Share Your Story!

Are you passionate about Rapid City? Apply here to share your story!

What We're Looking For: We're inviting community members to share short, impactful stories that reflect on:

  • Personal experiences connected to key aspects of City life —housing, transportation, public spaces, education, and more. 
  • Projects or initiatives that promote positive change, growth, or resilience. 
  • Positive visions for the future or ways we can make Rapid City more inclusive, connected, and resilient. 

Format: 

  • Story + Visuals: Each speaker will have 5-7 minutes to share their story, supported by visuals (photos, slides, videos, or artwork). Think of it like a combination of The Moth, TED Talks, and Pecha Kucha—stories paired with powerful imagery that help illustrate your narrative. 
  • 📅 Event Date: January 16th
  • ⏰ Time: 5:30–7:00 PM 
  • 📍 Location: Dahl Arts Center
  • Structured Q + A: Following the presentations, a structured Q&A will help connect your insights to the City’s future planning efforts. 

Why You Should Apply:

  • Make an impact: Your story and visuals can inspire new ways of thinking about Rapid City’s future and contribute to meaningful policies, goals, and actions. 
  • Engage in Comprehensive Planning: Your experiences and ideas will add personal insight to the city’s Comprehensive Plan update, inviting residents to envision a better future together. 
  • Connect with the community: Connect with residents, planners, and leaders in a space that values creativity, collaboration, and community voices. 
  • Your Story Matters: We welcome diverse voices—from artists and teachers to business owners and new residents. No storytelling experience is necessary, only a willingness to share your perspective! 

Interested? Apply now: Rapid City Speaker Panel Application for more information. Applications are due by December 15th at midnight.

 

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The Idea

COMMUNITY GENERATED IDEAS

This initial phase sets the foundation for Rapid City’s Comprehensive Plan update by hosting conversations with the community and inviting them to infuse their creativity into the beginning stages of the project. 

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Concept

VISION AND VALUES

Building on what we heard from the community in Phase One, Phase Two is about diving deeper into some opportunities and issues that the city is facing, and starting to define a vision for the future. 

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Storyboard

TRENDS AND OPPORTUNITIES

This stage is to learn about trends that are facing the City and what opportunities can arise to help Rapid City accomplish the goals of the community.  

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Promotion

GOALS AND LAND USE

This fourth event series will focus on locational opportunities and strategies, specific to neighborhoods and areas of the City. This phase looks at how land can be better used in the future, and how areas of the city can look and feel.

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Screening

DRAFT PLAN METRICS

This fourth event series will focus on presenting and reviewing key elements in the Draft Plan (e.g. chapter sections, the future land use map, implementation framework, etc.). 

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The Premiere

PLAN ADOPTION AND CELEBRATION

This final series will focus on celebrating the hard work that the community has put into this plan and the adoption process. There will be final presentations that the public are welcome to attend and a Pilot Project Celebratory Event.

Calling all Rapid City Community Members!

What Makes Rapid City Special to YOU?

Rapid Gets Creative welcomes all art forms, skill levels, and community members to use creativity to elevate the Rapid City Comprehensive Plan! You can submit a story, painting, dance, poem, drawing—anything that feels like the most authentic way you express yourself and conveys the message “What do you love most about Rapid City?” and “What makes Rapid City special?”.

 

Who is leading this project?

The Rapid City Comprehensive Plan Update is a joint effort between Rapid City and the community! Logan Simpson is a consulting firm that will be assisting the City in facilitating public engagement, drafting the Plan, and managing this website!

For more information on the project and its purpose, visit the Learn More page!