Heritage Art Tunnel

If you like Alley 5.5 in downtown Bismarck, you're going to like the Heritage Art Tunnel project on State Street.  

Heritage Art Tunnel is a project of the  Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce EDC Leadership Program -- just like Alley 5.5 was.  Leadership Bismarck-Mandan engages around 20 emerging leaders for weeks every year in business and community issues.  In the end, the program participants divide into teams and develops an actual project that will benefit one or both of our communities. 



The 2019 Leadership Team of Becky Haider (Marathon Petroleum),Kim Ekart (Youthworks), Jenny Wollmuth (City of Bismarck), Heather Pitsiladis (Glance Salon & Spa), Tracey Miller (KLJ) (left to right), chose the tunnel between the North Dakota Heritage Center and Myron Atkinson Park as their project and want to make it a worthy stop for residents and visitors alike. The team wants to add historic art and make the tunnel an educational extension of the Heritage Center. They selected Molly McLain, formerly Eileen Walsh (Dakota West Arts Council) and Mel Gordon (Bismarck Artist) to assist them. Dakota West Arts Council is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization and will be the official sponsor for the project. 

Phase One is completed: the North Dakota Capitol Grounds Planning Commission unanimously approved the project.  

Phase Two Fundraising $25,000  for the project.  

Phase Three is the preparation, art installation, and the actual painting  of the tunnel. 

Phase Four is the community ribbon cutting celebration event. 

Please join us in making a difference in our Capital City community by making a donation.  Donations will be used for wall preparation, paint, and to pay the artists for their creativity and long hours.  Any and all donations will help make an impact.

Thanks in advance for your contribution and be sure to follow us on Facebook. Our page is "Heritage Art Tunnel" and we'll be posting updates throughout the life of this project. 


Don't worry if you didn't know there was a tunnel on State Street.  We've come across a lot of people that don't know. The tunnel is  across the service road just east of the North Dakota Heritage Center. It connects to beautiful Myron Atkinson Park.