A new arts center is going up in Kyle

Oglala Lakota Art Space is partnering with non-profit organizations including one out of Minneapolis to make a space for the arts.

Cecily Engelhart works with the First Peoples Fund who is partnering with the arts center.

"One of our founders Elouise Cobell talked about how the arts are one of the greatest assets in Native communities, but it's one of our most underdeveloped," said Engelhart.

And this space is here to change that.

The 8,500 square foot building designed by Tammy Eagle Bull will offer artist studios, a recording studio, a film editing studio, a computer lab, classroom space, and much more.

"The art space is really to help nurture that economy there and to really uplift the artists who contribute not only through their arts work but often have dual roles either working for their tribe or working in organizations there so just to really uplift that element of our community which is so strong and contributes so much," said Engelhart.

Contributing more than you think...

In a 2013 market

, fifty-one percent of people on the reservation rely on a home-based business for income and of those businesses seventy-nine percent are arts-based.

With such a need for the arts, Kyle is the perfect spot.

"It's a centrally located space and we also have the Rolling Rez Arts Bus which is a mobile unit that can go from that central space to go out and serve all the other communities as its been doing for the last four years, said Engelhart. "So that way we have a home base for the bus to live and for a lot of that work to continue growing and expanding across the reservation."

The art center is expected to be completed by 2020.

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