In Wednesday’s (9/21) Detroit Free Press, Mark Stryker writes, “Since its debut in 2009, ArtPrize—the uniquely democratic and lucrative annual competition in Grand Rapids that awards nearly $450,000 in prize money by public vote—has been a showcase for visual artists of all stripes. But ArtPrize leaders always wanted other kinds of artists in the game. So this year’s competition, which runs today through Oct. 9, inaugurates a new exhibition center focused on music. Composers and performers working in rock, country, jazz, classical and other idioms will take their place as competitors alongside painters, sculptors, photographers, conceptual artists and the rest. … The acts will perform back-to-back sets on Wednesday and Friday through next Sunday. The actual ArtPrize entry will be a specific original composition—not a cover tune—played during each set. … The performers mirror their visual art peers at ArtPrize in their grab bag of styles and experience, from the Nashville-based singer-songwriter Kimber Cleveland to local bar bands to three musicians from the Grand Rapids Symphony who have each written a movement of an orchestral triptych. (The symphony will give the world premiere in October, but the three pieces will be represented at ArtPrize by a recording of a scaled-down arrangement.)”
Posted September 22, 2011
