RAPID CITY (AP) - A Rapid City businessman is launching a new company to profit from and publicize the city's public art space.
Dennis Halterman plans to begin selling merchandise that promotes Art Alley as a tourist destination, the Rapid City Journal reported. Halterman owns the Factory Salon and is on the Rapid City Arts Council board of directors. He says his new venture will offer T-shirts and patches and set aside some profits to benefit the arts community and arts education in the Rapid City area.
Halterman said he trademarked Art Alley Incorporated as a for-profit entity but will dedicate a portion of sales to provide visual arts programs for K-5 students. He said he will push for the state Legislature to enact a law allowing for-benefit corporations, which is how he hopes to eventually operate the venture as.
A benefit corporation is a type of business that's currently legal in 20 other states.
"The best way to describe it is a marriage between a for-profit corporation and a nonprofit organization," Halterman said.
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He plans to start by selling $17.95 patches that feature one of the area's most iconic images and the phrase "Art Alley, Rapid City SoDak, 'The Revolution will be brought to you in Graffiti.'"
