By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota Recently I had the opportunity to help out during a jam session at a local restaurant that promotes live music weekly and a special open stage jam session monthly. Over 30 musicians of all ages, skill levels and performance experience participated, and the level of enthusiasm and [...]
By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota Decisions made in Pierre and Washington, DC shape South Dakota’s cultural horizons, making Election Day a powerful tool for building our state’s creative future. On November 8, your vote for those candidates who support the arts is one of the most important advocacy steps you can take. [...]
By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota Every two years, Arts South Dakota and the state arts agency join together with the current South Dakota governor to honor our home state’s outstanding contributors to the arts. The Governor’s Award in the Arts is South Dakota’s highest honor for individuals, businesses and organizations who have [...]
By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota It was disappointing to see our lone Congressman, Dusty Johnson, recently support a funding bill amendment that would have reduced National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) appropriations by 25%, sending the NEA budget back to 2017 levels. Johnson has been a past supporter of South Dakota arts [...]
By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota South Dakota’s heritage is a unique combination of indigenous and immigrant cultures, and celebrating those elements helps make our state a leader in the recognition of its artistic creativity. Part of that recognition occurred during the 2022 legislative session, when House Bill 1196 formally named the traditional [...]
By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota The Smithsonian Institution has hosted seven Innoskate festivals, high-powered mashups of music, art and skateboarding, the latest of which was in England. This year the cultural combination comes to South Dakota, kicking off July 5 at Toby Eagle Bull Skatepark in Pine Ridge and moving to the [...]
By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota We’re all ready for a road trip, and South Dakota is loaded with destinations—arts and crafts festivals, community cultural celebrations, musical weekends and summer theater throughout our state. A full calendar of cultural events—many of them happening within an easy drive from where you live—is beckoning during [...]
By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota We 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, [...]
By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota Everyone is busy these days—and with more travel and family events, the calendar fills up fast. The biennial State Arts Conference is May 19-21 in Rapid City—and there are excellent reasons why that should be on your calendar, too! The conference will allow you to make new [...]
By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota The South Dakota creative talent pool is deep and wide—and every artist in our state deserves recognition for the work each does in expanding the cultural boundaries of South Dakota. Occasionally an opportunity arises to shine a spotlight on a few representative artists, illustrating the quality of [...]
