GRAND RAPIDS, MI – ArtPrize is offering bribes to prospective volunteers.
Samples of Love's Ice Cream and the debut of Founders Brewing's ArtPrize 2014 beer both await you at ArtPrize's "Carnival of Curiosity" volunteer kickoff event.
Related: Mosaic Promise to be second ArtPrize specialty beer from Founders Brewing
Online registration begins Friday for volunteers willing to lend a hand at the sixth annual exhibition and competition.
But ArtPrize's season of volunteering opens with its kickoff event Thursday evening in the Ledyard Building, 125 Ottawa Ave. NW.
Grand Rapids Community College hosts the gathering from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. with tastes of Love's Ice Cream's locally-sourced, organic frozen treats, and the debut of Founders Mosaic Promise, the official beer of ArtPrize 2014, and the second of five annual, specialty brews inspired by the urban exhibition and art competition.
Related: Founders is the $500,000 official brewery of ArtPrize
Art Prize depends on upwards of 12,000 volunteer hours to make the 19-day exhibition and $560,000 competition happen.
ArtPrize belongs to the people who participate in it, including volunteers, said Amelea Pegman, ArtPrize community engagement director.
“There are many reasons that people come down to ArtPrize, and our volunteers offer a spark to ignite this curiosity and start the conversations that are so unique to this annual event.”
Volunteers greet visitors at ArtPrize's Hub headquarters and adjacent pop-up park, assist in its retail store, and act as docents for the ArtPrize First Prize winners, Adonna Khare's "Elephants" and Ann Loveless' "Sleeping Bear Dune Lakesore," winners of the $200,000 prize in the popular vote in 2012 and 2013 respectively.
Related: Two of ArtPrize's grand prize winners will return to view during ArtPrize 2014
ArtPrize "Wayfinders" serve as tour guides and ambassadors of downtown Grand Rapids, stationed around the ArtPrize district, equipped with maps and resources to welcome visitors to provide directions, answer questions, and promote activities and venues in the surrounding area.
New volunteer opportunities for ArtPrize 2014 include Sustainability Posts at the new bike valet and zero-waste zones, encouraging visitors to maintain an eco-friendly event; and the Media Street Team to document the event and ArtPrize special events.
Related: ArtPrize, the 'international phenomenon,' celebrates five years with retrospective book
Nearly 1,000 people volunteer annually for the event that welcomes over 400,000 visitors to Grand Rapids.
Volunteer schedules open to the public at 9 a.m. Friday. The online self-registration and schedule-building system at allows volunteers to select positions and shifts to meet their interests and availability.
New volunteers must create a volunteer account by 11:59 p.m. Sept. 18. Returning volunteers may log into their past volunteer accounts to view the schedule and select their desired shifts through Oct. 12.
Volunteer Training for ArtPrize 2014, organized by Notions Marketing, will offer morning, afternoon, evening, and weekend sessions from Sept. 15 to Sept. 20 at the ArtPrize Hub at 44 Sheldon Blvd. SE.
During training, volunteers will hear from ArtPrize staff and partners about the event’s history and how it functions, as well as participate in breakout sessions around specific volunteer roles.
Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk covers arts and entertainment for MLive/Grand Rapids Press. Email him at jkaczmarczyk@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.