Glass Sculpture Sky/Dream Completed in North Dakota
Nicole and Alan Milligan finished the 68-foot glass monument south of Rugby as part of the statewide Arts Across the Prairie program.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Current Conditions
Nicole and Alan Milligan completed Sky/Dream, a 68-foot by 14-foot glass sculpture located on Highway 3 south of Rugby, North Dakota. The installation is part of Arts Across the Prairie, a program that will bring eight large-scale monuments to every region of the state.
Why it matters
The project brings a major public art installation to rural North Dakota and represents one of several planned statewide monuments under the Arts Across the Prairie program. Its design was adapted to withstand the state's wind and weather, reflecting the practical demands of building art on the prairie.
The sculpture measures 68 feet by 14 feet and took more than a year to design. Installation was completed on a Friday afternoon, and the completion of other regional projects under Arts Across the Prairie remains tied to future phases, with some starting next year.
The players
Nicole and Alan Milligan
Nicole and Alan Milligan lead the Milligan studio, based in St. Paul, which has installed sculptures around the world.
Arts Across the Prairie
Arts Across the Prairie is a North Dakota program that will bring eight large-scale monuments and sculptures to every region of the state.
The details
More than 100 community members placed pieces of glass during installation. The feather design was changed several times to withstand North Dakota's winds and weather patterns.
Timeline
Two years before installation: the Milligan studio was chosen as Region 2 artists.
More than a year before installation: design work on Sky/Dream began.
Friday, November 6, 2026: installation was completed.
Next year: some other regional Arts Across the Prairie projects are scheduled to begin.
Seasonal Patterns
Sky/Dream is one of the first completed installations under the Arts Across the Prairie program, which plans eight large-scale monuments across North Dakota's regions. The sculpture's feather design was adjusted to withstand the state's wind and weather, a constraint that shapes how public art is built on the prairie.
Residents and visitors traveling Highway 3 south of Rugby can view Sky/Dream at its installed location. Those interested in the wider program can follow the regional projects as they begin in the coming year.
The takeaway
Public art in rural North Dakota is being shaped by the realities of local wind and weather, and community participation played a direct role in building Sky/Dream. The statewide program suggests more large installations will follow in other regions.
What happens next
Other regional Arts Across the Prairie projects are scheduled to start next year.
Further reading
For more context on conditions across the state, see Current Conditions in North Dakota.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Kfyrtv.
