GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — ArtPrize is in its opening weekend, and with the added people in town comes financial benefits that the Chamber of Commerce outlined with FOX 17 on Friday.
With new exhibits, like ArtPrize Oasis, comes an old standby: the increased amount of traffic in town, which means more money for the local economy.
“The direct economic impact, according to previous economic impact studies, is about almost $25 million of direct spend that our visitors spend in our stores, in our restaurants,” said Rick Baker, Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce president and CEO.
And that roughly $25 million that comes to Grand Rapids doubles in impact, according to the Chamber.
“If I spend it in your store, you’re going to go somewhere and you’re going to spend it. It ends up nearly doubling the impact on the community,” Baker said.
A study done by GVSU says that more than 750,000 visitors come to town for ArtPrize.
ArtPrize is also a huge part of the fabric of Grand Rapids, and what our town has become nationally known for.
“Something as significant as ArtPrize, being a national brand, it really helps the overall brand recognition of Grand Rapids as well,” Baker said.
A welcome addition to ArtPrize this year has been the Oasis, which is located at 555 Monroe on what's normally just an empty concrete slab.
Large interactive exhibits fill the space, to the delight of visitors like Samantha Andrade.
“It’s super immersive, which ... those are my favorite exhibits,” ArtPrize visitor Samantha Andrade said.
Andrade, originally from Muskegon but now a 10-year Grand Rapids resident, recognizes the value of something like the massive art festival for her adopted hometown.
“It’s great for Grand Rapids. It brings in a lot of people from everywhere. Everyone’s here for the same thing, to just kind of observe, look at and enjoy all the art,” Andrade said.
The Oasis has games for people to play, like ping-pong and cornhole. It also has a space for artists to sit and charge their phones. The Oasis, located off the beaten path downtown, is designed to provide a calmer space for meaningful connection for ArtPrize.
“Art for the soul, it’s like food; it’s like water. You need it; it fills you up,” Andrade said.
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