Explore & Research
Here at the Sandhills Institute we give artist fellows time to explore and research the community’s history, culture and ecology. Some exploration is programed like a history tour of the town by local resident Chuck Hinn or a dinner evening with several of the Rushville matriarchs discussing and reminiscing about life in Rushville.
Regional sites are also important so we visit and experience the Pine Ridge Reservation, the Wounded Knee massacre site, and the Red Cloud Indian School and Heritage Center.
Other sites include the Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory. This is a 12,000 acre working ranch run by the University of Nebraska for teaching and exploring ranch practices. We also visit the original home in the mudflats of the colorful pioneer “Ol” Jules Sandoz as well as his later orchard home that he shared with his daughter, the famed author Mari Sandoz.
After the initial ranch research, artists are often encouraged to visit tourist sites like Mt. Rushmore and Badlands National Park to get a broader sense of the region, its economy and politics.
One of our favorites, and a must see for all fellow residents is the Museum of the Fur Trade in Chadron, Nebraska. It is a well done and excellently curated museum that documents the historic fur trade in the region industry and displays an extraordinary collection of Native American beadwork and blankets, among other atrifacts.
All artists are expected to return to the Sandhills Institute at least three times before they propose a project. (Transportation and room and board are paid for by the institute. A development fee is also paid to each artist for their time.) This is to encourage a broader understanding of the Rushville Community and its heritage. After the initial visit, each artist is expected to develop their own research agenda based on their professional interests. It is the institute’s responsibility to help make their time here as productive and enjoyable as possible.
