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Graffiti…I love it!
São Paulo’s Batman Alley has been my highlight with stairwells, walls, doorways and sidewalks filled with stunning murals and artwork. While I have seen some great graffiti over the years, I have never experienced anything like Batman Alley in all of the cities I have visited.
Until I set foot in Rapid City.
As I stepped outside of my hotel in the fifteen degree morning, my only focus was the drive ahead of me to the Badlands on snowy roads. Walking toward my car, hoping there was an ice scraper, I looked immediately to my left and noticed a bit of graffiti…and a sign.
Art Alley.
The first inhabitants of South Dakota left their marks in the form of petroglyphs. Today, artists leave their stories in the form of murals in Art Alley.
In the early 2000s, artists began to use the alley as their canvas. Since then, the area has flourished and has become a social movement and a place to spread messages. The Rapid City Arts Council is in charge of the space and permits must be obtained from them or from the building owner. Though not all buildings are available for painting, there is enough surface area between 6th and 7th Streets to provide tons of space for artists’ expressions and a place for tourists to see what the art scene in Rapid City is all about.
Situated next to the Hilton Hotel Alex Johnson and countless restaurants and shops, it’s easy to see while experiencing all that downtown Rapid City has to offer.
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Art Alley
- https://www.artalleyrc.com/
- Address: Between 6th and 7th, and Main and Saint Joseph Streets, Rapid City, South Dakota
- Hours: 24 hours, daily
- Admission: free