By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota
If you make art, support the arts and want to gather with people like you—the State Arts Conference in Rapid City May 14-16 is the place to be. This year’s conference celebrates the world-class artists of South Dakota, our state’s unique cultural heritage and our incredibly diverse and vibrant arts network—so mark your calendar and plan to join in the excitement!
The South Dakota Arts Council and Arts South Dakota, along with the conference committee are working hard to bring arts advocates, artists, audience members, educators and South Dakota culture fans together to share perspectives, exchange brilliant ideas and connect as an arts community. The 2018 statewide arts conference in Sioux Falls showed the power of communicating face to face in a creative setting—and now it’s time to get together once again.
Throughout the past year, in Arts Happy Hour gatherings, regional meetings and community visits, participants in the South Dakota creative community have expressed the importance of connection. That’s what the State Arts Conference is all about—meeting person to person, sharing our enthusiasm for the arts, networking with and learning from national and state leaders, and strengthening our arts community. The 2020 conference gives us a chance to focus on topics that are meaningful for all of us and help us plan for the future by exploring where we are today.
This is the biggest arts event of the year in South Dakota, with practical and relevant learning sessions, exciting art and performances, and presenters who really are the best in their fields. So let’s get together, friends—make plans to be in Rapid City May 14-16, share the excitement and join the conversation. We think it will be a cultural gathering to remember!
Details, schedules and information on the presenters at this year’s State Arts Conference are available on the Arts South Dakota website, www.ArtsSouthDakota.org. Registration opens March 1—mark you calendar today!
