Dave Monk established the “Pocket Prairie,” across the street from the WEFT 90.1 FM studios on Market Street in downtown Champaign, in the 1980s; due to development of the space, it has been relocated to the Second Street Detention Pond area, south of University Avenue. He has been doing the Prairie Monk radio hour on WEFT 90.1 for over 30 years. I spoke to him at the Pocket Prairie site on the evening of May 25, during its last days. The interview has been edited for space reasons.

Rick Esbenshade: You’re originally from Australia. How did you come to be in Champaign, and how did you get come to be interested in the local flora and the local landscape?

Dave Monk: I had been teaching at a community college. I came here in ’61, and was with the university for a while and I worked with a university project and with the curriculum lab, and we did things that people felt were interesting with the environment, the environmental movement was starting then. I was very interested in the ecosystem because I couldn’t find it when I came from Australia.

The only place where you found prairie was along railroad lines, which you weren’t supposed to dig up, and in cemeteries that weren’t looked after. I realized that this was an ecosystem that wasn’t understood and it was fairly rare. So I got involved and then we started buying up old railroad beds because that’s where the prairie was.
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The IMC is now seeking proposals from artists to design and paint a new outdoor sign. We seek a diversity of applications by a variety of artists. The chosen design will serve as a main identifier for the public to the IMC as a space. We are replacing our current sign with large aluminum letters reading “I-M-C” on the west-facing front side of the building. Each letter fits within 4’ x 4’ square. We will have the aluminum sheets cut out according to design. We are offering a $100 honorarium to the chosen artist.

Artists should submit their design concept with a short explanation (1-2 paragraphs) of how they see their design as a reflection of the mission of the IMC. Deadline is June 22.

Please send a proposal to: briandolinar@ucimc.org

About IMC:
The mission of the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center (IMC) is to foster the creation and distribution of media and art that emphasizes underrepresented voices and perspectives, and to promote empowerment and expression through media and arts education.