Saving the Horse Barn Art Center in Sioux Falls

by Melissa Payne
July 26, 2010

The Sioux Empire Arts Council has moved out of the Horse Barn and into the Washington Pavilion.  If another organization doesn't step in and take over the lease, the art gallery could be shutting down. 

Steven Larson has been painting for more than a decade.  "I do lines and dots."

He has been running the Horse Barn for the past five years.

 

It's called the Horse Barn, but it's filled with paintings and pictures, highlighting locals artists.  "There's a lot of other artists who've never showed their work before, but they can show it here," said Larson.  But the lights may soon be going out.

The Sioux Empire Arts Council is changing the way their mission is carried out and the Horse Barn is no longer in the equation.  "Instead of having a barn with a whole lot of programming that that entails, we want to be a resource for all the arts," said the Director of the Sioux Empire Arts Council, Nan Baker.
 

It brings Larson to tears as he remembers all that the Horse Barn was.  "It's amazing, I'll really miss that," said Larson.

 

But the reality is setting in, that the future of the Horse Barn is painting a different picture than he had ever imagined.  "The arts council is moving forward, out into the community, working with other non profits.  I really think that's really good," said Larson.

 

While the future of the Horse Barn is looking dull, for the first time in ten years, Larson says as long as the arts thrive in Sioux Falls, he will wipe his tears, and support the cause.

The Parks and Recreation Department is now in charge of the Horse Bard, and so far, nearly 20 organizations have contacted the director for information about filling the barn.     

 

m_payne@kdlt.com