Sioux Falls, SD (10/4/2022) — The Visual Arts Center in the Washington Pavilion is currently home to over 70 original works by more than 50 of the country’s most celebrated artists including Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock, Chuck Close, Willem de Kooning, Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, Thomas Moran and more. The new exhibit Guild Hall: An Adventure in the Arts opened today and features well-known paintings, watercolors, sculptures, sketches, drawings and photographs.

“This is a rare chance for art lovers and the general public to see original, famous works by celebrated artists without ever having to leave South Dakota,” says Cody Henrichs, Curator at the Visual Arts Center. “It’s an honor for the Visual Arts Center to host the works of these icons of American art, offer these incomparable pieces to our community and celebrate the artists’ stories.”

This is the Visual Arts Center’s first major traveling exhibit in five years. The exhibit begins after entering through an archway illustrating one of Andy Warhol’s famous depictions of Marilyn Monroe. The first section of the exhibit features postmodern and contemporary artists from the 1970s through present time such as David Salle and Ross Bleckner. As you move through the gallery, you’ll go backwards through time into midcentury pop art by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein and also abstract pieces by artists such as Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning. The final section of the exhibit includes famous pastoral landscapes created by Thomas Moran, representations of American impressionism by Childe Hassam and more.

Works are on loan from the permanent collection of Guild Hall in East Hampton, New York. Established in 1931, Guild Hall is on the Eastern End of Long Island, a unique region that has attracted many diversely talented people such as artists, writers, musicians, actors and directors over the years. Guild Hall is the cultural center in the center of culture and has developed an impressive permanent collection that now consists of more than 1,900 pieces. A selection of these works has been organized into a traveling exhibition organized by Guild Hall in association with Landau Traveling Exhibitions of Los Angeles, California.

The artists represented in this collection often knew each other and developed professional, creative and personal relationships. The exhibit includes pieces by artists who were friends, spouses, competitors, a father and son, lovers and twin brothers who all influenced artists who came after them. The exhibition also includes portraits and photographs of some of the artists to help tell their stories and illuminate their lives.

The Washington Pavilion will celebrate the grand opening of this exhibit on Friday, October 7, 2022, from 5 – 8 p.m. The Visual Arts Center will be a stop on the Downtown Sioux Falls Art & Wine Walk, and admission to both the Visual Arts Center and Kirby Science Discovery Center is free during this timeframe. The evening also will include artist receptions, a cash bar, a live band and free cake! Sip some wine and support local artists.

The Guild Hall: An Adventure in the Arts exhibit is made possible in part by sponsors the Gilchrist Foundation, First Bank & Trust, Xcel Energy Foundation and the South Dakota Arts Council. The Everist Gallery is sponsored by Citi.

The exhibit is free for members and included in any museums admission. The Washington Pavilion Visual Arts Center, accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, is open Tuesday – Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and on Sunday from noon – 5 p.m. For additional information, please visit WashingtonPavilion.org/Guild.

About Washington Pavilion Management, Inc. (WPMI)

Washington Pavilion Management, Inc. is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the largest arts organization in the state. The management company oversees and programs two historic City of Sioux Falls facilities: the Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science and the Orpheum Theater Center. The company also provides professional management services, including administration; arts, science and educational programming; ticketing; event management; marketing; and more to other arts and nonprofit organizations. For information, please visit WashingtonPavilion.org.

Three Sculptures Earn ‘Best of Show’ Awards

SculptureWalk has awarded three sculptures in our 2022 exhibition with Best of Show honors. SculptureWalk’s Best of Show winners represent the best-of-the-best sculptures as judged on artistic merit and creativity. The top sculpture is “Carpe Carp” by Christine Knapp from Lyons, Colo. The winning artists receive a cash award made possible by a gift from the Scoular Family Trust.

Best of Show, 1st Place | $3,000 Award

“Carpe Carp” by Christine Knapp

Best of Show, 2nd Place | $2,000 Award

“Voltereta” by Shohini Ghosh

Best of Show, 3rd Place | $1,000 Award

“Selene” by Nathan Pierce

Sioux Falls, SD (8/2/2022) — The Visual Arts Center in the Washington Pavilion has partnered with the Sioux Falls Arts Council to co-curate its Shultz Gallery, one of eight galleries in the museum. This collaboration provides an opportunity for new and emerging local artists to exhibit in South Dakota’s largest art museum.

“Our partnership with the Sioux Falls Arts Council has expanded our network of artists and increased the diversity of pieces you’ll find on our walls,” says Brandon Hanson, Director of Museums for the Washington Pavilion. “We want our museum to represent this community and for each person who comes through our doors to find artwork they can relate to and appreciate.”

The current exhibit showing in the Shultz Gallery is the first as part of this collaboration. “Donde Nacen Las Palabras: Where Words Are Born” by artist Hilda Esperanza Langle seeks to connect the extreme lover of words to the everyday world around us and attempts to bring the semiotic feeling that you have of something and trap it in a net behind words. It is an interactive exhibit in Spanish with English translation that shows you where words are born.

“Esperanza is both a teacher at Sonia Sotomayor Elementary and an incredible creator who fuses art and language together to transport us all into her world of words. It is an honor to be able to help amplify her work in a space like the Shultz Gallery,” says Kellen Boice, Executive Director of the Sioux Falls Arts Council.

Join us on August 5, 2022, from 5–8 p.m. for a special artist reception for this incredible exhibit. Admission to the Visual Arts Center is free during this timeframe, and the evening will include a cash bar and free cake! Sip some wine and support local artists.

Check out these new exhibits in the Visual Arts Center today:

How to Say Goodbye | Bates Trimble Gallery | Now – Oct. 30

Amber Hansen is a muralist and visual artist who creates socially engaged and community-based artwork and promotes creative engagement for all ages. In her paintings you will find a reflection of what she has gained and lost in the past two years. In the summer of 2020, she buried a lifelong companion—a horse named Autumn, and her memory continues to live on in Hansen’s work.

Offering | Entrance Gallery

Lindsay Carone of New York City works primarily in sculpture, installation and textiles and spent a year living in India to study traditional craft processes. Each piece in this exhibit contemplates the complex relationship of religion and consumerism and creates a thoughtful reflection on what it is that we worship.

Coming soon to the Visual Arts Center:

Guild Hall: An Adventure in the Arts | Everist Gallery | Opening in October

This traveling exhibition will feature more than 70 original works by 50 of the country’s most celebrated artists including Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Roy Lichtenstein, Thomas Moran and more. The Everist Gallery will be full of iconic works by the heroes of western art this fall!

The Washington Pavilion Visual Arts Center, accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, is dedicated to building, preserving and conserving its collections for both South Dakotans and worldwide audiences. It is open Monday – Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and on Sunday from noon – 5 p.m.

For additional information on each exhibition or to reserve your museum admission online, please visit WashingtonPavilion.org/Art.

The Premiere Playhouse in Sioux Falls recently announced their Season 20 lineup which consists of Young Frankenstein (September 29th-October 9th), A Christmas Carol (December 17th-30th), The Premiere Premieres (February 16th-18th), Cinderella (April 20th-30th), and Grease (June 15th-25th).

Audiences are in for a treat with this exciting lineup of familiar titles, plus TPP’s most recent endeavor: a showcase of local playwrights’ work that are selected through an adjudicated new play festival. All performances take place at the Orpheum Theater, with the exception of The Premiere Premieres which debuts in the Belbas Theater of the Washington Pavilion.

Season 20 subscriptions were made available for purchase at performances of Premiere’s Season 19 finale Cabaret and from then on in person at the Washington Pavilion box office or by mail. Now season subscription sales are available online, so renewing your subscription is easier than ever! Visit  https://thepremiereplayhouse.com/season-subscriptions/ to read more about TPP’s 20th season and purchase your subscriptions.

The price for this five show bundle is $175.00. That’s five shows for $30 each – a total savings of $25 and an incredible deal! As a season subscriber you’ll be the first to know when seats are available, you’ll get to select from the best seats in the house, you’ll be the first to know about special offers, and you’ll be supporting local community-based theatre!

“This season is about innovation and community. Our team is excited to produce familiar titles in creative ways and to engage with our community deeply through various programming,” Premiere’s Managing Artistic Director Oliver Mayes, who assumed his new role on July 1st, stated. “Season 20 is packed with entertaining and fun shows – something for everyone – so I hope that many, many Sioux Falls residents decide to join us at the theatre.”

A season subscription makes a great gift. Get one for yourself and for a loved one now!

Bandmaster Christopher Hill Retires After 24 Years of Leadership

Sioux Falls, SD (5/17/2022) — Christopher Hill has announced his retirement as Bandmaster of the Sioux Falls Municipal Band. To ensure the band’s continued presence in the Sioux Falls community and take it to new heights, the Washington Pavilion is partnering with Augustana University, which will provide musical leadership for the Municipal Band.

“I’m grateful to the ‘Save Our Band’ organization for fighting for and saving the band, the City Council for voting to keep us funded and to Darrin Smith and the Washington Pavilion for stepping up and managing the band. I am also grateful to our wonderful band and audience members who have supported the band for generations. It has been an honor and privilege to be your Bandmaster for the past 24 years,” says Hill.

During his tenure, Hill was known for innovative programming, with soloists such as Spooncat!, narrators like Senator John Thune and former Representative and current Augustana University President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, and nationally renowned vocalists such as Andrea Ross and Emily Lodine. Top composers, such as Rossano Galante, Dan Goeller, Bruce Roter and Christopher Stanichar, wrote pieces for the band under his direction. Hill greatly expanded the band’s outreach to retirement communities and carefully programmed music to suit the audience at each particular venue.

Moving forward, the Augustana University School of Music will provide musical leadership, including planning rehearsals, programming performances, recruiting band members, developing performance standards and maintaining the band’s assets. The Washington Pavilion will provide operational leadership, including administering the budget, booking venues, marketing and payroll. Band members will remain employees of Washington Pavilion Management, Inc., and conductors will be employees of Augustana University.

“We are honored to be a part of the more than 100-year tradition of the Sioux Falls Municipal Band, and we look forward to creating new opportunities for our students at Augustana and professional development opportunities for our faculty,” says Dr. Peter Folliard, Dean of the Augustana School of Music. “When Chris Hill shared his retirement plans with me, we sat down and talked about possibilities, and this immediately made sense to us. I am so grateful for Darrin Smith and his support of this idea. Together, we’ll help carry on the tradition of this community treasure and find new ways to elevate its prominence.”

The Sioux Falls Municipal Band is one of the oldest and most prestigious community bands in the Midwest and has been performing since 1919. Since 2021, the band has been managed by Washington Pavilion Management, Inc.

“We are so grateful for Chris Hill’s years of service to this community and the joy he brought to so many people through his leadership of the Municipal Band. We also are so excited to partner with Augustana University, which of course is recognized for its tradition of excellence in music,” says Regina Ruhberg, Director of Performances and Events at the Washington Pavilion. “Together, we can strengthen all three organizations by creating this amazing intersection between civic music performance, higher education and arts administration.”

To see the band’s full performance schedule for this summer’s season, go to WashingtonPavilion.org/SFMunicipalBand.

About Washington Pavilion Management, Inc. (WPMI)

Washington Pavilion Management, Inc. is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the largest arts organization in the state. The management company oversees and programs two historic City of Sioux Falls facilities: the Washington Pavilion of Arts & Science and the Orpheum Theater Center. The company also provides professional management services, including administration; arts, science and educational programming; ticketing; event management; marketing; and more to other arts and nonprofit organizations. For information, please visit WashingtonPavilion.org.

In November Premiere will bring back their production of A Christmas Carol, a tradition initiated in Season 19 that they intend to continue for years to come.

On Thursday, May 12th at The Premiere Playhouse’s (TPP) opening night performance of Cabaret in the historic Orpheum Theater, Executive and Artistic Director Robin Byrne announced TPP’s 20th Season. The season will open in September 2022 with Mel Brooks‘s Young Frankenstein. In November Premiere will bring back their production of A Christmas Carol, a tradition initiated in Season 19 that they intend to continue for years to come. The 2023 calendar year begins with The Premiere Premieres in February, a new works showcase production featuring two one act plays written by local playwrights selected by a panel of adjudicators. TPP then continues their 20th season in April with Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, followed by their season finale in June, Grease.

In his announcement, Byrne expressed his gratitude to the Sioux Empire community for their continued support of him and the playhouse for the past three years, and the many years prior. Cabaret serves as his final production as the Executive and Artistic Director. “I’m leaving behind a very different community theatre from the one that I inherited. I wish Oliver and The Premiere Playhouse continued success for the future.” Mr. Byrne asked the opening night audience to join him in welcoming TPP’s incoming Managing Artistic Director, Oliver Mayes, who will succeed Robin upon his departure from the company on June 30th, 2022. Mayes directed Premiere’s Cabaret, and Byrne expressed that the production is an example of the growth potential that TPP has with Mayes at the helm.

Sioux Falls, SD (May 5, 2022) Levitt at the Falls is pleased to announce their biggest concert season yet with a full calendar of 50 FREE concerts for the 2022 season. The Levitt team has assembled an exciting season of professional artists to perform for 50 FREE concerts at the Levitt Shell in Falls Park West starting on Friday, June 3 and concluding on Saturday, September 10. The 2022 season, sponsored by Sanford Health, will consist of local, regional, and national professional artists offering a variety of genres and musical styles. With 10 different musical series offered (Americana, Country, Funk & Blues, Garden Fresh, Homegrown, Rock & Roll, Vintage Vibe, Women of Song, World Music, and a Family Series), there will be something for everyone.

“Levitt at the Falls is excited for our 2022 season of 50 free concerts!  This year’s lineup is full of great artists that represent a diversity of styles and genres of music.  There is definitely something for everyone to enjoy.  We can’t wait to welcome our community back to the Lloyd Lawn,” said Nancy Halverson, Executive Director of Levitt at the Falls.

Levitt concerts will be held each Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night of the summer from June 3 – September 10.  Levitt events will include opening acts featuring local performers, a variety of food vendors, and drinks available through JJ’s Wine & Spirits. Each concert will be live streamed and projected on the large Daktronics board onsite in partnership with South Dakota Public Broadcasting.  The lawn will open at 6:30pm each night with music beginning at 7:00pm. Additionally, Family Series performances for kids and youth groups will be held on 5 Friday mornings throughout the summer with the lawn opening at 10:00am and music starting at 10:30am.

The 2022 Season is presented by Sanford Health. Sanford Health is proud to once again be the Season Presenting Sponsor for Levitt at the Falls,” said Stacy Wrightsman, Executive Director of Community Relations for Sanford Health.  “We believe our investment in the Levitt is an outstanding reflection of Sanford Health’s continued commitment to positively impacting the health and wellness of all those who live in our community and our entire region.  Levitt’s mission of building community through music is in perfect alignment with Sanford’s core mission and values! We are so excited to celebrate another concert season!

Opening night on Friday, June 3 will feature the nine-piece powerhouse soul band The Burroughs, who bring a fresh and energetic take to their brand of “sweaty soul music.”  Closing night on Saturday, September 10

will feature Lee Rocker — a founding member of the GRAMMY-nominated rockabilly revival band Stray Cats. Other season concert highlights include the return of 2019 favorites Brulé and KORY and the FIREFLIES, a stop on the Levitt National Tour featuring Nashville pop trio The New Respects, and the return of international touring acts including Socks in the Frying Pan, Parranderos Latin Combo, and Lemon Bucket Orkestra.

The Levitt at the Falls 2022 season also features Innoskate Sioux Falls, a free festival event with concerts, skateboarding, invention activities, visual art, and panel discussions featuring top professionals from the skateboarding industry.  Innoskate Sioux Falls is offered as a partnership from Levitt at the Falls, The Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, and USA Skateboarding.  Featured concerts during the Innoskate Festival in Sioux Falls on July 7-9 will include the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, Dessa, and Meet Me @ The Altar.

Levitt at the Falls is a non-profit organization dedicated to building community through music.  In 2021, the second concert season on the Lloyd Lawn welcomed over 66,000 concert-goers to the Levitt Shell for 40 free concerts. Levitt Shell Sioux Falls is part of a national network of outdoor Levitt music venues and concert sites dedicated to strengthening the social fabric of communities. Presenting a broad array of music genres and cultural programming, Levitt venues bring together families, friends, and neighbors of all ages and backgrounds. The Levitt Shell is located in downtown Sioux Falls at 504 N. Phillips Avenue in Falls Park West.

2022 LEVITT AT THE FALLS CONCERT SEASON PRESENTED BY SANFORD HEALTH

Evening Performances:  Lawn Opens at 6:30pm / Music Starts at 7:00pm

The Burroughs | Fri, June 3

The Clover Fold | Sat, June 4

Sonia De Los Santos | Thur, June 9

Carrie Newcomer | Fri, June 10

D’DAT | Sat, June 11

Avey Grouws Band | Thur, June 16

Toronzo Cannon | Fri, June 17

Brody Ray | Sat, June 18

Inez Barlatier | Thur, June 23

Brian Hanegan Quintet | Fri, June 24

Joropo Band | Sat, June 25

Britnee Kellogg | Thur, June 30

Danielle Nicole | Fri, July 1

The Yawpers | Sat, July 2

Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra | Thur, July 7 *

Dessa | Fri, July 8 *

A Visual Sound | Sat, July 9 | 6 p.m. *

Meet Me @ The Altar | Sat, July 9 *

Miss Myra and The Moonshiners | Thur, July 14

The Kris Lager Band | Fri, July 15

The New Respects | Sat, July 16

Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience | Thur, July 21

The Nadas | Fri, July 22

The Wilder Blue | Sat, July 23

Socks in the Frying Pan | Thur, July 28

Bette Smith | Fri, July 29

Brulé | Sat, July 30

Nate Botsford| Thur, Aug. 4

Chapel Hart | Fri, Aug. 5

Janitor Bob and the Armchair Cowboys | Sat, Aug. 6

Eddie 9V | Thur, Aug. 11

Hot Club of Cowtown| Fri, Aug. 12

The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys | Sat, Aug. 13

Sophia Beatty | Thur, Aug. 18

Kuinka | Fri, Aug. 19

Lemon Bucket Orkestra | Sat, Aug. 20

Jazzed Up Big Band | Thur, Aug. 25

Everyday Everybody | Fri, Aug. 26

Eliza Blue | Sat, Aug. 27

Parranderos Latin Combo | Thur, Sept. 1

Making Movies | Fri, Sept. 2

KORY and the FIREFLIES | Sat, Sept. 3

Roanoke | Thur, Sept. 8

Mae Estes | Fri, Sept. 9

Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats | Sat, Sept. 10

Friday Morning Family Series Performances:

Lawn Opens at 10:00am/Music Starts at 10:30am

Sonia De Los Santos:  A Celebration of Latin America | Fri, June 10

Ayiti: Stories and Songs from Haiti | Fri, June 24

SJMO: Jazz for Kids| Fri, July 8 *

Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience:  Creole 4 Kidz! | Fri, July 22

The Secret Agency| Fri, Aug. 5

* Innoskate Sioux Falls (July 7-9) – A free festival celebrating skateboarding, invention, culture, and fun *

For the full concert details and artist bios, visit www.levittsiouxfalls.org