ArtPrize, the contemporary art competition based in Grand Rapids Michigan, is heading south, where it has entered into to a three-year agreement to expand the contest to Dallas, Texas. The new event will be called ArtPrize Dallas, and will  be independently organized functioning as a new version of the contest. The inaugural event is currently slated for the spring in April 2016.

According to the New York Times, Christian Gaines, executive director of ArtPrize, stated that several cities were interested in hosting their own version of the competition, but “Dallas was the city that has really followed through.”

ArtPrize was founded by entrepreneur Rick DeVos in 2009, and awards as much as $560,000 to artists spread over several categories that includes installation, two-dimensional, three-dimensional, and time-based work, as well as a grand prize worth $200,000. The prizes are selected by public votes, as well as a by juries. In the most recent version of the event (see “An ArtPrize Surprise Lights the Way to a Better Art World“), there were 1,536 artist entries spread over 174 venues that included galleries, stores and public spaces; a total 39871 public votes were cast.

Ariel Saldivar, former associate director of the Goss-Michael Foundation, and installation juror of the 6th edition of ArtPrize, will serve as executive director of ArtPrize Dallas.