American Art Awards Names The Best Gallery Or Museum In South Dakota: South Dakota Art Museum

Thom Bierdz
6 min readApr 3, 2023

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The American Art Awards has announced its selection of the 20 Best Galleries Or Museums in USA for the year 2023, with South Dakota Art Museum receiving the award for the best in South Dakota. The board bases decisions on years established, industry reputation, online interest, location, size, aesthetics, socially relevant exhibits, motivational and educational programs, represented artists and references, among other criteria.

AMERICAN ART AWARDS: “Each year we pick a variety of galleries in appearance and genres, and this year is no exception. In our Top 20 for 2023, we chose the largest gallery in the Southwest and the largest exhibition space in Florida and the largest in Austin, Texas. An Atlanta organization specializing in black art won in Georgia, a bold Vegas pop hotspot won in Nevada, and museums were chosen for Kentucky and South Dakota. We also selected one of New York’s only non-profit galleries, downtown Indianapolis’ premier event venue space and an enormous Kansas institution which is fulltime home to 35 artists. We decided on several galleries owned by notable painters, some women-run, and some specializing in Western impressionism, others in abstract, others in realism. Most our Top 20 represent contemporary paintings, sculpture, digital art and photography — but we do have businesses exhibiting old master works from Europe, Asia and the Americas.”

American Art Awards: “For over 50 years, the South Dakota Art Museum delivers everything a top museum offers and consistently surpasses expectations. SDAM always wows visitors from around the world, featured artists, and the students and faculty at South Dakota State University who are able to incorporate its exhibits and collections into their course work.”

American Art Awards: “SDAM exhibits work from many artists with ties to South Dakota, including acclaimed painter Harvey Dunn, children’s book author and illustrator Paul Goble and noted Native American artists such as Arthur Amiotte and Oscar Howe, as well as many emerging Native artists. It also seeks out artists and traveling exhibitions that bring fresh and challenging perspectives from outside the state such as sculptors Richard Van Buren (Maine/NY) and Gisela Colon (CA), Ojibwe painter Rabbett Before Horses Strickland (WI) and many more. In fact, with 15–17 exhibitions per year rotating through its seven galleries there seems to always be something new to experience in person and online.

“Also of note is the museum’s groundbreaking collaboration with the Center for American Indian Research and Native Studies (CAIRNS) to deliver educational art exhibitions addressing challenging issues such as the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890 and the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty. Contemporary Lakota artists, poets and musicians create works that explore these topics from a fresh and personal perspective that stimulates conversation as well as reflection.

“American Art Awards is thrilled to name the South Dakota Art Museum as Best Gallery or Museum in South Dakota, 2023, and one of our Top 20 for this year.”

MORE ABOUT THE MUSEUM:

Since 1970, the South Dakota Art Museum in Brookings has been a place for people around the world to enjoy the artistic legacy of South Dakota in all its diversity. Rotating exhibits feature Harvey Dunn, Native American art, Marghab Linens and Paul Goble; as well as exhibits curated from regional, national and international artists.

The museum has more than 7,000 objects in its collection including paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures, textiles, and ceramics. The museum store features jewelry, pottery, and original works of art by local and regional artists in addition to books on South Dakota history and culture.

The South Dakota Art Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). This accreditation recognizes the Museum’s commitment and demonstration of the highest professional standards for education, public service and collections care.

The museum’s mission statement: As stewards of the state’s art treasures, the South Dakota Art Museum collects, preserves and exhibits visual art to provide access and education, to foster appreciation of the visual arts for the people of South Dakota and its visitors.

South Dakota Art Museum: On the South Dakota State University campus on Medary Ave at Harvey Dunn Street, next to the Campanile.

1036 Medary Ave., Brookings, SD 57007 / 605.688.5423

HOURS: Monday-Friday 10 AM — 5 PM / Saturday 10 AM — 4 PM / Sunday 12 PM — 4 PM

Closed Sundays January through March and all SD state holidays.

WEB SITE: www.southdakotaartmuseum.com

INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/sdartmuseum |

FACEBOOK:www.facebook.com/SDArtMuseum

TWITTER: www.twitter.com/sdartmuseum

American Art Awards 20 Best Galleries & Museums for 2023 are:

BEST IN ARIZONA: Exposures International Gallery Of Fine Art

BEST IN CALIFORNIA: Sparks Gallery

BEST IN COLORADO: Mirada Fine Art

BEST IN FLORIDA: MAC Art Galleries

BEST IN GEORGIA: Black Art In America (BAIA)

BEST IN INDIANA: Gallery Forty-Two

BEST IN KANSAS: CityArts

BEST IN KENTUCKY: KMAC Museum

BEST IN LOUISIANA: Jonathan Ferrara Gallery

BEST IN MAINE: Clarke Gallery

BEST IN MONTANA: Cawdrey Gallery

BEST IN NEBRASKA: Kiechel Fine Art

BEST IN NEVADA: Elena Bulatova Fine Art

BEST IN NEW MEXICO: Thornwood Gallery

BEST IN NEW YORK: Gallery 23 NY

BEST IN SOUTH CAROLINA: Mary Martin Galleries Of Fine Art

BEST IN SOUTH DAKOTA: South Dakota Art Museum

BEST IN TEXAS: AO5 GALLERY

BEST IN VERMONT: Helmholz Fine Art

BEST IN WYOMING: Gallery Wild

American Art Awards https://www.americanartawards.com/ annually awards 20 museums and/or galleries, and with their critique later in the year, awards nearly 500 deserving contemporary artists from 60+ countries: painters, photographers, sculptors and digital artists.

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Thom Bierdz
Thom Bierdz

Written by Thom Bierdz

One of Medium’s TOP ART CONTRIBUTORS, award-winning author, actor, film-maker, painter. 12 books: 6 on art. President of WAA & AAA & ACCA.

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