ARTS ACROSS THE PRAIRIE:

Placemaking in Rural North Dakota

PLACEMAKING IN REGION 6 – South Central NORTH DAKOTA

There are eight distinct regions in North Dakota. South Central, Region 6, is comprised of Barnes, Dickey, Foster, Griggs, LaMoure, Logan, McIntosh, Stutsman and Wells Counties. Regional and local leaders from business, arts, education, and various communities were recruited to formulate a roadmap for the development of one site to be the artistic, historical, and cultural representation for the nine counties. The Stakeholders Group came together and met online for over a year to plan the fourth statewide Arts Across the Prairie project.

Arts Across the Prairie is a first of its kind, statewide Creative Placemaking program, developed by North Dakota Council on the Arts (NDCA). This grew out of a presentation on art as a catalyst for community change in fall 2019. The statewide conference 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!) The art installations will reference and represent the natural setting, as well as the cultural and economic history of the region as determined by each of the Stakeholder Groups.

Flyways, Byways, & Waterways

The vision is for a permanent large-scale art installation, and the finalist’s proposals should reflect your affection for and attention to place. Rural communities/residents will be living with the artwork for a long time, perhaps generations. The selection process for this project will also require the finalist’s ability to teach and share with others as we train future North Dakota artists in the outdoor installation process.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

An artist or creative team may apply; the total fee for the project will not alter. You must be an established artist, with experience in large-scale outdoor installations, public art, placemaking or placekeeping, community work, and teaching.

APPLICATION TIMELINE

● Friday, January 19, 2024: 3-4pm CT: Informational Webinar; email arts@nd.gov by January 18 to receive log-in information

● Friday, January 26, 2024:11:59pm CT: PHASE ONE Interested artists and collaborators submit initial artist application and materials

● February 9, 2024: Notify three finalist candidates with detailed RFP for Phase Two

● Monday, March 11, 2024:11:59pm CT: PHASE TWO Three finalist candidates’ proposals due

● Monday, March 18, 2024: 2-5pm CT: Online interviews with three finalists

● Late March 2024: Final Artist Selection announced

HOW TO APPLY – PHASE ONE

DO NOT submit a project proposal or design at this time.

If you need a reasonable accommodation, please email arts@nd.gov.

All requests must be made by January 18.

It is recommended that all potential applicants join an Informational Webinar to be held on Friday, January 19, 2023, 3-4pm pm CT.

Please email arts@nd.gov by Thursday, January 18 to receive Zoom link.

Provide the following in a single (one) PDF document. Please do not include supplemental materials beyond the requirements listed below. Work samples (JPEGs) can be sent as separate files. The single (one) PDF document should include the following:

● One-page of contact information for the lead artist, as well as creative team members. All applicants must live in the contiguous United States.

● One-page letter describing interest in the project and approach to art making; please include statement addressing eligibility criteria, approach to research and stakeholder engagement, and integrating educational opportunities into the process.

● One-page bio or resume; if you have multiple team members, please keep biographical information for each team member to one (1) page.

● One-page list identifying each of up to seven work sample images, to include title, year, medium, dimensions

● Work sample images: up to seven (7) digital images of your recent projects. Individuals and teams are limited to seven (7) images maximum. All images must be in JPEG format, 1920 pixels

It is recommended that all potential applicants join an Informational Webinar to be held on Friday, January 19, 2023, 3-4pm pm CT.

Please email arts@nd.gov by Thursday, January 18 to receive Zoom link.

Arts Across the Prairie, Region 6 - RFQ 3

maximum on the longest side, 72 dpi, with compression settings resulting in the best image quality under 2MB file size. The image files should be named so that the list sorts in the order of the image listing. (If the work cannot be documented well with still images, please include video links.) Reminder, up to 7 work samples total. Artists should include photos that document experience in creating large scale work outdoors.

Again, DO NOT submit a project proposal or design at this time.

SELECTION PROCESS and DEADLINES

RFQ PHASE ONE: Selection of finalists

NDCA Staff will review all initial submissions to determine if basic qualifications are met. Applications will then be reviewed by a Selection Committee composed of stakeholders, artists, and community members. Selection of three (3) finalists will be based on the following criteria:

● Quality of letter of interest directly related to the site; why do you want to be involved in this project?

● Quality of work samples

● Ability of artist(s) to complete project based on bio and prior work experience

All PHASE ONE materials must be received by Friday, January 26, 202411:59pm CT

______________________________________________________________________________

RFP PHASE TWO: Initial design concepts by three selected finalists

Only three finalists will be asked to develop a design concept presentation to the Selection Committee. They will be reviewed based on the following criteria:

● Design concept’s resonance with the project description

● The installation is presented as a community asset and creates a sense of welcome

● The artist/s mode of working and design process approach, including budget

● An ability to communicate and engage with diverse communities, including fabrication and construction professionals

All PHASE TWO materials must be received by Monday, March 11, 202411:59pm CT

Please submit all RFQ materials via email to arts@nd.gov
* Subject Line – Arts Across the Prairie - Region 6
This is not a postmark deadline; no materials will be accepted after the listed time
No application materials will be returned
NDCA will not be responsible for applications delayed or lost in transit
NDCA and the Selection Committee reserve the right to withhold the award of a commission or re-release the call for entries.

The three finalist interviews will take place via Zoom on Monday, March 18, 2024; the Selection Committee will announce the artist selected for the Region 6 Arts Across the Prairie project by Late March 2024.

BUDGET INFORMATION

Region 6 – The total project budget is $150,000. Fabrication/construction and other expenses will be discussed with finalist/s for this remote build.

The artist/creative team budget is $55,000 of the total listed above. The expenses covered include:

● design

● technical drawings

● 3D charette/model

● in-state transportation

● lodging

● per diem

● Two-three trips to North Dakota (dates TBD

FULL PROJECT TIMELINE

● Late Spring/Summer 2024: Planning Process includes design, budgeting, community involvement and construction plans

● Late Summer 2024: Break Ground

● Summer/Fall 2024: construction work will be ‘build’ and weather dependent

● Subsequent training of North Dakota artists TBD. This will be a workshop situation, online and hopefully on-site, utilizing artist’s specific installation materials

● Spring/Summer 2025: construction

● Late Summer/Fall 2025: public unveiling

BACKGROUND/THEMES FOR REGION 6, Flyways, Byways, & Waterways

After considerable discussion around the history, people and land, the stakeholder group settled on “Flyways, Byways, and Waterways” as a way to encapsulate the unique aspects of Region 6. Movement, whether of wildlife, peoples, wind or water, is a common denominator. A successful proposal will demonstrate an understanding of these elements, and an ability to capture the essence of this Region in a way that will resonate with viewers.

The land, part of what is now known as North Dakota, was once largely covered by glaciers. These massive ice sheets sculpted the landscape, creating hills, potholes, sloughs, and rivers, leaving fertile soil deposits behind as they receded. This area is frequently referred to as the “Prairie Potholes Region” after the numerous small water bodies that dot the landscape.

Described as one of the world’s most important wetland regions, this part of the Great Plains provides ideal habitat for a wide variety of wildlife including bison, pronghorn, and white-tail deer. As part of the Central Flyway Migration Corridor, during the spring and fall, the state is home to more than 50% of North America’s migratory waterfowl. The population of more than 400 different species is dependent on the potholes and abundant prairie grasses for breeding and feeding. Rivers within Region 6, including the James, Sheyenne and Maple, along with Pipestem Creek and several other smaller tributaries and streams, provide habitat and nourish growth.

Ancient indigenous burial mounds and other traces attest to long-standing human presence. It is estimated that the first inhabitants followed the herds of wooly mammoth and giant bison as early as 10,000 B.C. Native tribes first interacted with Europeans with the arrival of French trappers in the mid 1700’s. Nomadic Plains Indians called the prairie pothole region the “Center of the Earth”.

Early explorers, Lewis and Clark, sent by U.S. President Thomas Jefferson to map the western half of the continent, arrived in the Dakota Territories in 1804. The 1860’s saw the expansion of the Railroad and Homestead Acts, which attracted large numbers of settlers to the territory. Conflicts with Northern Plains tribes ended with a reservation system and forced assimilation of native peoples.

The 1862 Homestead Act served as a catalyst for the “Great Dakota Boom”. Reports of boundless hunting and trapping, rich soil for agriculture, and the promise of free land brought waves of settlers. From 1905 to 1920, North Dakota’s population more than tripled with the influx of Northern Europeans, the largest two groups being Scandinavians and Germans from both Germany and Russia. So significant was this foreign immigration that in 1915 over 79% of all North Dakotans were either immigrants or children of immigrants. The legacy of North Dakota’s diverse ethnic settlement history remains in cultural traditions that are found in pockets of the south-central region even today.

Region 6 RESOURCES

Arts Across the Prairie Website and Facebook pages

⮚ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prairie_Pothole_Region

⮚ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnes_County,_North_Dakota

⮚ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dickey_County,_North_Dakota

⮚ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foster_County,_North_Dakota

⮚ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griggs_County,_North_Dakota

⮚ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaMoure_County,_North_Dakota

⮚ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logan_County,_North_Dakota

⮚ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McIntosh_County,_North_Dakota

⮚ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stutsman_County,_North_Dakota

⮚ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wells_County,_North_Dakota

ARTS ACROSS THE PRAIRE ADDITIONAL PROGRAM BACKGROUND

Arts Across the Prairie: Placemaking in Rural North Dakota was developed to:

● Celebrate the cultural heritage of rural areas

● Foster creative relationships across counties and regions

● Bolster NDCA’s role as a rural development partner

● Spur economic development through tourism

This program will create public-private partnerships throughout the state and provides a national model of this type of creative placemaking.

The goals of Arts Across the Prairie are to:

● Strengthen cross-county networking and regional collaboration

● Promote tourism for in- and out-of-state visitors

● Stimulate economic activity and development in rural areas of North Dakota

● Build stronger arts communities across the state

● Invest in North Dakota artists by providing professional training and support

● Celebrate and leverage existing assets with an infusion of creative expression

● Heighten visibility of North Dakota’s creative sector and talent

NDCA is committed to providing opportunities to all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnic origin, religion, political belief, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, or physical ability.

Transformation of Communities:

Through this program, empowered groups will reach across their regions (and the state) for mutually beneficial partnerships. The culture of rural areas will be celebrated; and community-driven placemaking will create economic, tourism, and equity benefits.

Transformation of Local Art:

The artist(s) will offer training to North Dakota artists to take on projects of this nature. Local artists’ capacity will increase with these enhanced skills, resulting in the creation of more art for local communities. This will also expand artists’ eligibility for additional funding opportunities. (Workshop parameters TBD)

Partnerships:

NDCA is creating multi-sector, multi-jurisdiction groups of statewide Stakeholders who will collaborate to maximize resources and expertise. As a community-driven initiative, Arts Across the Prairie aims to promote civic pride, affirm uniqueness of place, and strengthen cultural identity. This program will create public-private partnerships throughout the state and will provide a national model of this type of creative placemaking, an important step forward for our state. The initiative will foster community innovation across North Dakota in a way that is equitable, scalable, and sustainable.

Apple Maps Link: https://maps.apple.com/?address=Gackle,%20ND%20%2058442,%20United%20States&auid=6210008713004659825&ll=46.632570,-99.230025&lsp=7618&q=58442&t=m
Google Maps Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/7W5xcni4oRTodWij9
The coordinates as shown on Google Maps are: 46.63256975185597, -99.23002704535529