Art Walk Central adds prize money to event this year
A new element will be added to the annual Art Walk Central event this year.
Art Reach Executive Director Kathy Hill said Art Walk has been held for 14 years, but this is the first time prize money is involved.
She said they got the idea after visiting Grand Rapids' Art Prize and saw how it affected the community.
“I hope it (Art Walk) will do several things for Mount Pleasant,” Hill said. “I think it will show what we can do as a community and raise an awareness for art and culture but also an appreciation for it.”
The total amount of prize money is $22,000. There is a youth category for ages 12 to 17 years old and an adult category for those 18 years old and older. There will be four winners, two from each category, as the judges and the public vote on them separately. Adults will win $10,000, while youths will win $1,000.
University Art Gallery Director Anne Gochenour said she thinks adding prize money is a wonderful thing.
"It’s similar to Art Prize in Grand Rapids, (and) that has brought tons of people downtown and gotten them excited about art," Gochenour said.
The competition is planned for August. Anyone can participate and have their work displayed in Nelson Park, University Art Gallery, downtown and other locations in Mount Pleasant.
Hill said the organization is partnering with the city to get businesses to volunteer as venues.
Business owners can register online until March 30. She said she thinks the art competition will help businesses put their name out there and make people come back later.
Tyler Kirkpatrick, Frankenmuth senior and program manager of the American Marketing Association, said Art Reach sought out AMA to spread information about the showcase.
“Our overall goal is to create a marketing plan for Art Reach,” Kirkpatrick said.
He said they are working on designs for a billboard and three different flyers. One flyer is directed toward CMU students, because they want to create an interest level among young people, he said.
“It’s not much for CMU students downtown," Kirkpatrick said. "I think it’s going to pull more kids down there and give them a sense of pride factor"
