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 [...]
By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota Amazing arts and culture projects are happening all across South Dakota but arts organizations and their leaders are spread out and often isolated from colleagues. The Arts Leadership Institute, sponsored by Arts South Dakota, has been created to support those who are doing the critical work of [...]
By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota There’s a reason that South Dakota governors and legislators have for decades supported the arts and creative industry in our state. The South Dakota Arts Council, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, was created in the mid-1960s to ensure and maintain arts accessibility [...]
By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota This month the South Dakota Arts Council and Arts South Dakota announced the biennial Governor’s Awards in the Arts. Each recipient is an inspiring example for all of us, often demonstrating a lifetime of commitment to creativity, cultural enhancement and sharing the arts with students, audiences [...]
By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota In a state as large and diverse as South Dakota, no one organization can advance our creative environment singlehandedly. One of Arts South Dakota’s most significant partners in the daily challenge of providing arts advocacy and arts information is South Dakota Public Broadcasting (SDPB). With 98% coverage [...]
By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota Look around your community and chances are you’ll discover the arts everywhere this season. Maybe there’s a play at school, or a choral concert celebrating the holidays. You may find an arts and crafts fair that’s an annual tradition or perhaps your community has a South Dakota [...]
