Art for State Buildings

14 ARTWORKS PURCHASED FOR STATE COLLECTION

PIERRE, S.D. — The South Dakota Arts Council (SDAC) recently purchased 14 new pieces for the state’s public art collection through the Art for State Buildings program.

The artworks were selected by a five-member advisory committee to the SDAC, which reviewed 65 purchase proposals and based its decisions on set review criteria including: quality of the work; the artwork’s relevance to South Dakota environment, history, heritage, or culture; professional experience of the artist; permanence and safety, as required for public artworks.

View the full press release online [linked here]

State Statute 1-22-10
The Art for State Buildings program is a result of State statute 1-22-10 [linked here], which stipulates that state buildings should include works of art for public display. The statute was funded by the State Legislature in 2007 when Governor Michael Rounds recommended an annual $20,000 budget to purchase art, creating a State Art Collection.

In order to receive this appropriation, five prominent South Dakota artists donated works of art to the State valued at over $20,000. Sculptor Dale C. Lamphere, who at that time was President of South Dakotans for the Arts, launched the idea and found generous artists to donate. The challenge put forth by Dale and four other artists to the Governor and Legislature was that the work would only be given to the State if the Legislature appropriated an equal amount on an on-going basis for the Art for State Buildings Program.

The challenge worked and the appropriation became a reality. In January, 2008, at a Pierre Cultural Heritage Center reception, the works were accepted on behalf of the State of South Dakota.

Selection
Proposals are reviewed by a five-member advisory committee to the SD Arts Council, the agency charged with managing the program. As set up in statute, the selection committee is made up of a building representative; a community member with visual arts expertise appointed by the mayor of Pierre; a representative of the agency; a visual arts professional appointed by the Arts Council; and an Arts Council member with expertise in visual arts.

Selection of artwork is based on quality of the work; the artwork’s relevance to South Dakota environment, history, heritage or culture; professional experience of the arts; permanence and safety, as required for public artworks.

It is our privilege to showcase this Artwork Collection chosen for purchase by the selection panels.

Click to view a catalogue of all artworks in the Art For State Buildings collection. [linked here]
*PDF Document containing all works and locations

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