Simplified: Several neighborhood associations across Sioux Falls are using funds from a city grant program to bring more public art to their neighborhood. Here's a closer look.
Why it matters
- Sioux Falls is seeing a growing number of neighborhood associations as the city itself grows, and with that more of those groups are taking advantage of the annual Neighborhood Project Grant, which has a budget of $100,000 to help complete various projects.
- These grants have been used for projects like planting trees, adding lighting and even building a baseball diamond.
- This year, one common theme among grant recipients was a goal of increasing public art. Three different associations – Downtown, Oak View and Southern Hills neighborhoods – are all using grant funds for artistic displays.
"We’ve always supported art because that's something people can take a look at, they're proud of it, and it adds to the identity of their neighborhood," said Diane deKoeyer, neighborhood and preservation planner with the city of Sioux Falls.
Tell me more about what's happening in the neighborhoods
Two of the three neighborhood associations with art-focused grant projects are looking to add sculptures to their local library branches.
The Oak View Neighborhood Association in northeast Sioux Falls is using a $4,000 grant from the city to lease-to-own a former SculptureWalk sculpture called "Boy Reading a Book," by Montana-based artist Eric Thorsen.
- The sculpture depicts a young boy reading a book, and it'll be displayed outside the Oak View Branch Library.
"Personally, I think one of the best uses of the neighborhood grant is public art," said John Nordlie, president of the association. "In a roundabout way it benefits everybody ... It beautifies the neighborhood so it's not just for the people who live in the neighborhood, but everyone who visits."
The Southern Hills Neighborhood Association – a group that formed about a year ago in southeast Sioux Falls near 49th Street and Southeastern Avenue – is also looking to beautify the area outside the nearby Ronning Branch Library.
- Given the proximity to John Harris Elementary School and Laurel Oak pool, the goal was to find a sculpture that would be really engaging for children, association member Lisa Brunick said.
- They found that in local artist Steve Bormas' piece, "Toadstool Jubilee."
Brunick said she's also heard from both the library and the elementary school that they'll be looking to host events with Bormas to talk more about art and how he builds his sculptures.
"We're going to have a relationship with a real, live artist in our town," Brunick said of the neighborhood.
The Downtown Neighborhood Association is also looking to local artists for help with their public art goals. The association received a $10,000 grant to commission colorful, artful crosswalks at a few downtown intersections.
- The idea is the colorful paint will draw the attention of drivers and cause them to slow down and be more aware of pedestrians.
- Association co-leader Kadyn Wittman said she's also hoping the project creates more sense of community for downtown residents – who can have their opinions on the project heard at an upcoming listening session from 5 to 7 p.m. June 10 at the downtown library.
"What I would eventually like to see happen is that this would be a rolling project ... I would love to see five years from now us having 10-12 colorful, local artist-designed crosswalks downtown," Wittman said.
