Artists' suggestions for ArtPrize 2013

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - ArtPrize 2012 is nearly in the books.

At the end of each year, ArtPrize solicits comments about how to improve next year's event. 24 Hour News 8 went out to gather some of those comments first-hand.

Most of the non-Top 10 artists displaying their work at The B.O.B had rave reviews of the event, but the ones who offered criticism all had ideas about how to change  the voting process.

"A lot of people didn't understand the registration process this year," said artist Tom Kaufman. "I think there could have been more information in that regard. I would get crowds of 100, 125 people and I would ask who was registered and two hands would go up."

Like many, artist James Wilcox thought the system of announcements that narrow down the top pieces should be rearranged.

"I think that they should announce the top 100 earlier in the week and then the Top 25 and announce the Top 10 the very last thing," said Wilcox. "I think that it takes the element of surprise away from the artist. It takes a little bit of the drive out of it."

"I would give more of a duration, give people more time to vote before they announce the Top 10," said artist Dale Teachout.

Daryn Kuipers, the interim executive director of ArtPrize, said the organization will look over all of the comments from artists in the coming weeks. He said that in the past, ArtPrize has garnered a lot of valuable information from the artists and that it is important to the organization's growth.

The ArtPrize 2012 finale begins at 8 p.m. Friday. It will be broadcast live on WOOD TV8 and streamed at woodtv.com.