Prize, which is selected by a panel of three judges. A single juror, with the help of local professionals, decides five additional category awards, valued at $20,000 each.

Last year, KCAD celebrated one of its own among the winners. SiTE:LAB, curated by Kendall professor Paul Amenta, was awarded the juried award for Outstanding Venue for its installation at 54 Jefferson Ave., the former home of the Public Museum of Grand Rapids.

In addition to KCAD’s role, Ferris is sponsoring a family drawing lesson beginning at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27 at Rosa Parks Circle in Grand Rapids. Artist Mark Kistler of PBS’ “Mark Kistler’s Imagination Station,” will lead the drawing lesson. The event will be aired live on Maranda’s “Where You Live” on WOTV (Channel 4). The free drawing lesson is open to families with an interest in creating works of art together.