GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.- ArtPrize, the radically open public art experiment, today announced artist registration for the third annual competition. Open to any artist from around the world, organizers encourage participants to register any type of artwork at artprize.org.

More than 300,000 spectators are projected to attend the 2011 event, which will distribute nearly $500,000 in prize money.

Unlike other competitions, ArtPrize has no formal jury, curator or judge, and asks the public to vote and decide the winners using mobile devices and the Internet. To exhibit, artists must secure space with one of more than 195 ArtPrize venues found within a three-square mile district of downtown Grand Rapids. Venues range from city parks to rooftops to museums to restaurants to the Grand River, which runs through downtown.

Artists are encouraged to register as early as possible to ensure a venue for their work, as these connections are already being made between artists and venues. Each artist may only submit one entry. Artists do not need to be present during the ArtPrize competition.

“ArtPrize has become world-renowned in its ability to challenge conventional thinking toward public art in surprising, poetic ways,” said Catherine Creamer, executive director of ArtPrize. “We hope to see an influx of new, national and international artists who will use Grand Rapids as their platform on which to create a conversation.”

To keep within the spirit of the event and help foster support of ambitious, out-of-state projects, ArtPrize 2011 has created a special home on Kickstarter, the world’s largest funding platform for creative projects. ArtPrize’s page on Kickstarter (part of the Curated Page program) will highlight and incentivize entries from out-of-state artists, providing them the opportunity to seek funding from their communities in exchange for products and experiences unique to their project. Details and criteria for artists are located at artprize.org.

“ArtPrize broadens the discussion about public art and quite unexpectedly, in its first two years, ArtPrize drew a huge—and highly diverse—audience around art in mostly non-traditional spaces,” said Rick DeVos, chairman and creator of ArtPrize. “By inviting and encouraging artists from all over the world to showcase their work in a community with a deep history and appreciation for design and public art.”

In 2010, ArtPrize saw 1,713 artists from 44 states and 21 countries. 465,538 votes were cast by more than 250,000 visitors to Grand Rapids. The ArtPrize process consists of one week of public voting, which results in an official list of the top 10 artists. Then, the public votes for their top single-artist choice. All votes were cast using a mobile device or the web.

On March 14, ArtPrize officials announced a dedicated Exhibition Center for music and performance art at St. Cecilia Music Center in downtown Grand Rapids. The venue boasts a 650-seat auditorium and will become a focal point for the 2011 event.

Michigan artist Chris Laporte won the 2010 top prize with his large-scale pencil and paper portrait, “Cavalry, American Officers, 1921.” New York artist Ran Ortner captured the top prize in 2009 with his large-scale painting, "Open Water, no.24." Both artists earned the top prize of $250,000.

To find out more about ArtPrize or how to register for the ArtPrize 2011 competition, visit artprize.org.