Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts

UICA is located off division in Grand Rapids they changing exhibitions all the time. They offer a theater where performance art is also displayed. Some of the best exhibits are during around art prize and laugh fest. They have innovative experience design. The current entry fee is 5 $. That money is used to give grants for artist to build their exhibitions and support the UICA. This is an exciting spot!

I saw a movie at the UICA for the first time last weekend and was really surprised at their setup — it’s a regular movie theater, with a concessions area and everything! Actually it’s even nicer and newer than the average movie theater, and it’s underground. I went to a special one time showing of Home Alone, which was part of their holiday lineup of «Movies Not in the Park.» Tickets to this event were FREE (yay) but regular prices are $ 8 (or $ 4 for members). This is the place to go if you are interested in seeing independent, foreign, and documentary movies. I’ll definitely be back! :) Since the UICA is right downtown (on the corner of Fulton and Division) you will probably have to park in a ramp; the Monroe Center Ramp is just a block away and you get one hour free.

OK, I was here for ArtPrize, so who knows if it delivers year-​round, but what a cool space for this city! Loved every inch of the space.

UICA is a local art center providing changing art exhibits, indie films, art and crafts classes for adults and kids, and community events. The building is beautiful, relativly new, and located on one of the busist corners of Grand Rapids. The exhibits often feature mixed mediums that are highly sensory or interactive for guests. The artists featured tend to think outside the box using a variety of tools and forms in their exhibits. I like that I leave the UICA with a new prespective after being challenged from something I interacted with.
The building is very large and features many unique areas and raw space. Due to the comanding size and feel of the building, sometimes the it feels empty or lacking as not all the space is always used during each season’s rotation of art. It is usually well curated though, giving guests a fluid, cohesive experience. They are a non-​collecting art center, so while they get fresh things in seasonally, it’s disappointing not to be able to go back and experience my favorites again and again.
The theater is smallish but clean, new, and tidy. I’ve seen several great indie movies here. They have a cute snack bar with popcorn, treats, and pop. I think you can even get wine or alchol if you are of age.
I’ve also done a few of their community arts and crafts type projects. The classes were taught by friendly, knowledgeable people who made the experience fun and interactive. I would recommend both the kid and the adult classses.
I looked into renting the UICA for an event and while it wasn’t a fit for what I was looking to do, I could see it being a great backdrop to a small event, professional meeting place, or informal parties