Member Arts Agencies
Allied Arts Fund agencies are Black Hills-area, non-profit arts organizations. They include the region’s most active and established performing and visual arts groups.
Bells of the Hills (www.bellsofthehills.com)
presents two major concerts per year – a Holiday Concert in December and a Spring Concert in April or May, and also performs with other Rapid City area musicians and ensembles. We offer workshops to train area handbell ensemble directors and ringers and otherwise actively promote the art and enjoyment of handbell ringing.
Black Hills Bluegrass Association and Festival (www.blackhillsbluegrass.com)
The Black Hills Bluegrass Festival started in 1980, finding a home at the Mystery Mountain Resort and Campground in 1995. That same year, the festival inaugurated a natural amphitheater nestled among the pines, south of Rapid City, South Dakota, which is located just 16 miles from Mt. Rushmore National Monument.
In 2010, the festival expanded its camping and festival facilities by relocating to the Elk View Campground in Sturgis, SD. Performers and patrons of this intimate festival in the hills regularly tell us it is one of their favorite festivals because of the friendly South Dakota people and the beauty of the venue.
Millions of visitors come to the Black Hills of South Dakota each year which offer everything you’d expect from a mountain vacation; five National Parks, scenic drives, waterfalls, abundant wildlife, acclaimed recreational trails, monumental pieces of art (Mr. Rushmore and Crazy Horse) as well as diverse cultural attractions including museums, art galleries, restaurants, music, theater, and festivals. Check out www.visitrapidcity.com for more information on vacation planning and the Black Hills info.
Black Hills Chamber Music Society (www.bhchambermusic.org)
Presents a five-concert series of chamber music for the public each year. Co-sponsors the Young Vocal Artists Competition with the Dakota Choral Union. Presents a chamber music concert for the students in each fifth grade in the Douglas and Rapid City School’s every spring, at no cost to the schools. Sponsors a music enrichment program for children in the Black Hills Children’s Home. Provides an “Elder Musik” program to elder care facilities in Rapid City.
Black Hills Community Theatre (www.bhct.org)
BHCT is an organization that reaches out to everyone in the Black Hills, providing them with the opportunity to learn, share, and experience the performing arts through participation, classes, or being an audience member at quality theatrical productions in the Black Hills. BHCT does this by producing 5 Main Stage shows each year, 1 Dinner theatre Fundraiser, 4 Children’s theatre productions, a Senior Theatre program that performs at various senior centers, and housing complexes throughout the region, and produces summer plays at Storybook Island.
Black Hills Dance Theatre (www.bhdt.org)
has been serving our community for 38 years. Dance professionals, teachers, parents, and arts advocates collaborate to represent dance in our area. We offer dance scholarships, provide educational opportunities, and collaborate to host professional touring companies and present The Nutcracker biennially at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center with over 100 local performers.
has become one of the premier American Indian cultural events in the United States, attracting hundreds of dancers, singers, artisans. Spectators have the opportunity to enjoy a fine arts show, He Sapa Win pageant, wellness symposium for youth, and tournaments for hand games, softball, golf, and archery.
Black Hills Showcase Chorus (www.bhshowcase.com)
Performs various concerts around the Black Hills area with an auditioned chorus of women singers. Provides continuing education in the arts of vocal and visual production in workshops by bringing in Sweet Adelines International Faculty throughout the year. Competes in Regional Competitions. Showcases area singers and musicians in their area concerts. Raises funds for the area food drives.
serves the Black Hills and Pine Ridge area to promote classical music and music education. The mission is to foster the appreciation of classical music by presenting concerts by world-class musicians using exciting and innovative formats with an emphasis on developing a broad-based sustainable audience through education and community involvement.
Dakota Artists Guild
Dakota Artists Guild has ongoing art Shows at First Methodist Church. Art Shows are changed every two months and feature the varied visual arts of the Dakota Artists Guild Members. DAG serves youth through sponsoring scholarships to graduating seniors who plan to study visual arts and host artist’s workshops.
Dakota Choral Union (www.dakotachoralunion.org)
DCU’s non-auditioned chorus performs three major concerts each year with Kantorei, its smaller auditioned ensemble. The concerts include significant choral works. Co-sponsors with the Black Hills State University the Young Vocal Artists Competition every spring. Performs at the Naturalization Ceremony at Mt. Rushmore each summer.
Rapid City Children’s Chorus (www.rapidcitycc.org)
is a treble chorus made up of students throughout the Black Hills and the surrounding region. The chorus is dedicated to exposing singers to many styles of choral music and performing that music with sensitivity and musicality.
Rapid City Concert Association (www.rapicityconcertassociation.com)
Presents an annual concert series featuring renowned, nationally-known artists. Formed in 1937, it is Rapid City’s oldest arts organization.