By Dana Kroll, Uptown Marketing and Communications Specialist
Uptown Grand Rapids is delighted to welcome this year’s Artprize attendees to our city and to our district! As you ready your plan of attack to absorb and enjoy as much creativity as you can during your visit, we hope the following information will make your time here relaxing, accessible, and fun.
First of all. What is Uptown?
Uptown is the area just east (by about 1 quick mile), of our city’s Downtown corridor. Uptown is home to four unique business districts. We’ve got Eastown, East Hills, Wealthy Street, and East Fulton. Together, these take up a tidy 3.9 square miles of area (yep, we stepped it off, ourselves).
What will you find within that 3.9 square miles?
The question is what WON’T you find?! Uptown is home to almost 400 businesses, almost all of which are small, independently and/or locally owned and/or family operated. This is where Grand Rapidians head to when looking for unique experiences, flavorful farm-to-table meals, boutiques, pubs, parks, theaters, day spas, and the list goes on. See for yourself here, at our digital directory.
How does that translate to your Artprize experience?
Uptown is also home to 27 Artprize venues this year. In “Artprize speak”, Uptown IS your Artprize East District (scroll to page 8 for our map). Your future Artprize East District visit promises to be a walkable, explorable good time. While you’re here, take the opportunity to stroll and peruse! Our business districts are home to several Social Zones, in which you are welcomed to grab a to-go adult beverage as you navigate our sidewalks. There’s kid friendly fun too – find the splash pad at Cherry Park or take a look at the year-round self-guided art walk of our own that we offer. You may find that it layers nicely into your Artprize itinerary (you can follow the tour via your mobile device – check this out!) and is lots of fun for kids and grownups alike. You’ll definitely want to come with an empty (maybe even rumbling) tummy too. Not only are we home to over 100+ eateries, sweeteries, delis, food trucks, and more…quite of few of these are artist venues. You’ll have plenty of chances to feed your eyes and your belly both, while you are here.
We can’t wait for you to discover how bright and inviting and fun our district is.
Here are the 27 Artprize venues that await you in Uptown, and few extra fun notables to fill you in on too.
Uptown GR is your Artprize East District!
FOOD AND BEVERAGE VENUES
Harmony Brewing Company: Harmony Brewing Co. is a late addition to the Artprize party, so you may not see them represented as a stop on your East District map. Make sure you pencil them in! You’ll find them at the corner of Wealthy Street and Lake Drive E, and they are certainly worth a stop. They’re famous for really killer woodfired pizzas and hand-crafted beers. Plus, their funky indoor-outdoor seating setup is a lot of fun as well. We’ve added them in on the map here and above to help you find them.
Harmony’s patio is fun for allThese additional venues are also food and beverage establishments as well:
Billy’s Lounge
Brewery Vivant
Foxtail Coffee Wealthy Street
Kava Kasa
Mammoth Distilling
Rowster Coffee
Speciation Cellars
The Winchester
GALLERIES AND ENTERTAINMENT
Hermitage At Diamond: This incredible 150 year old space has a lot going on. The former church is currently in the middle of a jaw-dropping renovation project (and fundraising campaign) to turn the building into a one-of-a-kind music and arts community center. It’s a fascinating visit, all on its own, and it has been exciting to watch this once blighted building become reborn. Hermitage At Diamond is where we will host our open-to-all, FREE Uptown Artprize Kickoff Party, this Thursday evening (you’re invited!). Hermitage will house an Artprize Info Kiosk for the duration of the event as well, so circle it on your map as a good one to keep in mind if you need more info about anything event-related. OH. And it’s Stop #9 on the East District venue map, as well. You definitely want to pop by this spot!
Additional Uptown galleries hosting Artprize artists:
LaFontsee Galleries And Framing
The Grey Rabbit Gallery And Lounge
Wealthy Theatre
Find the Grey Rabbit (and so much more) as you stroll our Wealthy Street districtRETAIL
Argos Comics and Used Books
Metal Art Studio
Rebel
Popnotch Goods
Wax Poetic Candle Bar
NONPROFITS AND SERVICES
Arts in Motion (in the Blackport Building): East district map stop number 2 is one that is extra special, for two reasons. Firstly, for the venue itself. Arts In Motion is a nonprofit that provides our community and individuals with disabilities the opportunity to explore, perform, and participate in the arts. From studio classes to dance troupes to opportunities make music and get onto the stage, Arts In Motion makes it clear that creativity is inherent in us all and should be accessible to all as well.
What also makes this stop special is where it is located. The Blackport Building, which is nearing its 95th birthday, houses around 20 small and independent businesses, organizations, and providers. In addition to Arts In Motion, you’ll also find clothing galleries, consignment shops, a comedy loft, a funky free-trade boutique and teashop called Global Infusion (which is home to the best cup of home-brewed chai tea you’ll ever have), and more.
Arts are for everyone, in Uptown (thanks to Arts In Motion!)Plus, these great nonprofits and services as well:
Atomic Object
Harmonic Egg & Wellness GR
Inner Body Works, PLC
Lady Love Barber Shop
Monarch Investment
Reagan Marketing & Design
The Salvation Army of Kent County
Uptown GR supports local artists during Artprize…and all year long