Josh Miranda brings big city ideas downtown

STORY BY MICHELLE PAWELSKI // PHOTO BY ANDY GREENMAN

For Josh Miranda, it’s about the experience – art, food, live music, community. It’s what he found in Austin, Los Angeles, and Denver, and what he is now bringing to Rapid City.

“A vibe of art is what I am really going for,” said the South Dakota native and development/event coordinator for the Dahl Arts Center. “Places that have a thriving art culture have a higher quality of life.”

He recently started Rapid City Limits, a spinoff of Austin City Limits, the long-running music series, television show, and festival. Rapid City Limits is a live concert series that takes place at the Dahl Arts Center and spotlights artists and music of the Black Hills region. “I was always a fan of Austin City Limits and am a blues fan. I thought it would be a really cool concept (to start in Rapid City).” The series, which began in April, has had four performances with the next one planned for December.

Rapid City Limits was the art center’s first public event after COVID-19. The series is supported by community sponsors. “We really wanted to get in-person events going again, and this series helped us launch that,” said Josh, adding that the shows have been selling out. “(Alex) Massa was so cool. We hadn’t had events in more than a year and it was crazy packed. It was such a good evening; we knew we had to continue on this journey.”

The idea came from Josh’s travels through the western half of the United States. After graduating from South Dakota State University, Josh packed up his Toyota Tacoma and hit the road. A longtime lover of music and film, he decided Austin would be his first stop.

“I knew it was an up-and-coming city… lots of startups… Google and Apple were there. It has a really vibrant music, art, and culture scene. I was intrigued by that.” Josh made the most of his year in Austin attending Austin City Limits and South by Southwest, an internationally recognized event with music, film, and technology. “I just saw a lot of things that Rapid City should have.”

During his time in Austin, he became a Level 1 sommelier and joined Whole Foods Market as a specialty representative, a job that took him to Los Angeles and then to the mountains of Colorado. He eventually left Whole Foods, started working as a photographer for the Outdoor Network, and founded Dracomax, his own stock photography company. Both LA and Denver, like living in Austin, provided Josh with new cultural experiences. “There are so many walks of life, the food is amazing, the art is amazing.”

After nearly a decade of traveling, Josh moved back to South Dakota in 2018 to take care of his mother. Originally from Chamberlain, Josh decided to make Rapid City his new home. “I always loved it out here. I like going hiking and have always been drawn to the Hills. I want to live where I want to live and then the work part will work out.”

Josh said Rapid City has the potential to become a cultural center with a thriving art district. “I think we have a vibe here where we do have Indigenous artists, and we do have people that have different experiences.”

While Rapid City Limits has been successful so far, Josh has high hopes for the series and Rapid City. His goal is to partner with South Dakota Public Broadcasting and televise the series, bringing in musical acts and filming scenes of the area in between. “This would really help sell South Dakota and the Hills. People would get a taste of the region, and it would bring recognition to the area.”

The goal is to create a designated downtown art district where people gather to enjoy local art centers, good food, and music – a cultural destination. To achieve his goal, Josh hopes to increase sponsorship, develop a partnership with Arts South Dakota in Sioux Falls, and gain communitywide support.

“We are trying to make this area of downtown more art-driven,” he said. “Having a good art scene is really the health of a city. It is about investing and making a collective effort.” ▤