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ArtsSouthDakota.org • Summer 2022 Member Edition • I

SUMMER 2022 | VOLUME 24

On the cover: Skateboarding, music and South Dakota’s youth will come together this summer, thanks to a collaboration with Pine Ridge, Sioux Falls and the Smithsonian. Read about it on page 8.

inside Jesse Brown Nelson’s photograph of Bear Butte, titled Sleeping Bear, is part of the state’s permanent art collection (see story on page 16).

02 How to Keep Learning We can be inspired by our creative artists. By Jim Speirs

03 The Arts Drive Opportunity Making South Dakota better through the arts. By Sec. Jim Hagen

04 S upport Local Artists, Culture It’s time to re-energize the arts and culture sector. By Patrick Baker

05 H appenings Art events taking place throughout the state.

08 Skateboarding and Music Innoskate seeks to unite South Dakotans in Pine Ridge and Sioux Falls. By Bernie Hunhoff

12 Music to Their Ears South Dakota’s recognition of the indigenous flute honors its artists, songs and history. By John Andrews

16 Public Art Continuing an ancient tradition. By Bernie Hunhoff

19 Brushing Up Keeping up to date with the goings-on in the South Dakota arts world.

Need to change your Arts Alive mailing address? Contact Arts South Dakota directly! Email us at

info@ArtsSouthDakota.org or visit the Contact Us page at www.ArtsSouthDakota.org. Please give us the current name and address to which Arts Alive is being mailed, along with all your new mailing address information. Arts Alive is published by Arts South Dakota and the South Dakota Arts Council in partnership with South Dakota Magazine. Contact Arts South Dakota at P.O. Box 2496, Sioux Falls, SD 57101-2496 or by phone (605) 252-5979.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIR : Stacy Braun, Aberdeen VICE CHAIR: Katie Hunho, Yankton SECRETARY Dr.: Craig Howe, Martin TREASURER: Brian Hildebrant,

Brookings PAST CHAIR: Dale Lamphere, Sturgis

Lance Bertram, Pierre Scyller Borglum, Rapid City Julie Ga rreau, Eagle Butte and Rapid City Senator Troy Heinert, Mission Dr. Alan LaFave, Valley City, ND Katrina Lehr-McKinney, Sioux Falls Jim Mathis, Sioux Falls Kenny Putnam, Rapid City Shelley Stingley, Sioux Falls Lynn Verschoor, Brookings Kris Wollman, Pierre STAFF Jim Speirs Executive Director jim@ArtsSouthDakota.org (605) 252-5979, Ext. 0 Shari Kosel rP ogram and Communications Director shari@ArtsSouthDakota.org (605) 252-5979, Ext. 1 Andrew Reinartz Community Development Director andrew@ArtsSouthDakota.org (605) 252-5979, Ext. 2 Sarah Larson Communications Coordinator sarah@ArtsSouthDakota.org (605) 252-5979, Ext. 3 Arts South Dakota PO Box 2496, Sioux Falls, SD 57101-2496 (605) 252-5979 Email: info@ArtsSouthDakota.org ArtsSouthDakota.org Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram @ArtsSD 2 • South Dakota Arts Alive

Artists show us how to keep learning By Jim Speirs, Executive Director Arts South Dakota

e hear a lot about the importance of lifetime learning — growing our brainpower and appreciation of the world around us by adding knowledge and new skills as we age. Artists are doing that constantly, providing inspiration and a good example for all of us. As a performing musician, I’m aware of how critical it is for me to listen and learn from the people I play with. Sharing the stage with other musicians brings different perspectives, backgrounds and creative concepts to material I may be very familiar with, providing new and interesting ways to approach the music. And that willingness to explore new ideas and learn new concepts stays with artists their whole lives, enhancing their careers. A friend of mine, an accomplished musician in a variety of genres and a college-level educator, recently began a study of Latin rhythm forms, learning a whole new way of thinking about his music and his instrument by embracing other cultures and their music. Similarly, a recent visit with South Dakota artist laureate Dale Lamphere found him closely examining prairie grasses to discover new visions in form and structure to push the boundaries of his sculpture — learning from nature. No matter where artists are in their careers, they know there’s more to learn, more to absorb, more to explore. Creative minds are curious minds, always reaching for the next level, knowing that growth is natural and vital to their art form. We can be inspired by these creative people. Their curiosity leads to great art, great performances and a better world. They challenge us and help us grow through their art by sharing their ideas and their passion. That’s why we continue to learn at Arts South Dakota — always working to improve what we do while also sharing new opportunities, inspiration and knowledge through programs such as the State Arts Conference, regular webinars, the Arts Leadership Institute, our Monthly Arts Reader, and the Arts Education Institutes, just to name a few. Be sure to spend some time at ArtsSouthDakota.org to learn more about our many programs and find a wealth of information from past programs and publications. This partnership is made possible by the South Dakota Arts Council, with funds from the State of South Dakota through the Department of Tourism and from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Arts Drive Opportunity Secretary Jim Hagen, South Dakota Department of Tourism

s we all know in South Dakota, our state thrives on the visitor industry, and our dedicated, visionary arts and culture sector is one major component of that. In May, I had the opportunity to attend the State Arts Conference in Rapid City and share some research and information about the work we’re doing at the South Dakota Department of Tourism to better serve the arts. Now I’d like to share some of that information more broadly with the Arts Alive readership. To start, South Dakota was the very first state in the nation to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels of visitor spending in 2021. This is really vital for the arts community, as half of our state arts agency’s budget comes from a half-penny tax on travel-related spending, and those dollars are passed on to the arts and culture sector through the South Dakota Arts Council grant programs. At Tourism, our work is to get people to visit and travel within South Dakota. This research is designed to help us do that, and I think it will also help you all develop strategies to attract visitors to your events and spaces. So, please, use this information to your advantage! Family travel, especially in states like South Dakota, is big business. If you have family-friendly events and spaces, play that up in your marketing. The top five types of trips people are excited about are family travel, seeing scenic beauty, enjoying outdoor activities, road trips, and visiting historical sites. This is good news for South Dakota and for our arts and culture sector. You’re most likely seeing several connections to your spaces and events. We’ve also found that younger generations — Gen Z and Millennials — have a growing appreciation for attending arts events and festivals. Though we are facing challenges with labor shortages, gas prices, and inflation, Americans are indicating that they are still more motivated to travel than ever before. Some indicate they will make cuts with retail purchases, food and beverage and perhaps travel closer to home to help stay within budgets. This presents another opportunity for our arts and cultural organizations to attract guests from nearby states and even our own folks, right here in South Dakota. We learned that survey participants believe South Dakota

has fewer arts-related offerings than competitor states, but those who recently visited had a much more positive perception about our state after experiencing the arts while they were here. Ultimately, visitors simply may not be aware of the wonderful arts and cultural attractions and experiences in South Dakota, but they are pleasantly surprised when they visit. At Tourism, we’re going to help with that. One part of our new strategic plan is to advance the development of our destination, and in order to do that, we need to create niche marketing opportunities for the arts. The State of Create Tourism Passport highlights more than 50 arts events and attractions across the state and is being widely promoted across all of our marketing platforms. It’s sort of like a geocaching game, but users don’t need an app to participate, and they win prizes as they accumulate check-ins at the various sites. Check it out at TravelSouthDakota.com. One of the next things we’ll be working on is developing arts-themed itineraries for people traveling in South Dakota, and we could use all of your help with that. If you have ideas about great stops in your area, we’d love to hear them. The goal with these itineraries is to help people find things to do and maximize their time while visiting. You can find examples on our Travel South Dakota website. Overall, we’re in really good shape in South Dakota, and we can make the visitor experience even better by increasing awareness of our outstanding arts opportunities. Join us. Be our partners and help us make this vision a reality. WAYS TO GET INVOLVED • Join your local Chamber of Commerce or Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) • Become a member of a Regional Tourism Association • Get your business and event listed on TravelSouthDakota. com • Check out SDVisit.com for the latest news, research, marketing work, and the Strategic Plan • Let us know what’s going on with your business or in your community as it pertains to the arts • Attend the South Dakota Governor’s Conference on Tourism, January 17-19, 2023

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A STATE AGENCY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM Kristi Noem, Governor James D. Hagen, Secretary BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CHAIR: Mary Bordeaux, Rapid City VICE CHAIR: Lee Ann Roripaugh, Vermillion SECRETARY: Nan Venhuizen, Sioux Falls TREASURER: Dohui Kim, Sioux Falls

Roger Broer, Hill City Joanna Lawler, Rapid City John Mogen, Sioux Falls Jane Rasmussen, Sisseton Cristen Roghair, Okaton Joshua Spies, Sioux Falls Jim Walker, Bath

STAFF Patrick Baker Director patrick.baker@state.sd.us (605) 773-5507 Rebecca Cruse Deputy Director rebecca.cruse@state.sd.us (605) 295-4052 Kathryn Vandel Grant Specialist kathryn.vandel@state.sd.us (605) 773-5925 Sarah Carlson Program Coordinator sarah.carlson@state.sd.us (605) 773-3102 Anne Hatch S.D. Folk & Traditional Arts, Program Coordinator sdtraditionalarts@outlook.com (605) 608-0490 South Dakota Arts Council 711 E. Wells Avenue Pierre, SD 57501 (605) 773-3301 Fax: (605) 773-5977 Email: sdac@state.sd.us ArtsCouncil.sd.gov Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram @SouthDakotaArts 4 • South Dakota Arts Alive

Support local artists, culture By Patrick Baker, Executive Director South Dakota Arts Council

ou’ve heard it so many times, it’s become almost cliché: “Support local artists.” However, that phrase isn’t just a widely used hashtag or sticker for a guitar case. It’s a call to action. And I can’t think of a better time to heed the call than in the summer of 2022. After two years’ worth of arts events being canceled or rescheduled in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, your local artists, arts organizations, and arts educators need your support more than ever. And not just to help them earn a living, but to re-energize the arts and culture sector in South Dakota to keep our communities unique and vibrant. Yes, the arts help drive local economies and promote cultural tourism in our state, which is great, but they do so much more. They help give us a shared vocabulary for civil discourse and common ground for the exchange of ideas, stimulate creative problem solving and critical thinking, promote empathy and understanding, foster self-expression and self-confidence, enhance learning skills across all educational disciplines, deliver therapeutic benefits to participants, effect change, preserve our culture and history, offer an avenue of response to our various circumstances, entertain, and so much more. To be more concise, the arts are essential. They are a critical component of human health and wellbeing, and from my perspective, they make life worth living out loud. Imagining a world devoid of the arts and culture brings to mind bleak pictures — I’d rather not go there, to be honest. So instead, please take your friends and family to events and help spread the word so more people can enjoy the full color and splendor of South Dakota’s arts and culture! Do you hear that sound? It’s the arts calling, and they’ve got a whole lot to share with you this summer, as these pages prove. So please pick up and connect with creatives in your community and across the state this summer. By doing so, you’ll not only “support local artists” and the economy with your dollars, but you’ll help validate everything the arts and culture support by picking up your end of the creative conversation.

South Dakota Arts Council receives support from the State of South Dakota, through the Department of Tourism, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

Happenings

REDCAN GRAFFITI JAM The unmistakable sound of rattling spray paint cans is commonly heard in Eagle Butte each summer as the RedCan Graffiti Jam brings artists and the community together in support of the Cheyenne River Youth Project. Murals are painted on free-standing walls in the Waniyetu Wowapi Art Park and on buildings throughout town as graffiti artists from around the world paint and teach children the power of art. Native dancers and musicians also lend their talents to what is known as the “largest art movement in the history of humankind.” The 2022 RedCan Graffiti Jam will be July 6-9. Full information can be found at www.lakotayouth.org/redcan.

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Happenings LEVITT AT THE FALLS SUMMER CONCERTS Levitt at the Falls will offer 50 free concerts this summer, the most ambitious schedule yet for the four-year-old venue. Kicking off Friday, June 3 and concluding Saturday, September 10, concerts will be held every weekend on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings plus five Friday morning concerts for youth and families. Variety is the key to Levitt shows, with jazz, country, blues, rock and international styles featured. The beautiful outdoor stage and grassy seating area is part of Sioux Falls’ downtown revival tying together the business and entertainment district with the city’s namesake Falls Park. A full schedule of concerts and special events can be found at the Levitt at the Falls website — www.levittsiouxfalls.org.

SAMPLING OF COMMUNITY CONCERT SERIES Music on Main in Sturgis — Wednesdays, June 1 – July 20 Municipal Band Concerts in Lennox — Thursdays, June 9 – July 21 AmphiThursdays in Parkston — Thursdays, June 2 – August 11 Summer Nights in Rapid City — Thursdays, June 2 – Sept. 1 Thursday Night Live in Watertown — Thursdays, June 2 – August 25 Downtown Friday Nights in Spearfish — Fridays, June 3 – July 29 Summer Concerts at Good Earth State Park — Sundays, June 5 – July 31 Anderson Plaza Summer Performances in Brookings — Tuesdays, June 7 – July 26 Summer Concert Series in Yankton — Tuesdays, June 7 – August 2 Thursday Nights at Campbell Park in Huron — Thursdays, June 16 – August 25 Downtown at Sundown in Brookings — Thursdays, July 21 – August 18

RED CLOUD INDIAN ART SHOW Returning to in-person visitation as well as virtual viewing in 2022, the Red Cloud Indian Art Show at the Heritage Center at Red Cloud Indian School near Pine Ridge is the largest and longest-running exhibition of its kind. “We are happy people can come see us for the first time in a couple years,” says Executive Director Mary Maxon. Artwork displayed at the summertime show can range from beadwork and painting to photography. Artists from all tribal nations in North America have been featured in the show, which is now into its sixth decade. The art is for sale and tours of Red Cloud Indian School’s historic campus are also available. The Red Cloud Indian Art Show runs June 4 through August 14. Full information is available at redcloudart.show.

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The 10th annual Native POP: People of the Plains Art Market is a free juried Indigenous art show and cultural celebration July 9-10 at Main Street Square in downtown Rapid City. An artist award reception is scheduled for July 8.

the Festival in the Park. Live music is featured along with everything from jewelry to photography. The 2022 Festival in the Park is July 15-17 and full information is at VisitSpearfish.com/ events/festival-in-the-park. The Paha Sapa Cowboys & Indians Art Festival (July 28-29) features Native American and Western art and jewelry. Native American dance performances are scheduled Friday and Saturday. The festival is part of the 100th celebration of the Days of ’76 Rodeo in Deadwood.

Brookings’ Summer Arts Festival is one South Dakotans talk about year-round. More than 200 vendors take part along with nearly 30 food booths. Jugglers, magicians, musicians and famous pirates have been known to appear. The event will be held July 9-10 in Pioneer Park on the west edge of Brookings and often spills out into adjacent parking lots and other spaces. Full information is at BSAF.com Spearfish’s City Park is a beautiful spot for camping, fishing and visiting the D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery, but especially so when it’s filled with the color and artistry of

In conjunction with Riverboat Days, the Yankton Summer Arts Festival brightens up the already-beautiful Riverside Park. Vendors set up on the banks of the Missouri River with wood, metal, stained glass and more. An estimated 100,000 people attend each year. Yankton Summer Arts Festival/ Riverboat Days will be August 19-21. Full information is at YanktonAreaArts. org/summer-arts-festival. Sidewalk Arts Festival takes over downtown Sioux Falls on September 10. City streets are filled with vendors of fine art, folk art and crafts. The event is a fundraiser for the Visual Arts Center at the Washington Pavilion. Complete information is at WashingtonPavilion.org/special-events/ sidewalk-arts-festival.

Northern Plains Indian Art Market, celebrating the life ways of indigenous people of the Northern Plains, will be held September 23-25 in Sioux Falls. The NPIAM is one of the largest art markets devoted to artwork from Northern Plains tribes. The event also includes cultural activities, a pow wow and juried art show. The 29th Annual Buffalo Roundup Arts Festival will be held September 29-October 1 at Custer State Park. Up to 150 vendors offer fine arts and crafts, including many South Dakotamade items.

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SKATEBOARDING & MUSIC Innoskate seeks to unite South Dakotans in Pine Ridge and Sioux Falls

By Bernie Hunhoff

HAT DO SKATEBOARDING, jazz and the Smithsonian all have in common? The answer to that trivia question, at least for the summer of 2022, is “South Dakota.” The venerable Smithsonian, the world’s largest museum, risked its stodgy reputation a decade ago when it created Innoskate, a program that explores skate culture’s creative spirit. Seven Innoskate festivals have been organized, the latest in England. Now the Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center for Invention and Innovation is partnering with South Dakota art and education organizations to host events in Pine Ridge and Sioux Falls in July. Levitt at the Falls, the summer music venue in downtown Sioux Falls, is at the center of the collaboration. “This may surprise some people, but skateboarding is all about music,” says Nancy Halverson, Levitt’s executive director. “If you watched the Olympics last summer, you might remember members of the press wondering on television why the skateboarders were on their cell

phones,” she says. “It is because they choreograph their runs to music, very much the way ice skaters might choreograph their routine except with skateboarding we don’t get to hear their music.” The music will be heard in Pine Ridge and Sioux Falls. The Smithsonian’s Jazz Masterworks Orchestra will perform with professional skaters and Olympians, as well as with local jazz musicians. Innoskate will also include skate demonstrations, panel discussions, skating clinics and numerous other activities designed to spark the imaginations of youth and entertain people of all ages. This is not Halverson’s first collaboration with the Smithsonian. She helped to organize one of the first Innoskate festivals in 2015 while serving as CEO of The Children’s Museum of the Upstate in Greenville, South Carolina. She returned to Sioux Falls in 2018 to lead the Levitt, where one of her chief goals is to encourage and inspire youth through music. “That’s what it’s all about for me,” she says. “Bringing the very best performers to South

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Youth of the Pine Ridge Reservation consider skateparks a safe haven in a sometimes-challenging rural environment. Pictured at the Manderson park are (from left) David Parham, Taylor Shot, Francisco Richards, Lemar Little Dog, Robin Condon and Shanti Condon.

Dakota so our kids can see somebody on stage who maybe looks like them — so they can look up there and think, ‘If they can do that, so can I!’” The entire 2022 Levitt season is built with that in mind, but Innoskate is the most colorful example, and it represents the first time that Levitt staff has collaborated with organizations across the state. The principal sponsor is the Wokini Initiative of South Dakota State University, a project that supports Native American youth who seek to succeed through higher education. Other partners include the South Dakota Community Foundation, South Dakota Humanities Council, Arts South Dakota, the South Dakota Arts Council, Downtown Sioux Falls, the Sioux Falls Jazz and Blues Society, Sioux Falls Skate Association, Rehfeld’s Art Gallery, the Sioux Falls Arts Council, the Ray and Vera Coniff Foundation and the David H. Horowitz Fund. Two youth organizations from the Pine Ridge Reservation — Ground Control and Rock the Rez — are also part of the effort. Innoskate is set for July 5 at Toby Eagle Bull Skatepark in Pine Ridge, where skateboarding has become a popular activity in the reservation’s efforts to steer youth away from drugs, alcohol and gang activity. A nonprofit called the Stronghold Society has built

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skateboard parks, with major assistance from the Tony Hawk Foundation, the band Pearl Jam and numerous other groups and individuals. Sioux Falls is also undergoing a skateboard awakening. The city’s Chamber of Commerce and Skatepark Association are finishing a $1.6 million drive to build a state-of-the-art project in Nelson Park. It will be styled after the natural features of the Big Sioux River and the falls. The Innoskate festival will be headquartered at the Levitt amphitheater July 7-9, with related events in the downtown district, including a skateboard art show at Rehfeld’s Gallery and a vendor skater village. There are also plans to close a road next to the venue to build a temporary skate park where local youth can skate alongside members of the USA Olympic team. “We want to bring people to our state who represent all of our cultures and backgrounds so we can lift each other up in a safe, fun and accessible way,” Halverson says. Music is famous for bringing people together. Skateboarding and music might really move us. For more information on Innoskate’s South Dakota schedule, see levittsiouxfalls.org.

‘SKATEBOARDING IS LIFE’

obin Condon found friends and a supportive community when he started to hang around the skateboard park in Pine Ridge as a kid. “It’s a pretty good way to meet people because that’s where all the good vibes are,” grins the lanky Condon, who now lives in the nearby community of Manderson where there’s also a skate park. He started with a cheap board from Walmart. When it broke apart, an older skater gave him the board he treasures today. The previous owner was a talented artist who painted Native American art on both sides. “If you don’t have a board, don’t let that stop you,” he advises other youth. “Somebody will loan you one, and the older kids will help you learn the moves. When you mess up, someone will be there to help you up.” Condon says four Pine Ridge skateparks built by the Tony Hawk Foundation are life-changers because the parks are safe, positive, drug-free hangouts for youth in an oftenchallenging rural environment. Condon, 23, leads a team of other young men who repair homes for reservation neighbors. However, he still skates — sometimes, while listening to rock music with headphones. “If you are having a bad day, you come here and skate around and forget about everything else,” he says. “Skateboarding is life.”

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MUSIC TO THEIR EARS

South Dakota’s recognition of the indigenous flute honors its artists, songs and history. By John Andrews

Indigenous flutes pictured on this page were handcrafted by Bryan Akipa.

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OUTH DAKOTA has a state bird, insect, sport, dessert, soil and now, indigenous musical instrument. House Bill 1196, passed during the 2022 Legislative session, formally recognizes the traditional flute as the official indigenous musical instrument of South Dakota. Rep. Tamara St. John, who represents District 1 (Brown, Day, Marshall and Roberts counties) and works as an archivist for the Sisseton Wahpeton Sioux Tribe, sponsored the bill, which found widespread support in both the state Senate and the House. “As someone who works with preservation and wanting to retain traditional knowledge, this was really important,” St. John says. “I could see the importance in it.” Momentum for the bill gained steam at an annual reception for legislators organized by Secretary David Flute and the Department of Tribal Relations. Kevin Locke, a hoop dancer and flute player from Wakpala in the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, was invited to perform. Afterwards, he and Flute talked about the possibility of recognizing the instrument. “It was a suggestion on my part,” Locke says. “I told them that the only state that officially recognizes anything indigenous is the state of Hawaii, which recognizes the ukulele

as a state instrument. The ukulele is European but has been indigenized by the Polynesian people. I said the indigenous flute, if adopted, would be the only authentic, pre-European, musical aesthetic ever adopted by a state government.” Secretary Flute, a member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate and a direct descendant of a man known as Flute Player, says he’s appreciative of both the legislature and the governor for supporting the measure. “Our state has some of the best indigenous flute players in all of America and highlighting the instrument they use to bring music to all people is an honor to them as artists and to all South Dakotans,” Flute says. Locke began playing the indigenous flute in 1972, just as the cultural tradition was in danger of disappearing. He was attending the University of South Dakota in Vermillion and went to a performance by Richard Fool Bull, a flute player from the Rosebud Indian Reservation. Fool Bull was in his 80s and possessed a nearly unparalleled knowledge of the flute. “I struck up a conversation with him,” Locke says. “I asked if maybe

Richard Fool Bull, an indigenous flute player from the Rosebud Indian Reservation, inspired Kevin Locke to carry on the tradition.

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Bryan Akipa handcrafts indigenous flutes in his basement workshop in Agency Village.

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any of his kids or grandkids were interested in that tradition. He said it wasn’t anything of interest to the younger people. I thought that was really bad, and that somebody should take it up. And he just stopped right there. He was quiet, just staring at me, and he said, ‘Yeah, you’re right. Somebody should do this. What about you? You could do it. In fact, you’re the one who’s going to do this.’ It really jolted me when he said that. I didn’t say anything. I just shook his hand and I left, and I never saw him again after that.” But then Locke went home to the Standing Rock Reservation and started listening to records of flute music. His mother surprised him by going into another room and retrieving a flute that Fool Bull had made. He started playing along and eventually learned some traditional songs. Since then, Locke has produced nearly a dozen albums of flute music. Bryan Akipa, of Agency Village, is another of the state’s pre-eminent flute players (both he and Locke have been awarded the prestigious National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, the country’s highest award in folk and traditional arts). Akipa has produced six albums, has performed with the South Dakota Symphony and makes flutes in his shop following the traditional ways learned from Dakota elders.

An Akipa flute begins with eastern red cedar branches gathered from the woods and valleys of Roberts County near his home. The branch is split into two pieces, hollowed out and then glued back together. An air chamber collects air before it flows through a narrow passage into the longer sound chamber, which includes five or six finger holes. A unique aspect is a tuning block, a small piece of wood that enters the tube through a small notch and is affixed using a leather strap. A carving adorns the foot end. The indigenous flute was created to instrumentalize the many love songs that existed for centuries in Native culture. “All the musical genres in Dakota culture originated as a vocal composition,” Locke says. “For example, it’s a misnomer to say Indian drumming. There is no percussion tradition. The drum is used solely to accentuate the rhythm embedded in the vocal composition. Similarly, there is no distinct flute tradition. The flute only exists to instrumentalize the vocal tradition. That music is really a repository of beautiful and now somewhat archaic vocabulary, grammatical structures and sentence structures from the old language that flourished in the pre-reservation days and was still active in the early reservation days.” Locke and Akipa also stress that the traditional indigenous flute is not the same as similar instruments

Kevin Locke, a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, plays the indigenous flute professionally and for hundreds of students each year as he travels to schools throughout the Upper Midwest. He also helps them construct flutes and teaches them to play a few notes.

that appeared in the late 20th century. For example, a flute that became popular in the 1980s is modeled after a Japanese shakuhachi and utilizes an entirely different tuning structure. Though it’s widely called a “Native American flute,” it’s not the traditional instrument. “The Native American flute is only designed for improvisational pieces and has nothing to do with any indigenous Native American music,” Locke says. Today’s youth in South Dakota will likely not confuse the two because Locke and Akipa are willing to share their knowledge. Locke travels widely to schools, where he demonstrates the hoop dance and plays the flute. Using prefabricated kits with some assembly required, Locke helps students make flutes and then teaches them basic breathing exercises, fingering and a few simple songs. And Akipa believes he helped industrial arts students at Tiospa Zina Tribal School near Agency Village make 600 to 800 flutes over 10 to 15 years. That’s dedication befitting an official state instrument of South Dakota.

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PUBLIC ART Continuing an ancient tradition By Bernie Hunhoff

AVEMEN DREW ANIMAL art on dirt walls 45,000 years ago. Romans carved grand sculptures. Medieval artists painted frescos. South Dakota continues the ancient tradition of public art with a rotating collection of works that now numbers 110 pieces. However, South Dakota’s public art includes works you’ll find nowhere else in the world, and the latest additions are perfect examples. Mick Harrison’s oil titled Quick Eye and Quicker Gate (above) depicts three modern-day cowboys sorting cattle in a Black Hills corral. Harrison, a rural Belle Fourche artist, lauds South Dakota’s Art for State Buildings program, which was launched by U.S. Senator Mike Rounds when he was governor in 2007. Rounds envisioned a state art collection

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that would celebrate the state’s artists, promote the beauty of South Dakota and enliven the sometimes-bland hallways and foyers of government buildings. State lawmakers and governors have routinely budgeted $20,000 or more since then through the South Dakota Arts Council, except for a hiatus due to the COVID pandemic, when leaders were uncertain about state revenues. Patrick Baker, executive director of the South Dakota Arts Council, says the program has been re-started with a $24,610 budget. “We had an incredible outpouring of creativity and an overwhelming response,” he says. Sixtytwo artists submitted works for consideration. Thirteen were selected. They’ll be on exhibit in Pierre

Angela Behrends’ sculpture Buffaloed is created of 16-gauge steel wire with real bison horn caps. It measures 4 feet from the top to its wiry beard. ArtsCouncil.sd.gov • Summer 2022 Member Edition • 17

at the Dolly-Reed Plaza (711 E. Wells Ave.), headquarters for the Arts Council and the State Department of Tourism, until permanent locations are arranged. Baker calls the program, “a perfect partnership of arts and culture, as it goes hand-in-hand with the visitor industry in South Dakota.” Because art reflects the state’s unique heritage, it helps people find common ground — whether they are travelers, state workers, elected officials or citizens of South Dakota. Harrison is well-known in western art circles around the nation. Now in his senior years, he says he would like to share more of his works here in his home state. He is just about to begin an exhibit titled “A Brush with Heritage” at the Dahl Art Center in Rapid City. He says his inclusion in the state’s public art program gives him still another opportunity to share his talent with fellow South Dakotans. His painting of cowboys in the corral was inspired by a typical day of his “grandson-inlaw and the boy’s dad sorting cows” on their ranch north of the Black Hills. Another of this year’s 13 choices is a selection from Barbara Sparks’ “Weeds and Wildflowers” series, a reflection of the state’s blooming flora. Her painting, Echinacea, features this flower that grows wild. Sparks, a Sioux Falls artist who founded the Great Plains Watercolor Society in 2017, has trekked all over the state to explore wildflowers in all seasons. “I wanted the public to see our wildflowers as priceless art, with unbelievable lines, curves and shapes,” she says. “They pop up at their own bidding, not caring if anyone is around … some close in the rain and cold, some open in afternoon sunshine. Some have different colors inside and out. All look like they have studied in some sophisticated color theory class.

Barbara Sparks: Echinacea

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Teri McTighe: Endurance

“Having my art hang in South Dakota’s public buildings is a big deal,” Sparks says. “I have never felt like I really identified with any place I have lived. To have the state value my artistic work enough to make it part of their collection — their family of art — makes me feel like I am part of what is here in this place.” Another new piece of the state collection is Angela Behrends’ wire sculpture titled Buffaloed. Behrends is a mixed media artist from Madison who teaches art at Dakota State University in Madison. The noble buffalo has long been one of her inspirations. “When I was a child, so small I could barely walk, growing up in Minnesota, we came to Custer State Park,” she says. “I remember looking out the louvred windows of the camper at this huge, cool animal. It made an impression on me that I’ve never forgotten.” Other artists whose works are being added to the public collection include Susan Drey of Rapid City, Rodger Ellingson of Sioux Falls, Laura Jewell of Sioux Falls, Amy Lehman of Belvidere, Teri McTighe of Faith, Jesse Brown Nelson of Spearfish, Chad Nelson and Lindsay Twa of Sioux Falls, J. Desy Schoenewies of Spearfish, Jordan Thornton of Sioux Falls and Kat Thompson of Whitewood. For more about the Art for State Buildings program and the state art collection, visit artscouncil.sd.gov.

BRUSHING UP

SOUTH DAKOTA “PANORAMA”

Dalton Coffey filming Dr. Craig Howe for the CAIRNS Takuwe exhibition video.

Taking a look at South Dakota artists from a new point of view, filmmaker Dalton Coffey has created “Panorama,” airing on South Dakota Public Broadcasting. Subjects range from musicians Jami Lynn and Bryan Akipa to hoop dancers Starr and Dallas Chief Eagle to filmmaker Andrew Kightlinger. “There are few things that I find more interesting than artists and what and how they create,” Coffey says in the intro to the series. “Great art is made by artists, but discovered by everyone else,” Coffey says.

“Everybody has a channel to get to art. I get to use all forms of creative media – music, words, images – and the final product can evolve at every step in the process.” The South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, Faulkton’s murals, Mark Zimmerman and Mary Wipf, and Dr. Craig Howe, director of the Center for American Indian Research and Native Studies are also featured in the video vignettes. The videos are hosted on Arts South Dakota’s YouTube channel and on the website, artssouthdakota.org/panorama.

ArtsSouthDakota.org • Summer 2022 Member Edition • 19

BRUSHING UP The Healing Arts

BARN QUILTS ARE ART HEALTH

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wo Vermillion organizations were funded to create quilting projects harnessing the arts to promote overcoming COVID-19 and influenza vaccine hesitancy. Together, the Vermillion Cultural Association (VCA) and Creative Care, LLC secured a $75,000 grant from the CDC Foundation. Shannon Cole, Executive Director of VCA, with Ariadne (Ari) Albright, owner of Creative Care, collaborated to use the arts to improve public health practices such as mask-wearing and receiving flu and COVID-19 vaccines. “This grant is an incredible achievement for us,” Cole says. “We’re a small, regional arts organization, and now we get to lead a nationally funded project with statewide impact. It’s a big deal, and a big responsibility.”

VCA’s Barn Quilt Project: South Dakota Strong reached nine communities across South Dakota, including rural areas with lower vaccination rates. Community members who attended the art events created a barn quilt design and wrote about their experiences of the pandemic. Artists facilitating the project include local residents and graduates of the University of South Dakota’s Arts in Health graduate and undergraduate certificate programs. The Barn Quilt Project sessions ran through April, culminating in an exhibition of select artworks and narratives in the First Dakota Coyote Gallery in Vermillion.

Poetry Out Loud

POETRY CHAMP

annah Dayaget (pictured), a senior at Washington High School in Sioux Falls, is South Dakota’s 2022 State Poetry Out Loud champion. Poetry Out Loud is a program created by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation and carried out by the South Dakota Arts Council. Poetry Out Loud encourages youth to appreciate poetry as an oral art form. Hannah competed in the National Finals in May and earned the runner-up position in the original spoken word Poetry Ourselves competition. Last year’s South Dakota champion, Rahele Megosha, went on to win the national contest and a $20,000 prize.

Editor’s Note: Our last Arts Alive newsletter incorrectly indicated that Rahele Megosha attended Roosevelt High School, but she is a 2021 graduate of Washington High School in Sioux Falls.

STATE OF CREATE BEGINS THIS SUMMER The Department of Tourism and South Dakota Arts Council will launch the new State of Create Arts Passport program in June. “To create is to live, to spread joy, reflection and connection,” says Patrick Baker, executive director of the Arts Council. “With our State of Create Pass, you can experience all of this and even win prizes in South Dakota. “From towering works to hidden gems, the magic of creation awaits your discovery. Hit the road and see why South Dakota is truly a #StateOfCreate.” Watch Arts South Dakota’s weekly email newsletter for information when the program launches. ArtsCouncil.sd.gov • Summer 2022 Member Edition • 21

BRUSHING UP

REMEMBERING JOHN COLSON

ongtime music educator and arts advocate John Colson passed away on February 10 in Brookings at age 88. A native of Iowa, Colson and his wife, Nancy, moved to Brookings in 1965, where he taught conducting, trumpet and French horn for 37 years at South Dakota State University. Colson was also the conductor and music director of the SDSU/Civic Symphony Orchestra for 34 years. He adjudicated the South Dakota All-State Orchestra wind and string auditions and founded, directed and taught at the All-State Music Camp in Brookings and Rushmore Junior High Music Camp near Rapid City. He received the prestigious Outstanding Music Educator Award in South Dakota from the National Federation

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Interscholastic Music Association in 2001, the Governor’s Award for Outstanding Service in Arts Education in 2018 and was inducted into the South Dakota Bandmasters Association Hall of Fame in 2020. Colson influenced generations of music educators and performers including Jim Speirs, the executive director of Arts South Dakota and one of South Dakota’s top jazz trumpet players. “As a trumpet teacher, Mr. Colson had a reputation as one of the best and was a big reason why I attended SDSU,” Speirs says. “His humanity, grace and genuine devotion to all his students is why we all loved him. We’re fortunate he chose to live and teach in South Dakota.”

Centerville:

WELCOMING THE ARTS A new mural is just the latest of several arts initiatives in Centerville, a small city with big creativity. “Arts are good for a community, and that makes them good for economic development,” says Jared Hybertson, who led an effort to transform a dilapidated retail store on Main Street into the Centerville Arts, Commerce and Visitor Center. A $100,000 grant from the Bush Foundation kicked off the effort to buy and restore the 1914 Leader Clothing Store, which sat empty for 25 years. The total project cost more than $200,000. Hybertson, who serves as Com-

munity & Economic Development director, found support from other civic leaders. The Centerville Arts Council helps to arrange gallery exhibits and special events, including visits from the Missoula Children’s Theater. Two murals have been painted on Main Street, and a third is now being planned. Amber Hansen, assistant professor of art at the University of South Dakota, is directing an effort that involves the entire town, including youth, in ideas for the painting. Quality of life initiatives are important to every community’s growth, Hybertson says, and he believes small towns are no different. He and other Centerville residents have even established a welcoming committee to greet families who

Centerville volunteers repurposed a 1914 clothing store.

move to town. “Studies show that the sooner a new person is welcomed, the more likely they are to stay,” he says. “We want to bridge the gap between the community and newcomers — and the arts are one way to make those connections.”

NORTHERN HOSTS ART & MUSIC INSTITUTES

outh Dakota’s art and music community will gather in midJuly on the Northern State University campus in Aberdeen. Workshops for persons interested in arts, band and choral education are welcome to participate in the numerous workshops planned for three related institutes. This is the 23rd year of the program. The Arts Education Institute will be an educational and fun-filled week of learning. The goal is to infuse arts into classroom and curriculum development, however you do not have to be an educator to attend. Twenty-six workshops will be offered July 11-15. Participants may take up to four one-day workshops. The Band Director Institute July 11-13 will expose music teachers to the current and standard literature. Leaders will also share teaching methods and materials. The headline clinician is Stephen Rivero, director of bands at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and

commander and conductor of the Florida National Guard’s 13th Army Band. The Choral Director Institute, also July 11-13, is designed to introduce choral music educators to the best current and standard literature, as well as teaching methods and materials. The headline clinician is Chris Maunu, a conductor, educator and composer from the Denver area. Maunu is a four-time finalist for Grammy Music Educator of the Year. Registration is open until July 8. All workshops qualify for three graduate or CEU credits. Contact Shari Kosel of Arts South Dakota to register at (605) 252-5979 or info@ artssouthdakota.org. The institutes are sponsored by Arts South Dakota, the South Dakota Arts Council, Northern State University and Poppler’s Music. South Dakota Arts Council support is provided with funds from the state of South Dakota, through the Department of Tourism and the National Endowment for the Arts. ArtsSouthDakota.org • Summer 2022 Member Edition • 23

BRUSHING UP Calling All Artists

CAMPBELL COUNTY REACHES OUT

ampbell County has 1,377 people, spread across 774 square miles of grasslands, cornfields and the small towns of Herreid, Pollock and Mound City. Lying in the northwest corner of East River country, it is bordered by North Dakota and the Missouri River. As director of the county’s Economic Development and Tourism Office, Andrew VanKuren wondered how he might find ways to unite the scattered families and communities. He found inspiration last summer at an Energize Conference in Milbank when Nick Blaske of Sisseton spoke of how an arts council brought his community together. “I thought ‘Why can’t we do that?’” he says. “We have a lot of talented people here.” Before the year had ended, VanKuren and his board of directors started an arts council and members began to meet in city halls, community centers and private homes. The group started a Facebook page and is making plans for a website. It also reached out to “musicians, painters, actors, actresses, craftspeople, bakers, photographers, poets, writers, designers and any others” to join the new network of creative locals. The council has already accomplished several projects with the school, including a A Memorial Day theater production of selfie wall drawing contest. In “Home Sweet Home” April, members held a vendor was one of the show at the Pollock School. Campbell County Art Plans are also being made for an Council’s first events. arts space. On May 30, the council presented a Memorial Day theater production, “Home Sweet Home,” at the Herreid High School gymnasium. “The arts cover such a wide spectrum in Campbell County, yet it has never been addressed and organized in the rural district,” VanKuren says. “We think it will continue to grow.” The Campbell County Arts Council joins a robust network of 35 community arts councils across South Dakota. Follow their Facebook page for updates.

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ONE L AST LOOK

A 110-foot tall mural by Guido Van Helten graces three sides of a concrete grain elevator in Faulkton.

Arts South Dakota PO Box 2496, Sioux Falls, SD 57101-2496 (605) 252-5979 | ArtsSouthDakota.org Email: info@ArtsSouthDakota.org

Arts South Dakota, a nonpartisan and nonprofit service organization, advances the arts for South Dakotans and our visitors by connecting, advocating and educating. Your donation to Arts South Dakota will enable us to continue our work to strengthen the arts in our state. Please join Arts South Dakota today. Give securely online at ArtsSouthDakota.org

J. Desy Schoenewies’ oil painting, Transplant, was purchased for South Dakota’s permanent art collection (page 16).