Musical notes produced by the Earth Harp.
Recognized by Guinness World Records, it’s the world’s longest playable stringed instrument.
Creator William Close will open ArtPrize 2026 with an hour-long performance.
“We're actually turning Pearl Street Bridge into a musical instrument…The strings are going to go over the top of the bridge and people will actually be inside of the harp.”
ArtPrize Executive Director Tyler Loftis believes the Earth Harp sets the proper tone for the event’s 15th year, which has more than a thousand artists competing.
“We have four different weekends, and we have dance, music, the visual arts and fashion.
And on each one of those weekends, we're highlighting those art forms and really trying to create this inclusive well-rounded arts experience.”
Loftis aims to end ArtPrize with another record-breaker for the world’s largest attended fashion show.
The free event features local designer RC Caylan at the Acrisure Amphitheater.
“We're going to have the symphony there, the ballet and the opera all performing alongside RC's fashion show. So that should be really fun and let's break a record together.”
ArtPrize 2026 runs September 12th through October 3rd.
For a weekly dose of news right to your inbox, sign up for the WGVU newsletter.
