Focus on ‘art deserts,’ future planning among city arts priorities

A handful of new art installations will be coming this summer to Sioux Falls — aimed at addressing areas that could be considered “art deserts.”

It’s a reflection of the work done in the first year for the city’s arts coordinator, a new role filled by Maren Engel in 2024.

While downtown is the hub of arts in Sioux Falls, “where are there opportunities to support arts and culture initiatives in other areas of Sioux Falls?” she asked.

“Where art is happening, communities are thriving and growing, and exciting things are happening.”

For example, this year four neighborhoods received city grant funding to add public art. This summer and fall, SculptureWalk will install multiple pieces:

Day’s Catch by Bobbie Carlyle will be added at Terrace Park in north-central Sioux Falls.

Boy Reading a Book by Eric Thorson will be placed at Oakview Library on the east side of the city in alignment with landscaping efforts in the neighborhood.

Hey Boomer by Steve Bormes will be placed at Ronning Library in southeast Sioux Falls.

Linger by Cameron Stalheim will be placed in front of Perch near Ninth Street and Grange Avenue. As last year’s SculptureWalk Best in Show piece, it was purchased by the city.

Additionally, traffic-slowing murals will be coordinated this summer through the Downtown Residents’ Association. It was awarded $10,000 through the city’s neighborhood grant program to pursue traffic-slowing mural projects at busy intersections downtown.

“They will be issuing a request for qualifications for local artists and are working in partnership with the city’s traffic department, the Active Transportation Board and DTSF,” Engel said. “The committee, put in place by the neighborhood association, is assessing what materials should be used for longevity, how they can initiate a project that is safe and helpful for our low-visibility community and determining how to create an effective project using city standards and requirements.”

Some of the intersections being considered include:

• 12th Street and Main Avenue
• 12th and Phillips Avenue
• 11th Street and Phillips
• 10th Street and Phillips

That’s in addition to a new art wall unveiled earlier this month behind the 300 Building at Sixth Street and Dakota Avenue.

The coming year will further determine where art deserts exist in the city as part of a new arts and culture plan. It will help establish “not only where art might be placed but locations and parks where community arts programming should be focused (and) underserved populations that arts initiatives might serve throughout the city,” Engel said.

Much of her first year also has been spent establishing a city public art policy framework to clarify city processes and lift up national best practices.

“It’s been important to do this groundwork to help us launch successful projects and programs in the future,” she said.

Engel’s work is guided by a seven-member Arts Commission and a seven-member Visual Arts Committee, which acts as an advisory board to the commission.

The goal is for the commission “to become a resource for artists of all mediums,” Engel said, serving as a clear entry point for all things arts and culture in the city.

“I have desperately longed for a time when we would have a role like Maren’s and a person like Maren here to serve as a centralized resource within our city government,” said Ivy Oland Dandar, who serves on the Arts Commission.

“It’s critical that we’re thoughtful and intentional about how we use arts and culture and how we’re using it to shape our community. Much like how we invest in our parks and libraries, we know that the arts directly contribute to our health and well-being and even our longevity.”

There will be multiple opportunities to give input into the city’s arts and culture plan as it’s developed in the next year. There’s also a new website, siouxfalls.gov/artsandculture.

It includes links to arts resources and a look at the city’s art collection, as well as a directory of local artists available to hire.

“Our artists are an important workforce for Sioux Falls, and it’s important to support and utilize them,” Engel said.