Current Exhibition
​in the Bruce H. Lien Cultural Café & Gallery

Teapot Competition & Exhibition
​November 6 | 5-7pm

​Our community has been hard at work this fall, crafting and creating the teapots that are sure to amaze all your senses!
Rapid City Arts Council's Teapot Competition will showcase the amazing work of the Open Pottery Studio and our community’s ceramicists. From beautifully sculpted and hand-built pieces to the structural wheel-thrown works, this competition is sure to be tasteful.

​Prizes awarded to: Best Design in Wheel, Best Design in Handbuilding, Best Pour, and Best in Show.
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Select teapots will remain on display in the Bruce H. Lien Cultural Café & Gallery to view as a part of the next Emerging Visual Artists Exhibition which aims to showcase the diverse works of our community's emerging artists!

Your Work Deserves to be Seen.

The Emerging Visual Artists program supports visual artists who are looking to gain experience working with art galleries and exhibiting their works for the first time. RCAC's education staff works with the artist through the entire process, from selecting works, getting critiques, pricing, writing a statement, and creating and promoting the exhibit. Apply to participate!

​Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
The RCAC encourages artists to submit proposals for exhibits showcasing their original works of art in the Bruce H. Lien Cultural Café and Gallery. Through a variety of exhibitions showcasing artists of all different mediums, this program mentors emerging visual artists and assists in increasing their public exposure through the opportunity of a solo exhibition. 

Group shows welcome.
Get your artist friends together and submit a proposal for a group show of up to 5 artists. Each artist should complete an application and indicate that they are applying as part of a group and include the other participating artists names. 

Not quite ready to exhibit? In need of mentorship regarding your art?
​Contact our Education Director to set up a meeting to discuss your goals as an artist.

For more information, please contact: [email protected]

apply to exhibit

Past Exhibitions

Hugh Baxley
09.04.25 - 10.31.25
Bruce H. Lien Cultural Café & Gallery

Hugh Baxley is a self-taught artist based in Rapid City, South Dakota, working across a dynamic range of media including acrylic, oil, pastel, pencil, charcoal, and photography. His creative process is fueled by raw emotion and deep introspection. Translating thoughts, memories, and the pulse of the world around him into interesting visual stories.

Hugh’s work has been featured in publications including the Herald Democrat, Voyage Dallas, and The Dallas Observer. His art isn’t about perfection; it’s about perspective. He paints what he feels, what he sees, and what he believes others may be too afraid to say aloud. Every piece is a conversation starter, a mirror, a memory, or a dream.

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Rush-less In Rushmore
Ankit Negi
​07.07.25 - 08.29.25
Bruce H. Lien Cultural Café & Gallery

Rush-less in Rushmore is a new exhibition by Emerging Visual Artist Ankit Negi of Currylab Captures. Originally from the Himalayan foothills and now based in Rapid City, Ankit captures South Dakota’s native wildlife through a patient, ethical lens. Rush-less in Rushmore encourages viewers to slow down and engage deeply with the wild—to feel the space between photographer and subject and reflect on the beauty of presence in the natural world.

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One Roll at a Time
Michelle Langemeier
05.14.25 - 06.30.25
Bruce H. Lien Cultural Café & Gallery

Michelle Langemeier’s body of work features handcrafted ceramic dice towers—each one a sculptural homage to the imaginative worlds of tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons. Langemeier began her creative journey in 2004, earning recognition in alternative process photography publications before transitioning to 3D art in 2020. Clay quickly became her medium of choice, offering a bridge between imagination and tangible form.

​Langemeier's work invites players to reconnect with creativity, play, and storytelling. Her dice towers serve as both functional game tools and expressive art objects, reflecting the mystique of untamed forests, mythical beasts, and the surreal landscapes of our inner worlds.

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Work In Progress: Teen Art Studio Exhibition
​​04.03.25 - 04.28.25
Bruce H. Lien Cultural Café & Gallery

Work in Progress showcases the dedicated work of 26 talented young artists, the second cohort of RCAC’s Teen Art Studio program. From April 3 to April 24, 2025, the Bruce H Lien Cultural Café and Gallery at the Dahl Arts Center will be transformed into a vibrant showcase of youthful creativity. 

For their exhibit of mixed media creations, the Teen Art Studio students have titled their show Work in Progress. While this exhibition marks the culmination of their past eight months of exploration, these young artists recognize that their creative journeys are just beginning. Through this work, they’ve experimented with various materials, techniques, and mediums, discovering where their artistic passions lie. Curated by the students themselves, the exhibition offers hands-on experience in gallery presentation, preparing them for future artistic endeavors.