Competition for Artists with Disabilities

From the Legacy Trust facebook page:

Grand Rapids, Michigan, February 23, 2015 – Adult artists with disabilities have a chance to win $500 and have their artwork displayed in the Grand Rapids Art Museum and entered in ArtPrize 2015 – thanks to the Legacy Trust Award Collection.

Back for its sixth year, the Legacy Trust Award Collection is soliciting artwork from Michigan artists with disabilities for its popular mini-competition in advance of ArtPrize.  Four winning artists will each receive $500 and sponsorship in ArtPrize, the radically open art competition scheduled this year Sept. 23 through Oct. 11 in downtown Grand Rapids.

The statewide competition is open to all Michigan artists with disabilities and seeks paintings, sculptures, photographs, drawings, collages, mixed media and other works for art.  Four winners will be chosen by popular vote, a panel of celebrity judges and the LTAC Advisory Committee.  

Artists must register with LTAC by Friday, April 3 to be considered for the 2015 competition.

Sponsored by Grand Rapids-based investment advisory and wealth management firm Legacy Trust, LTAC will be held this year in the Grand Rapids Art Museum May 5-6.  A private reception for all artists, judges and LTAC supporters will be held on the evening of Monday, May 4.  

The public will have a chance to view and vote on the art on Tuesday, May 5 and Wednesday, May 6 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the GRAM, which is located in downtown Grand Rapids. On Tuesday, May 5, Meijer sponsors free general admission to the GRAM. 

Winning artists will have their work displayed during ArtPrize at DeVos Place in downtown Grand Rapids.  Last year, 88 artists from around the state submitted artwork to LTAC, nearly triple the number from the previous year.

“We are incredibly pleased LTAC will partner with Grand Rapids Art Museum and DeVos Place for a third year,” said William Walker, CEO of Legacy Trust.  “Our artists value the opportunity to display their work at one of Michigan’s leading art museums and at one of the highest-traffic ArtPrize venues in the competition.

“Over the past years, artists from Lansing, Detroit, Northern Michigan and the UP, as well as the greater Grand Rapids area, have entered their works in the Legacy Trust Award Collection.  We expect this year we will again showcase art and artists from all corners of Michigan.”

LTAC debuted in 2010, the brainchild of Walker and his wife, Deborah.  Like others in the community, the Walkers were swept away by the magic of ArtPrize and wanted to find a meaningful way to join the dialogue.  As the parents of a daughter with special needs, the Walkers decided to launch LTAC, an art competition designed to remove barriers for participation in ArtPrize for adult artists with disabilities.

In 2013, Legacy Trust established an advisory committee of those in the business, arts and disability communities.  This LTAC Advisory Committee established the Lillian Perry Walker Award, a special juried award to honor the young woman whose spirit was the spark that brought LTAC to life in 2010.

Winners of LTAC 2015 will be announced on Monday, May 11.  Along with having their artwork entered into ArtPrize, the winning artists will each receive a cash prize of $500.  All entry fees and promotion expenses for ArtPrize will be paid by Legacy Trust, which – for the third year – has secured the high-profile DeVos Place venue for the winning artists during ArtPrize.

Artists from all genres are invited to participate in the competition. All artists must submit an artist registration to Legacy Trust by April 3.   All artwork must be completed and available for showing in Grand Rapids by 5 p.m. on Friday, April 10.

Following is a list of guidelines for submitting artwork:

• All participating artists must be a resident of Michigan and at least 18 years of age by April 3.
• All artwork must be original, attributable to the applicant and completed within three years prior to September 23. 
• All artwork is subject to the “Official Rules for Artists-ArtPrize,” which can be found at www.artprize.org
• The four top artists will retain ownership and all rights to their artwork, subject to the rules and restrictions of ArtPrize 2015. The artists agree to make themselves and their artwork available to LTAC and all partnering agencies and sponsors prior to and during ArtPrize for promotions and marketing efforts.
• The top four artists who receive the award will be entered into ArtPrize 2015 as a Legacy Trust Collection Award winner. 
• LTAC artists agree that if their artwork wins any ArtPrize award, they will donate 25 percent of any award to create a special Legacy Trust Endowment Fund to continue arts programs for adults with disabilities in greater Grand Rapids. 
• Winning artists will be notified by Legacy Trust by May11 and will be entered into ArtPrize.
• There are no restrictions on artists who are not part of the Collection from entering ArtPrize on their own. 

Artwork may be delivered by mail, UPS, FedEx or in person to Legacy Trust, 99 Monroe, Suite 600, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49503 by 5 p.m. on April 10. See the registration form for additional rules and details at http://legacygr.com/getattachment/Blog/March-2014/What-is-the-Legacy-Trust-Award-Collection/Registration-Form.pdf.aspx.

ArtPrize, an international art competition that draws tens of thousands of people to West Michigan each fall, returns to Grand Rapids for its sixth year on Sept. 23 through Oct. 11.  It debuted with much enthusiasm in 2009 and participation has soared the following years.  This year is expected to see a continued increase in community engagement and entries. 

More information on LTAC is available at http://legacygr.com/Blog/February-2015/2015-LTAC-Registration-Form.aspx. Join the conversation on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/LegacyTrustAwardCollection and on Twitter with #LTAC. 

LTAC is also sponsored by Meijer, Sabo Public Relations, Kantorwassink, Gilson Graphics, Kitchen Sage and Andrews Hooper & Pavlik.

About Legacy Trust

Legacy Trust is an independent, locally owned, Michigan-chartered bank that specializes in providing investment and wealth-management services to individuals, families, foundations and non-profits in West Michigan.  Legacy Trust delivers highly customized financial and investment solutions tailored to meet the unique situation of each client.  For more information, visit us at www.legacygr.com.