bismarck art alley

After seeing the prehistoric exhibit at the North Dakota Heritage Center, I went to Bismarck Art Alley. Alley 5.5, located in downtown Bismarck, runs the full length of the alley between Fifth and Sixth Streets, and features murals by local and regional artists depicting the culture and heritage of North Dakota.

The Bismarck Art Alley Program is a public art project partnership between the Dakota West Arts Council, a 2016 Leadership Bismarck Mandan Project Team, and the community of Bismarck. The purpose is to foster ongoing efforts to create public art in the city and to create a sense of place and build a stronger, more connected community.

Going into the downtown area to see the murals, I discovered the roads around that area had been closed off the previous night because they had been setting up for a craft festival. This morning, crafters were busily setting up their booths.  I was sad I’d missed dinner at the Pirogue Cafe, but my sushi had been delicious.

I took some pictures of Bismarck Art Alley.  Sadly, a bunch of garbage cans in the alley not only blocked the colorful artwork, but emitted unpleasant odors as well.

What I loved about Art Alley was how it magnified the character of North Dakota using motifs of farming, canning of produce, Native Americans and Native symbols, honeybees, bison, windmills, rodeos, and Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

*Friday, September 13, 2019*