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From the Executive DirectorBehind all of the facts, figures, photos, and statements within this Impact Report lies the Rapid City Arts Council’s Mission: to champion the power of art to bring all kinds of people together, making art more accessible, more integral and more inspiring for the communities we serve. Simply put, the Arts Council aims to harness the power of art to give Rapid City a brighter and bolder tomorrow, and we hope that you are inspired by these pages to continue being a part of our story.
The information within this report also highlights the tremendous effort that the Arts Council’s dedicated staff give to all the work that we do. From Arts Education to Exhibits and everywhere in between, I have had the pleasure of working with a staff that are qualified, team-oriented, and true believers of what the arts can do for all community members. Our work is made possible with support from within the community – especially support from stakeholders like the City of Rapid City, especially Mayor Salamun and all City Council members, individual and corporate financial contributors, Arts Council Board of Directors, artists, and arts educators. Each day, hundreds of stakeholders pass in and out of the Dahl Arts Center, and each individual stakeholder supports the Rapid City Arts Council in their own unique way – and for that, I extend my sincere thanks. 2026 will usher in many new and exciting opportunities at the Dahl Arts Center and I hope that you are able to participate and support the Rapid City Arts Council in any way that you can. Thank you. |
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From the CuratorsThe Exhibitions Department this year was able to achieve the well-deserved promotion of Jeannie Larson from Assistant Curator to Curator. This advancement formally establishes Jeannie and Gallery Director Noah Geiger as Co-Curators of the Exhibits program in 2025. This contributed to successful projects—which included multiple pop-up shows, several Emerging Artist Exhibitions, the creation of the Permanent Collection Catalog, and various community-wide calls for art—resulted in exhibiting the work of roughly 300 artists across our gallery spaces. A recent highlight was partnering with the Black Hills Area Community Foundation to develop and install an interactive arts exhibit specifically focused on their theme of Youth Mental Wellness. As we move to the end of this year we are so grateful for our community partner organizations and artists, as well as to our Board and leadership for their support of the team in a year of many changes and transitions. We look forward to more opportunities to serve the arts community in the years to come, and to continue to share the incredible artwork and creative energy that this community generates.
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Big Read Rapid City50 Artists
32 Events 900 Books Distributed |
The RCAC, created Big Read Rapid City, in partnership with the NEA Big Read. Our community was invited to submit works for Wayfinder, a compelling exhibition at the Dahl Arts Center that explored the intricate tapestry of human experience. Through this exhibition, artists submitted works that explored themes of navigation, guidance, and the quest for meaning, weaving their unique perspectives into a shared narrative of wayfinding.
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Just Us Mural Project (JUMP) |
JUMP provided justice-involved youth with culturally relevant arts education, resulting in fewer disciplinary infractions and greater compassion for themselves and others. justice-involved youth had opportunities to engage in group-based projects to create public murals.
This initiative, fueled by a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, leveraged the transformative power of art education to ignite positive change in the lives of justice-involved youth. Rapid City is one of five communities in the country to receive the grant for this transformative initiative. |
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From the Education DirectorThis has been an incredibly exciting year for our Education Department, marked by significant
growth and a host of new undertakings. Our adult programming continues to develop, with a selection of ceramic and 2D offerings, or new classes such as creative writing and crochet. Our Open Pottery Studio is an incredible space that has flourished under the stewardship of volunteers and staff. It’s an excellent example to follow as we expand our Open Art Studio as a space for our 2D artists and community members. Our youth programming goal is to provide equitable arts education to all Rapid City youth to support their educational journeys, social well-being, and provide a safe space for creative exploration. In addition to our art camps, we hold afterschool and youth classes on site. We are also working to address accessibility issues from both financial and transportation perspectives. Our Teen Art Studio (a free program for students to develop as artists) began its third year and will end with a student-led exhibition in the gallery. The 4 th grade Art Adventures program focuses on schools serving low-income populations (developed with The Journey Museum, Title VI educators, and the Sioux Museum). We are partnering with Rapid City Area School District Title VI educators to develop a 5 th grade Art Adventure program (developed in collaboration with and grounded in Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings) providing schools with complete access to art lessons and supplies. This year we will begin our Neighborhood Art Adventures program and work with community partners to support arts education and educators outside of our building. For me, teaching and learning are intertwined, a continual process. One I experience each time I talk with someone about art, teaching, or what we can do to support our community. Art education, especially, is a collaborative and transformative experience that encourages everyone involved to create. We often think about this through the physical creation, the “thing”. But this is also a creation of meaning, one that occurs through exploring new perspectives, questioning or challenging our assumptions, and engaging in a dialogue with ourselves, each other, and the materials we use. As I move forward, look outward and inward, and consider our programs as processes, iterations, or continuations of previous versions (maybe long since ended), I’m excited to share and experience this with our community. I’m excited to learn together through art, making, and dialogue to help strengthen our community. |
61 new friends - 221 total friends
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Being a Friend of the Dahl provides a unique opportunity to become closely involved with visual arts, performing arts, and arts education in our community. Through special programming and events, Friends build relationships with like-minded patrons. Friends of the Dahl membership provides an important source of funding for programs, events and arts education. Annual dues range from $25 to $1,000, and benefits include year-round perks.
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From the Marketing DirectorI live in the tiny pixels on your screen, behind the camera, and for eight hours a day in my discoball-filled office.
I’m so thankful for every comment, like, follow, and website visit. When you interact with the Arts Council, you’re talking to me, and I would love to be your friend! In December of 2024, we finalized our Brand Guidelines, and since then, I’ve been on a brand exploration with how to communicate effectively. In July, I made the decision to wean myself off of ChatGPT. All of the content since then has derived directly from my brain (spelling errors and all), and I’m really appreciative of the grace from our team and the growth this has allowed me. Most of my language is expressed through gratitude, and thankfully, it’s been 100% genuine! I’m so thankful that you are taking your precious minutes to read this, our artmails, and all the posts I make on Facebook and Instagram. Cheers! |
