This is the final part in our four part series on the Art Alley permit system.

​Part 4. Who can judge what art is?

So let’s take a minute to address the elephant in the room - What is art, and who has the audacity to judge it? (Gasp…)
 
Art is whatever you would like to define it as, but that isn’t what this debate is about. For the purposes of this discussion it doesn’t matter what art is or isn’t, what matters is where you put it and, if it is on private property, you need to consider and respect the rights of the property owner. Freedom of speech is indeed a beautiful thing, but we don’t have the right to use someone else’s property without their consent in that expression. If it is something they don’t wish to support you on, you haven’t lost your voice, you just need to find a different avenue to be heard, whether that means building your own canvas, or just finding a different way to say what you have to say. Artists, since the beginning of time, have used their art to make bold statements about society by being clever instead of vulgar or using blunt aggression.
 
Yes, the new Art Alley Permit System will change creative spontaneity in the Alley, and changes like that can be difficult. However, we need to understand the greater scope of this conversation. Do you want a little change to the space that will hopefully make it stronger and more sustainable, or do you want a big change and have the entire project dismantled and whitewashed? Those are the only two options left on the table.
 
We believe in the importance of this space, and its ability to transform our community, touch people, and change lives. It has changed some of ours, and that is why we are here, ready to do the difficult work ahead to keep this place around for the next generation, but we need you to be a part of this. 
 
There will be a public reception at the Dahl Arts Center to discuss, dream, and pave a future for Art Alley on Tuesday, April 12th from 5:30-7pm. We hope you’ll join us.

Over the next four days, we will be providing detailed information about how the Art Alley permit system works, and why it came to be.

Part 3. How It Works.

​Here’s how the Art Alley Permit System works -
There are three different classifications, and one of these classifications will be posted on each building in Art Alley for clarification.

1. PAINTING PROHIBITED. A few building owners have opted to pull out of Art Alley entirely. It is our hope that with effort and cooperation from the community they will eventually engage in the creative process again. However, we will honor and support their request.
2. PAINTING PERMIT REQUIED. CONTACT BUILDING OWNER. Some Owners want to meet the artists, some will even ask for a design concept. It will be the Owners perogative to grant the artist permission to paint.
3. PAINTING PERMIT REQUED. CONTACT RAPID CITY ARTS COUNCIL. Some Owners do not want or have the time to be directly involved with the artists and have asked the RCAC to facilitate the process on their behalf.

Once granted permission by the Owners or RCAC (as determined by building signage), all artists will need to complete the following steps to obtain a free permit.

1. Bring written permission to the Dahl Arts Center, Kansas City entrance and ask for Tyler Read or Naomi Even-Aberle.
2. Provide identification to be kept on record in case of damages or improper use of Permit.
3. Review the guidelines for painting in Art Alley.
4. Sign a liability waive, to protect themselves and the Owners.
5. Display Permit at all times while creating in Art Alley.

 
That is the Art Alley Permit System in a nutshell. It’s not a secret plot to take your artistic expression away. It’s not a power grab, and it’s not about money. It’s about keeping a public art space alive and finding new ways for it to flourish.
 
Some argue that permits will not stop vandals from destroying artwork and private property in Art Alley. To some extent, that is correct. Art Alley is a public space and there are no guarantees. However, permit systems have worked in other communities to reduce incidents of vandalism in a public areas, and it can work in Rapid City.
 
The Art Alley Permit System will provide clear guidelines to anyone interested in utilizing the space creatively, and will support law enforcement efforts by clearly distinguishing artists from vandals.  

Check back tomorrow for the next piece in our four part series about the permit system, and please join us for a public reception with artists, business and building owners for the permit system on Tuesday, April 12th from 5:30-7pm at The Dahl Arts Center.

Over the next four days, we will be providing detailed information about how the Art Alley permit system works, and why it came to be.


Part 2. How It Came To Be.


Let’s review how we arrived at this point in time.
Art Alley begins in 2004 as an organic, creative space. During this time Art Alley has a smaller community involved in it. Many of the artists know each other, and many of them have relationships with the building and business owners as well. As downtown grows, so do the people using Art Alley. A good thing, but with growth, new challenges occur.

By early 2013, Art Alley is ailing, and several building and business owners request the City to start a task force to address vandalism, property right, etc., but the City Council doesn’t want to get involved, and would prefer to shut the space down. The RCAC rallies public support for Art Alley through a social media campaign and a public forum. As a result, we discover there is widespread community support for Art Alley. The RCAC creates the Art Alley Guild, whose main purpose is: 1. build bridges between artists and Owners to resolve frustration; 2. develop programming to educate the public on the proper, safe and respectful use of Art Alley; 3. promote Art Alley as a creative community asset.

Fast forward to 2016. Over the past three years, there have been great successes and major setbacks. Ultimately, Art Alley has seen an exponential increase in use by the public (artists and non-artists), and the negative has began to tip the scales against the positive. We are in the same position we were in three years ago, with one major difference - some Owners are beginning to pull out. Last year, artwork was removed from two buildings with signs that read, “Not part of Art Alley. No painting without permission. Thank you.” Shortly after, another building roped off its parking area with similar signage.
In fall 2015, the RCAC held a meeting with Owners to listen to their concerns. The issues ranged from littering and non-art related loitering (transient), to violence and vandalism, costing some Owners thousands of dollars in damages. Both the Owners and the Rapid City Police Department (RCPD) agreed that without dramatic changes, Art Alley would cease to exist by the end of 2016. In an effort to keep Art Alley alive, the Owners proposed the Art Alley Permit System. The RCPD agreed that this would help alleviate many of the problems facing Art Alley, but that there had to be uniformity throughout the permitting system for it to work. The RCAC offered to facilitate the permit system on behalf of the Owners AT NO COST TO ARTISTS. The Permit System is free of charge. The RCAC stepped up to facilitate this because we believe that Art Alley is important to our community’s creativity, and offers accessibility to the arts.

Check back tomorrow for the next piece in our four part series about the permit system, and please join us for a public reception with artists, business and building owners for the permit system on Tuesday, April 12th from 5:30-7pm at The Dahl Arts Center.

Over the next four days, we will be providing detailed information about how the Art Alley permit system works, and why it came to be.

Part 1. What it isn't.
​
There is a lot of discussion surrounding recent happenings in Art Alley. That is good. It is better to have an engaged community than a passive and unresponsive one. It means Art Alley means something to you, like it does to me, and all of us at the Rapid City Arts Council. This engagement and value is what it takes to make a space like Art Alley thrive rather than wither away.

That being said, it’s important to get all of the information out there so that people can begin to move forward without being slowed down by misinformation. Some community members have concerns dealing with censorship and critiquing artwork with the new permit process. These are valid concerns.
Some have speculated that this is a grab for control or driven by money. It is not. It is a partnership between building owners (Owners), the Rapid City Arts Council (RCAC), the City of Rapid City, artists and community members.

Someone said the “Big Brother Art Nazi’s have come to tell you what art is.” This is also not true. The partnership values the rights of the Owners and artists alike in the creative process. Working together we can help artists grow, become familiar with the Permit System and gain valuable experience creating public art work. At the same time we, as a community, will be respecting the Owners and their private property rights.
​
The RCAC was the selected facilitator of the Art Alley Permit System because for over 45 years we have provided creative opportunities with a focus on accessibility to the people of Rapid City. Our staff are capable, competent and invested in keeping Art Alley open as a creative asset for the locals and visitors.
We will work with the Owners and Artists to sustain this amazing space - filled with diverse artistic expression that is exciting, raw, real and family friendly - while always respecting artist’s perspectives and the Owners rights. 

Check back tomorrow for the next piece in our four part series about the permit system, and please join us for a public reception with artists, business and building owners for the permit system on Tuesday, April 12th from 5:30-7pm at The Dahl Arts Center.