Grand Rapids Native Tyler Loftis Named Executive Director of ArtPrize

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The world-renowned ArtPrize, one of the most accessible art competitions on the planet, has secured a new leader who knows the festival inside and out. Tyler Loftis, a professional painter and Grand Rapids native, has been hired as the new executive director of the annual downtown art festival.

Loftis replaces outgoing ArtPrize leader Catlin Whittington, who served in the role for two years before announcing his resignation last week.

An Artist Who Knows the Space

In his first interview since accepting the job, Loftis, 35, told 13 ON YOUR SIDE that it was a "huge honor" to take over as ArtPrize's leader. He sees art everywhere — even as a man rides past him on his bike, popping a wheelie outside the Grand Rapids Art Museum.

"There's art right there!" he said. "I see it all around me."

Loftis is a professional painter with a studio in Manhattan who now adds another piece to his portfolio by leading the festival that takes over downtown each fall.

"My mom said that she had a vision when she was pregnant that I was going to be an artist," he said. She predicted it: Loftis is a professional painter. Now, the full-time artist with a studio in Manhattan is adding another piece of work to his portfolio.

"I love ArtPrize, so being able to be at the head of it is a huge responsibility and a huge honor," he said.

Deep Roots in West Michigan

The Grand Rapids native is the new executive director of the annual art festival that transforms downtown each fall. He told 13 ON YOUR SIDE that the opportunity was too important to pass up after 15 years of involvement with the competition.

"Art Prize is something very magical," said Loftis. "It flawlessly connects people with the arts, and I look forward to building on that. The radical openness that it was founded on is something that's very near and dear to my heart."

Loftis grew up in the Heritage Hill neighborhood and later in Grand Haven. Even as he moved to New York to further his career, Loftis has always stayed close to his West Michigan roots. In 2018, he founded AllArtWorks, an online art gallery that later opened a physical studio in Grand Rapids in 2022.

"It basically was founded as a service to help ArtPrize artists," he said. "We've always been very close to ArtPrize. I'm a huge supporter from the sidelines."

What ArtPrize Means to Loftis

Loftis told 13 ON YOUR SIDE that he has been involved with ArtPrize in one way or another for the last 15 iterations. Everything from participating as an artist to sponsoring to being a board member. It was through that close involvement that he was made aware of the job opening.

"I think the cultural impact of ArtPrize is really what gets me out of bed in the morning," he said. "The uplifting of artists that may not have had as much of a voice, the shining a light on the efforts that they do day in and day out without making a penny. Those are the big things that get me motivated."

Record-Breaking Attendance

Last fall's ArtPrize attracted 967,000 people to the city during a 17-day period, according to the organization, up more than 100,000 people from 2024. Over 1,100 artists participated, from 39 states and 18 countries.

Loftis will maintain residences in both New York and Grand Rapids, while spending the majority of his time in Michigan.

"It's my heart of hearts," he said. "I've been in Manhattan half my life. But these are my people. This is my culture. I bring the sense of humility in the sense of the Midwest everywhere I go."

Looking Ahead to Fall 2026

With a focus on collaboration and continuity, Loftis wants ArtPrize to remain a competition that brings everyone together.

"I think a lot of Americans feel left out of the art conversation," he said. "I think if we can bring more people to ArtPrize and feel the magic, well, the sky's the limit."

This fall, ArtPrize runs from Sept. 17 through Oct. 3. Artist registration opened this week and closes on May 28. Venue registration opened March 2 and lasts through April 2.

A New Chapter for the Festival

Loftis wrote in a news release: "I look forward to building on the radical openness that ArtPrize was founded on, and learning from all the wonderful past years. It's an amazing event that's had a lot of incredible people run it. I'm very excited to be a part of this chapter."

The festival has been a defining feature of Grand Rapids for two decades, bringing art lovers from across the country to the city's downtown streets for 17 days of installations, exhibitions, and community engagement.