New online galleries come to ArtPrize

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - The ArtPrize app allows you to set up your voter account through your smartphone. You can also set up an online gallery to share your ArtPrize experience with your friends.

ArtPrize is the world's largest art competition and takes place in downtown Grand Rapids from Sept. 19 to Oct. 7. More than 1,500 artists are displaying their entries at 161 venues across 3 square miles. The Top 10 winners will receive cash prizes, with the first-place winner taking home $200,000.

Voting is free and open to anyone 16 years of age or older. The public can vote via the ArtPrize website, or text-a-vote, or on the ArtPrize app on your smartphone.

It takes about five minutes to set up the free app. You must be in the ArtPrize district to activate it. The app will then ask if you're ready to activate. It sends a code to your email; then type in the code and you are ready to begin voting.

You can also set up your own online gallery through the ArtPrize website. The gallery lets you share your favorite art pieces with your Facebook friends and see what art they've checked out.

"We want people to be able to say, 'This is art I don't appreciate,' and 'This is art I really appreciate,'" ArtPrize Marketing Director Todd Herring said. "So we want to give them ways that they can easily do that through the tech we offer."

Once you sign up on the ArtPrize website, you can connect to your Facebook page and add pieces to your collection.

You can always stop by the ArtPrize HUB, 41 Sheldon Boulevard, or any exhibition site if you need any help.