‘Arts Across the Prairie’ art call

Placemaking in rural North Dakota

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Monday, March 27, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. CT/

Arts Across the Prairie is a first of its kind, statewide creative placemaking program developed by North Dakota Council on the Arts.

This grew out of a presentation on art as a catalyst for community change at the fall 2019 Governor’s Main Street Initiative in Bismarck. The
statewide participants discussed the need for artistic and cultural enrichment and access to art within their rural communities. North Dakotans expressed a concerted desire for greater cross-community collaboration and to enhance the vitality of art throughout the state.

Arts Across the Prairie will create eight large-scale art installations – one in each geographic region in the state – that reflect the unique history, landscape, and cultural heritage as defined by stakeholder groups in these regions. All eight artworks will be placed in decidedly rural locations (rural = no buildings, no people!).

This is a national call to established artists who can create large-scale artwork, based on the cultural heritage and land of northeast North Dakota, as determined by community stakeholders. The group has named the project Endless Sky – Dynamic Layers. The setting is exquisite, at the rural Dahlen Esker glacial remains, in the northeast region of the state.

• The deadline for initial submissions is Monday, March 27; three finalists will be asked to submit complete project proposals. The artistic fee is $55,000, part of a $150,000 budget.
• It is recommended that all potential applicants join an informational webinar to be held on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, 4-5 p.m. CT (5-6 p.m. ET). Email arts@nd.gov for log-in instructions by March 7.

Learn more about this national art call here.