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Grand Rapids' Esteemed Art Festival and Competition Comes to a Close After 18 Days of Celebrating the International Art Community; 2024 Dates Announced
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Oct. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ArtPrize, the annual international contemporary art competition and immersive festival, draws the curtains on a spectacular 18 days of art exhibitions and activations in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Concluding with an unforgettable closing ceremony at Rosa Parks Circle, ArtPrize distributed a staggering $400,000 in prize money across the Juried Awards, Visibility Awards and Public Vote, where over 50,000 votes were cast. ArtPrize Opening Celebration
Founded in 2009, ArtPrize returned with a revamp this year as a fresh collaboration between the City of Grand Rapids, Downtown Grand Rapids, Inc. and Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University. The 950 participating artists represented 12 countries and 30 states, exhibiting captivating artwork of various mediums, including: photography, painting, sculpture, ceramics, and beaded embroidery. More than 150 local venues debuted artwork, from public parks to bars and restaurants, transforming Grand Rapids into a living canvas. "ArtPrize offers a unique opportunity to unite artists from around the world and engage with the public to witness, interact and vote upon spectacular works of art. As we wrap up this exceptional year, we're setting the stage for a lasting legacy that will continue to inspire," remarks Catlin Whitington, ArtPrize's executive director. "The competition was fierce this year, and it was an honor to offer each of our 950 participating artists a platform in Grand Rapids to showcase their creativity throughout our beautiful city." With the Public Vote open to all ArtPrize attendees (ages 13 and up), the competition awarded the following artists:
First Place for $125,000: Abdoulaye Conde's "Raining Wisdom"
Second Place for $50,000: Rebecca Humes' "Tale of Ten Dresses" on display at JW Marriott Grand Rapids
Third Place for $25,000: Peggy Slattery's "An Iris Collection of 5" on display at Amway Grand Plaza
A hand-picked committee comprised of esteemed members - Jonathan Levine, Josh Solas, Coka Trevino, Briana Yarhouse and Rachel Winter - evaluated the Juried Competition based on strict criteria to honor artists who exemplify excellence in their respective mediums, with a second artist from each category recognized as Honorable Mention. Each awarded $20,000, first place winners by category included:
2D: Stephen Brennan's "Mandy with Orchid" on display at Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
3D: Kumkum Fernando's "The Lost Mystics" on display at ArtPrize ClubHouse
Digital: Eric Souther and Benjamin Rosenthal's "Body-oddy-oddy-oddy: Destabilizing the Surveilling of Queer Bodies" on display at ArtPrize ClubHouse
Time-Based: Aryel Jackson's "The Future is a Constant Wake" on display at Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University
Installation (tied): DisArt's "The Art of Disruption" and Whitney Pyles' "The Zone of Authenticity" *The prize will be evenly distributed to both declared winners at $10,000 each
New for 2023, ArtPrize introduced the Visibility Awards to support contemporary artists from underrepresented communities and uplift diverse perspectives. Presented by MillerKnoll, each honoree was awarded a well-deserved prize of $15,000:
Vanguard Award for Contemporary Black Artists, presented by LMCU: Maya James' "#NoMoreStolenSist(a)s" on display at Zabház
Originators Award for Contemporary Indigenous Artists, presented by Gun Lake Casino and Gun Lake Investments: Juan Pimentel's "SERENITY" on display at Harmony Brewing Company
Horizontes Award for Contemporary Latino Artists: Salvador Jimenez-Flores' "Caminantes / Wayfarers" on display at ArtPrize Oasis
Crossroads Award for Contemporary Asian Artists: Minyoung Kwak's "Isa(Moving)" on display at Monroe Community Church
Prism Award for Contemporary Queer Artists: Christopher Shields' "Technophobia'" on display at The Morton
ArtPrize 2023 delivered a dynamic roster of daily events that left attendees buzzing with excitement, from block parties and immersive artist workshops to live music performances from the Grand Rapids Symphony and the experimental sensation Squonk Opera. Marquis moments included the groundbreaking Art of Disruption exhibition presented by DisArt, which explored the powerful intersection of race and disability activism; the Merchants and Makers Artisan Market, where artists sold their hand-crafted work; and Curb Appeal, a thrilling celebration of custom car culture. ArtPrize's central gathering point, the ArtPrize ClubHouse, hosted curated art exhibitions, daily programming, panel discussions, and youth educational activities. Meanwhile, the ArtPrize Oasis, presented by Corewell Health and Priority Health, offered a playful outdoor space along the Grand River for the public and artists to engage with art. With over a million people visiting Downtown Grand Rapids and experiencing this year's ArtPrize, the beloved multi-day event returns in 2024, continuing its mission to showcase world-class talent in the heart of the city. During the closing ceremony, ArtPrize announced next year's dates: September 13-28, 2024, promising continued celebrations of art, inspiration, and connection. For more information on this year's winners and ArtPrize 2024, please visit ArtPrize.org . # # #
About ArtPrize:
ArtPrize is an annual, international art festival and competition in Grand Rapids, Michigan—a celebration of creative ideas, conversations, experimentation, and inclusiveness. ArtPrize is free and open to the public, and it's also open to any visual or experiential artist who has work to enter and a venue eager to host that work. For 18 days, art is exhibited in galleries, storefronts, parks, museums, breweries, public spaces, and other venues of all kinds. The roots of ArtPrize reach back to 2009, and now The City of Grand Rapids, Downtown Grand Rapids, Inc. (DGRI), and Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University (KCAD) have come together to elevate the event with new inspiration for 2023 and beyond. Through the new public/private partnership, this remarkable event for the community is now a remarkable event of the community. Media Contact

ARTPRIZE UNVEILS 2023 WINNING ARTISTS, AWARDING $400,000 IN PRIZES AND SHOWCASING A SPECTRUM OF PASSION AND SKILL

Ferris State allows students to have pets in dorms
KIFI
    BIG RAPIDS, Michigan ( WNEM ) —  Furry friends are flocking to Ferris State as students there now have the chance to bring their companions to their dorms. “Ferris just really listened to the voices of our students. They requested this, they encourage this, and they seem to be responding positively to it,” said Lisa Ortiz, the director of housing and residence life at Ferris State University. As Ferris State University students begin their semester, four-legged furry and even scaly friends are joining the ranks of campus residents. This semester the school has kicked off its new pet-friendly policy. “We made the decision to start a pilot program in one of our resident traditional residence halls, Kramer Hall,” Ortiz said. “There’s a floor this year for students to bring their pets with them.”
She said some residents were feeling homesick and a little depressed being away from their pets. “All of these students went through COVID where their animals are part of their daily life when they weren’t attending school. All of that builds a connection that you can’t break that easily and many of our students were finding that they were lonely and a little homesick,” Ortiz explained. Ortiz said having their pets on campus with them can help students be more responsible and aid in their time management skills. “It’s a high level of responsibility to own a pet. You have to be home, you have to clean, you have to feed them, you have to water them, you have to walk them. You have to make sure that they feel comfortable in their environment,” she said. Students can bring household pets like dogs, cats, and even a snake, but Ortiz said students must have at least a six-month relationship with the animal and pay an upfront, one-time, non-refundable deposit of $250 for cleaning after the pet leaves. The program has also taken into consideration students who may have allergies to animals. “By creating one building, people with allergies have the choice not to live there. There’s plenty of other spaces on campus that students can choose to live in that would not be a pet-friendly environment,” Ortiz said. For now, the pets have a new home on the second floor of Kramer Hall with hopes of expanding. Anyone who wants to bring a pet will also have to bring proof of shots and spaying or neutering. Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform. Article Topic Follows: News

Ferris State allows students to have pets in dorms

Ferris State allows students to have pets in dorms
    BIG RAPIDS, Michigan ( WNEM ) —  Furry friends are flocking to Ferris State as students there now have the chance to bring their companions to their dorms. “Ferris just really listened to the voices of our students. They requested this, they encourage this, and they seem to be responding positively to it,” said Lisa Ortiz, the director of housing and residence life at Ferris State University. As Ferris State University students begin their semester, four-legged furry and even scaly friends are joining the ranks of campus residents. This semester the school has kicked off its new pet-friendly policy. “We made the decision to start a pilot program in one of our resident traditional residence halls, Kramer Hall,” Ortiz said. “There’s a floor this year for students to bring their pets with them.”
She said some residents were feeling homesick and a little depressed being away from their pets. “All of these students went through COVID where their animals are part of their daily life when they weren’t attending school. All of that builds a connection that you can’t break that easily and many of our students were finding that they were lonely and a little homesick,” Ortiz explained. Ortiz said having their pets on campus with them can help students be more responsible and aid in their time management skills. “It’s a high level of responsibility to own a pet. You have to be home, you have to clean, you have to feed them, you have to water them, you have to walk them. You have to make sure that they feel comfortable in their environment,” she said. Students can bring household pets like dogs, cats, and even a snake, but Ortiz said students must have at least a six-month relationship with the animal and pay an upfront, one-time, non-refundable deposit of $250 for cleaning after the pet leaves. The program has also taken into consideration students who may have allergies to animals. “By creating one building, people with allergies have the choice not to live there. There’s plenty of other spaces on campus that students can choose to live in that would not be a pet-friendly environment,” Ortiz said. For now, the pets have a new home on the second floor of Kramer Hall with hopes of expanding. Anyone who wants to bring a pet will also have to bring proof of shots and spaying or neutering. Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Ferris State University to allow students to live with pets on campus
By Ashley R. Williams, CNN
(CNN) — Some students moving on campus at Ferris State University this fall won’t have to leave their furry friends back home, thanks to a program the Michigan school is piloting. As a remedy for the anxiety and homesickness, Ferris State is trying out a pet-friendly residence hall floor in one of its 14 dorms on the university’s Big Rapids campus, school officials said. “One of the reasons that we made the decision to do this is just by listening to our students,” Lisa Ortiz, Ferris State’s director of housing and residence life, told CNN. “Students have been very vocal in letting us know they would like to bring their pets to campus if there was an environment that would welcome them,” Ortiz said. The unique program, unveiled for the first time during the 2023-24 academic year, has proved popular as it’s already full, she said. One pet per student is allowed. “To be quite frank, there was not much benchmarking to do because a lot of universities are not making the decision to do this at this point,” Ortiz said. The school partly chose Cramer Hall’s second floor for allowing 30 dogs, cats and other pets due to its carpet-free environment. The residence hall is floored with a luxury vinyl tile, according to Ortiz. “Cleanup is very easy,” she said, alluding to the possibility of any accidents – which students are expected to pick up themselves as part of the agreement. Students also must pay $250 to live with their pet, have had a relationship with the pet for at least six months before the semester starts and show proof of necessary shots, spaying and neutering. They also cannot host live feeds of their pets, have to follow local leash laws and must keep them under control when taking pets outside the residence hall. “Right now, we’re not limiting any pets,” Ortiz said. “It should be a typical household pet so we’re expecting dogs and cats, but I’ve had conversations with students about whether or not a snake, lizard or bunny would be allowed, and they are at this point.”
Each year, she’s seen students return to campus with varying levels of homesickness, including missing pets they’ve come to depend on. The pilot program’s goal is to help alleviate that feeling. Ferris State referenced research from a 2021 Tarleton State University study , which showed owning pets could reduce students’ cholesterol and blood pressure. The study also found having pets with them at school decreases anxiety, loneliness and stress while boosting fitness levels. “This is an opportunity that, if it is the right environment for their pets, (can help students) leave that level of homesickness or depression or anxiety because they know their animal is waiting for them when they go back after class,” Ortiz said. Noelle Humphrey, a Ferris State student and Cramer Hall’s senior staff adviser, thinks the presence of pets will give students another reason to get out of bed each morning. “They have someone relying on them that holds them accountable for not only their well-being, but a lovely furry friend’s well-being, which will encourage them to wake up, go to class, socialize, get their dog or cat out of their small space,” Humphrey said. The program’s success will be measured through student feedback and monitoring how the building’s living situation is going, Ortiz explained. “Part of it, too, will be damage to the community when we check out the students at the end of the year,” Ortiz said. “We’ll be reviewing the state of the building, what was successful in terms of the animals being kept there and other issues that may be concerning that we need to work through.”
If all goes well, Ferris State could expand on the program with a dog park and other pet-friendly amenities down the line, according to Ortiz. The-CNN-Wire

Ferris State University to allow students to live with pets on campus

Ferris State University to allow students to live with pets on campus
KIFI
By Ashley R. Williams, CNN
(CNN) — Some students moving on campus at Ferris State University this fall won’t have to leave their furry friends back home, thanks to a program the Michigan school is piloting. As a remedy for the anxiety and homesickness, Ferris State is trying out a pet-friendly residence hall floor in one of its 14 dorms on the university’s Big Rapids campus, school officials said. “One of the reasons that we made the decision to do this is just by listening to our students,” Lisa Ortiz, Ferris State’s director of housing and residence life, told CNN. “Students have been very vocal in letting us know they would like to bring their pets to campus if there was an environment that would welcome them,” Ortiz said. The unique program, unveiled for the first time during the 2023-24 academic year, has proved popular as it’s already full, she said. One pet per student is allowed. “To be quite frank, there was not much benchmarking to do because a lot of universities are not making the decision to do this at this point,” Ortiz said. The school partly chose Cramer Hall’s second floor for allowing 30 dogs, cats and other pets due to its carpet-free environment. The residence hall is floored with a luxury vinyl tile, according to Ortiz. “Cleanup is very easy,” she said, alluding to the possibility of any accidents – which students are expected to pick up themselves as part of the agreement. Students also must pay $250 to live with their pet, have had a relationship with the pet for at least six months before the semester starts and show proof of necessary shots, spaying and neutering. They also cannot host live feeds of their pets, have to follow local leash laws and must keep them under control when taking pets outside the residence hall. “Right now, we’re not limiting any pets,” Ortiz said. “It should be a typical household pet so we’re expecting dogs and cats, but I’ve had conversations with students about whether or not a snake, lizard or bunny would be allowed, and they are at this point.”
Each year, she’s seen students return to campus with varying levels of homesickness, including missing pets they’ve come to depend on. The pilot program’s goal is to help alleviate that feeling. Ferris State referenced research from a 2021 Tarleton State University study , which showed owning pets could reduce students’ cholesterol and blood pressure. The study also found having pets with them at school decreases anxiety, loneliness and stress while boosting fitness levels. “This is an opportunity that, if it is the right environment for their pets, (can help students) leave that level of homesickness or depression or anxiety because they know their animal is waiting for them when they go back after class,” Ortiz said. Noelle Humphrey, a Ferris State student and Cramer Hall’s senior staff adviser, thinks the presence of pets will give students another reason to get out of bed each morning. “They have someone relying on them that holds them accountable for not only their well-being, but a lovely furry friend’s well-being, which will encourage them to wake up, go to class, socialize, get their dog or cat out of their small space,” Humphrey said. The program’s success will be measured through student feedback and monitoring how the building’s living situation is going, Ortiz explained. “Part of it, too, will be damage to the community when we check out the students at the end of the year,” Ortiz said. “We’ll be reviewing the state of the building, what was successful in terms of the animals being kept there and other issues that may be concerning that we need to work through.”
If all goes well, Ferris State could expand on the program with a dog park and other pet-friendly amenities down the line, according to Ortiz. The-CNN-Wire

Crystal Mountain is a resort. It offers services such as skiing, golf, and a spa. It was founded in 1956 and is based in Thompsonville, Michigan.

Crystal Mountain

`` Our partnership with Ferris State University will unlock tremendous opportunity for everyone involved -- students , faculty , Crystal staff and our industry , which ultimately benefits Michigan .

Ferris State University and Crystal Mountain sign 'Comprehensive Partnership Agreement'.
Ferris State University and Crystal Mountain sign 'Comprehensive Partnership Agreement' - News - Investor News • Traverse Connect

The National Security Agency (NSA) is an intelligence organization of the United States government, responsible for global monitoring, collection, and processing of information and data for foreign intelligence and counterintelligence purposes.

National Security Agency

Planon is a software development company that provides integrated workplace management system solutions.

Planon

Hy-Vee is an employee owned supermarket chain with more than 220 retail stores in seven Midwestern states. Through its website, it also sells groceries for delivery and offers recipes, health information, and meal planning advice.

Hy-Vee

The University of Nebraska Medical Center is a public academic health and science center in Omaha, Nebraska. It was founded in 1869 and is based in Omaha, Nebraska.

University of Nebraska Medical Center

Ferris State University

Ferris State University is a public university that offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs. It is based in Big Rapids, Michigan.

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