Venue View: Levitt Sioux Falls
By Rose Ann Hofland
Dir. Communications and Community Engagement
Levitt Sioux Falls
In order to move forward, we must look back. 2020 is not a year that many of us will relish looking back at—it’s been a challenging year for the arts. Arts organizations were the first to shut down and the last to come back amidst the pandemic.
Levitt Sioux Falls kicks off its 2021 season with Ranky Tanky June 11. (Submitted Photo)
Many have furloughed or cut staff. Programming was cut or delayed, or whole new modes of performance (digital and newly imagined outdoor venues) were developed. Zoom meetings galore and pivot after pivot were in store for those of us who were lucky enough to retain our positions in the arts. Many artists moved, changed careers or had to learn whole new modes of performance delivery.
For many live performance venues, federal relief is still in limbo through the Shuttered Venue Operator Grants. It’s been tough, but artists are by nature creative, and the act of creating art for so many of us is not just a job—it’s a vocation. Resilience, flexibility and ingenuity accompany the purpose and passion that we bring to our vocation, and that has positioned many in our arts community to joyfully welcome back audiences in person again as we have, thankfully, rounded a corner on the pandemic.
The Levitt pivoted activities in 2020 to offer a new, consistent online program—Levitt In Your Living Room—which featured intimate interviews and music with artists online. All of the musicians who appeared in the 21 different Levitt In Your Living Room programs were those we were planning on featuring in our 2020 concert season (and many of whom are now performing for us in 2021).
We were also able to engage local musicians in small, outdoor concerts throughout the community through the Levitt In Your Neighborhood program. In all of our pivot planning, we prioritized safety, relevance, connection and employing artists. Our pivoted programs reached more than 250,000 people (mostly local/regional audiences, but reaching worldwide with viewers in six continents as Facebook metrics could now tell us).
While our pivoted programs were impactful and innovative, we missed our full, in-person concert activities, our lawn and our patrons. Our neighborhood businesses, our hospitality industry and our community leaders missed our programming, which drives business in our downtown. We were so fortunate that our donors and sponsors worked with us throughout 2020 and continued to support our efforts to fulfill our mission. It was their on-going support that made it possible for us to come into 2021 with strength and resolve to get back on the Levitt lawn.
And back, we are! On June 11, Levitt at the Falls launched its season of 40 free concerts, featuring professional artists from a variety of genres. Local artists open for each concert, food trucks and beverages are available and community partners are present to add activation to the lawn. Every Friday and Saturday night, as well as Thursdays in July and August, there will be a concert at the Levitt. This year, we have also added four Friday morning shows for youth and families. Audiences are welcome to come at no charge, bring a chair or blanket and enjoy amazing music outdoors, all summer long.
Building on the lessons from the last year, we are also implementing regular artist outreach through Levitt In Your Neighborhood and continuing our footprint in the digital space through a partnership with South Dakota Public Broadcasting. With the expertise of the SDPB team, we are live-streaming all 40 of our concerts online, as well as producing digital shorts called “Music Matters” to help tell the deeper stories of how music and the arts impact our community.
The Levitt can be a space of healing and re-engagement for our community after such a challenging year. We aim to provide a supportive environment for artists to again pick up their instruments and share their work. As an outdoor venue, we are a space where people can come and safely re-engage in arts experiences to lift their spirits, meet their neighbors and share in community.
After the past year, the community is ready for live arts performances again, and, with the support of community, we are fortunate and excited to be able to provide these experiences and moments of connection. See you at the Levitt!