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ArtPrize Lands at Ford Airport with “You Are Awesome” Campaign

Posted at 11:10 AM, Sep 20, 2013
and last updated 2013-09-20 11:10:11-04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.– You may have already seen some of the signs around the area. The signs have a simple message: “You Are Awesome.”

Gerald R. Ford International Airport expects to be busy this weekend as guests fly in for ArtPrize. To welcome travelers, some airport employees participated in a “You Are Awesome” flashmob of sorts, Friday. They held the signs and greeted vehicles as they drove into the airport, even carried the signs onto the runway to greet people as they landed.

“It’s to welcome out-of-town guests but it’s also to remind people in West Michigan that we think they are awesome as well, because the people in the city make ArtPRize great,” said Tara Hernandez, airport marketing and communications manager.

“I travel a lot for work and I’ve never seen that!” said Diane Hansen, who dropped off her daughter at the airport. “It makes you feel good.”

The movement was inspired by a young man from Spring Lake who would hold a sign on the corner of a road to greet people.

Hernandez said the airport is also encouraging kids to create their own drawings that will be hung in the new concourse. There will be a top 10 just like ArtPrize.

Hernandez said the airport is hoping to become a venue for ArtPrize.