ND eyes giant art sculptures in rural areas

Arts Across the Prairie is looking for a few good large scale projects to dot rural areas of the state.  The program is a partnership between North Dakota Council on the Arts and the North Dakota Department of Transportation.  The goal is to create eight pieces that reflect the history…culture…and landscape through art installations.  Executive Director Kim Konikow says a meeting on Monday was designed to get the ball rolling in northeast North Dakota.  “The works will represent the cultural heritage in each region.  It’s a long process for each stakeholder group to come up with what best represents that land in their region.”

Konikow says the actual build-out of the larger-than-life rural roadside attractions are probably 5-7 years out.

The projected budget for the art installations is upwards of five-million dollars.  The DOT has agreed to chip in $1.5 million and the legislature has agreed to fund on-going maintenance.  The bulk of the funding would be privately raised.