By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota We’re celebrating this year as we pass a major milestone—ten years of advocating for, connecting and strengthening the arts in South Dakota. Founded in 2016, Arts South Dakota was created to be a unified voice for artists, arts organizations, educators and creative businesses statewide. Over the past [...]
By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota With the Legislative Session in full swing, Arts South Dakota will be in Pierre meeting with state senators and representatives, hosting events and focusing attention on a message everyone on both sides of the aisle can agree on—the arts are vital to South Dakotans. Along with [...]
By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota December marks the season of giving. As we consider those to whom we wish to be generous, we need to remember our nonprofit arts community—this year more than any other in recent memory. To retain programs that spark our children’s creativity, to maintain the performance art opportunities [...]
By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota I have always believed that music is the universal language, but seldom have I seen people and cultures brought together as beautifully as at the concert by the Lakota Music Project on Native American Day at Crazy Horse Memorial. The Lakota Music Project is the flagship [...]
By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota One of the missions of Arts South Dakota is to remind people about the artists living in large and small communities across our state creating powerful and exciting new art. There’s no better way to introduce those artists to their neighbors than through the eyes of [...]
By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota One of the most vital elements in protecting South Dakota’s cultural heritage, promoting our creative industry and providing an enriching environment for all generations is the strengthening of vibrant arts education throughout the state. To enhance and grow South Dakota’s arts education experiences, representatives from the [...]
By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota The State Tourism Department has long realized that art drives tourism—and exciting programs are available to capitalize on our statewide creative energy. From exciting new video productions to innovative advertising to the popular State of Create Passport, SD Tourism is sharing their pride in our state’s artistic [...]
By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota In 1990, the nation’s lawmakers recognized that differently-abled members of our population had not previously been guaranteed equal access and that physical barriers were preventing Americans from participating in aspects of daily life—including arts experiences. Those leaders passed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), [...]
By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota South Dakotans—and all Americans, according to nationwide surveys—believe that the arts are important to our culture and our everyday life. We also believe that the federal government should keep promises made to people and organizations in our state. Both of those principles are being threatened right now—and [...]
By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota With South Dakota’s humanities programming—including proven children’s literacy projects—threatened because of the elimination of the federal appropriation for the National Endowment for the Humanities, it’s time to take steps to ensure that a similar funding cut is not carried out at the National Endowment for the Arts [...]
