Sioux Falls, SD (KELO AM) – The new head of the National Endowment for the Arts has strong ties to Sioux Falls. Jane Chu lived and worked her 25 years ago, and today returned to the city she once called home to talk about funding for the arts and see how far the city has come.
Chu spoke at the Washington Pavilion this afternoon, and in the building that was the Washington High School during her time in town she said the city’s recent surge in art and arts entertainment is something to be proud of. “Holy cow” were the exact words Chu used to describe the city’s progress, which has seen the downtown sculpture walk, local art projects such as the murals at Meldrum Park, and the growth of music festivals like JazzFest grow and develop in the time since Chu left.
Chu, who works for SDPB, has been on the job with the NEA for about three months.