The South Dakota Arts Council (SDAC) recently purchased 10 new original artworks for the state’s public art collection through the Art for State Buildings program.
These pieces will be installed for public display later this summer.
The artworks were selected by a five-member advisory committee to SDAC, which reviewed proposals from 50 different artists. The committee bases its decisions on set review criteria including: quality of the work and relevance to the artist’s career; the artwork’s relevance to South Dakota environment, history, heritage, or culture; professional experience of the artist; durability, and safety required for public artworks and viewers.
2026 purchases are:
- Daae Bennett, Pierre, Lift Off at Dawn, painting, 2026, 18″ x 24″
Courtesy image.
- Charlene Brown, Pierre, Weathered, Take II, painting, 2026, 20″ x16″
Courtesy image.
- Ashley Morken, Sioux Falls, Riding On A Dream, painting, 2026, 51.25″ x 27.25″
- Jeremiah Murphy, Rapid City, Rosebud Rodeo Wild Horse Race, photography, 2018, 49.25″ x 34.25″
- Chad Nelson, Brandon, Axis of the World: Between Sky, Earth, and Dream, watercolor and woodcut print, 2021, 63.5″ x 48″
- Andrew Peschong, Sioux Falls, Blush of the Badlands, photography, 2024, 36″ x 24″
- Tim Peterson, Spearfish, Nightmill, painting, 2021, 36″ x 18″
- Mecca Rutherford, Sioux Falls, Dakota Sunset at Farm Island, painting, 2025, 48″ x 30″
- Barbara Sparks, Sioux Falls, Weathering the Plains, painting, 2025, 12″ x 12″
- Doris Symens-Armstrong, Watertown, Slim Pickins, painting, 2026, 38″ x 26″
The Art for State Buildings program was established in 2008 by the South Dakota State Legislature for the purpose of creating a permanent state art collection showcasing South Dakota artists and artwork. The State Art Collection is displayed in publicly accessible areas of state government buildings located throughout the capital city of Pierre. SDAC manages the collection and program. View artwork at https://www.artworkarchive.com/profile/southdakotaartscouncil/exhibition/2026-art-for-state-buildings-selections.
Purchase proposals are accepted on an annual basis. More information can be found at https://artscouncil.sd.gov.
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