On my first morning in Bismarck ND, I was having breakfast with my Chamber contact, David Leingang. As we were finishing, he said “I want to show you Art Alley, one of our new projects.”
I agreed, so as we stepped out of the restaurant, we crossed 5th Street and arrived at what I later learned is called Alley 5.5. Art Alley is a unique partnership between a six-member volunteer group of the 2016 Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program and the Dakota West Arts Council. Here, an alley is being transformed, by several greater-Bismarck artists, into a beautiful – and eclectic – collection of art. It’s estimated that up to 25 artists could be involved with this colorful project. The idea, David tells me, is to use the power of the arts to enliven alley space in the community.
The Project is in its infancy, and – in early August ’16, anyway – was still a work in progress, but from a glance at some of that early progress, it looks like it’s well on its way! See for yourself: ArtAlley