Building Iowa’s Creative Economy
Dogtown Chromatic, held on Saturday, December 18th, 2021 from 5-9pm, was a music and lights experience on University Avenue between 23rd and 24th Street, Des Moines Iowa. Creative Direction + Design by Iowa Artist Eleanor Kahn, Lighting Technical Direction by Mike Lambert, IES, FLC, Music by the Isiserettes Drill & Drum Corp. The lights will stay until Spring.
Thank You DogtownDSM, Invest DSM and Wells Fargo.
Building Iowa’s Creative Economy
The beauty of the public art in Johnston, Iowa can be best appreciated at sunset. Enjoy the artwork brought to you by the City of Johnston with the Johnston Arts Council by artists Jimmy Navarro and Katie Jensen, Reinaldo Correa, and Hilde DeBruyne.
The Johnston Arts Council is a non-profit, volunteer-run 501(c)3 founded in 2019 to encourage and sponsor art and arts activities in Johnston, Iowa. The Arts Council is currently working with the City of Johnston and Hansen Company to select art for the Town Center development.
Midwest singer-songwriter Chad Elliott blends folk roots, swampy blues and soulful writing to deliver an original Americana sound. His live performances have been honed over a decade of being on the road performing more than 200 shows each year. Elliott is lauded as “Iowa’s Renaissance man” by Culture Buzz Magazine. He has penned more than 1,500 songs in his career while also cultivating his skills as a painter, sculptor, illustrator and author (Wilderman’s Treetop Tales; Rumble & Flash).
River City Art and Music held it’s 21st Riverview Artist Salon on Wednesday, June 23rd at xBk Live in the Drake University neighborhood of Des Moines, Iowa.
This two-hour in-person, and live streamed event, included poetry, presentations, and a live performance by Des Moines Hip-Hop artist, Billy “B. Well” Weathers. The event was streamed on xBk Live’s YouTube channel. In-person, free will donation tickets benefited the B. Well Foundation of Des Moines. Programming begins at 4:32 minutes. Enjoy!
Curated by Local Artist, Katie Jensen of Des Moines, Iowa
The Equitable Building, Upper Lobby
604 Locust, Des Moines, Iowa
July 25th – Oct 12th
9:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Visitors can access the upper lobby from the elevator or stairs on the main floor of the building or from the skywalk. Skywalk door closes at 7:00 p.m.
Exhibiting Artists
Zachary Brown
Johnathan Fusco
Marielle Gonzales
Megan Hammer
Katie Jensen
Genevieve LaValle
Antoinette LaValle
Christine Ledo
Devin McMillen
James Navarro
Jess Quinn
Taylor Ross
About the Curator
Katie learned the process of putting an exhibition together as well as the ins and outs of running a gallery space at The Anderson Gallery at Drake University while working towards her BFA in Painting. She collaborated with this group of fellow Des Moines artists to bring together this exhibition for all to enjoy and collect. All artwork is tagged with information on how to purchase and/or connect with the Artist through Instagram.
Questions regarding artwork in this exhibition can be directed to Katie Jensen (@kt_katnipz) or Jimmy Navarro (@jimmynavarroart) through Instagram.
Alan Jacobs is a Des Moines, Iowa based photographer. He has won local, national, and international awards for his images. His images have appeared in books, publications, galleries, homes, and businesses around the world. He sells his artistic images through galleries, art shows and some for hire work. Alan photographs Art Week Des Moines and the Des Moines Arts Festival and since Art Week was mainly virtual this year, he complied some images from the last couple of years into this wonderful video.
To find out more about Alan Jacobs and to purchase his images, please visit www.cameraexpressions.com. Alan is also a featured artist on Alexander’s Photo’s website www.alexandersphoto.com. Check it out!
River City Art and Music (RCAM) has closely monitored information shared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) about COVID-19. Given this is a dynamic and ever evolving situation, in person Riverview Artist Salon events at xBk Live in August and October have been cancelled.
In lieu of in person events, RCAM will open it’s online platforms to ALL Iowa artists FREE of charge. Iowa artists, musicians, and arts related organizations and businesses can share their words, sounds, passions and works during the following time periods:
If you are interested in FREE online promotion via Instagram, Facebook and on rivercityartandmusic.com, send email to rcamdsm@gmail.com and include your name, creative endeavor/s and the name of the Iowa town/city in which you live. Promotions will run during the time periods listed above. If you need help in creating a promotion, RCAM will help you create one from images, video, and text you provide.
For over 5 years, RCAM has provided opportunities to all with a passion for the arts and maintains an intentional focus on ensuring inclusion regardless of age, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical ability, or socioeconomic backgrounds. RCAM celebrates individuality and invites ALL to experience, to engage, and to connect with Iowa’s creative community.
MISSION: To elevate the status of ALL creatives living in our cities and state and to provide a center for networking, public engagement, new ideas, personal development, and artistic growth.
Follow River City Art and Music on Instagram and Facebook, as well as here on rivercityartandmusic.com. RCAM shares Iowa Creative’s stories and information, injects insight and inspiration into their worlds, and keeps all followers abreast of art and music news from Iowa and around the world.
Protest art acts as an important tool to form social consciousness, create networks, operate accessibly, and be cost-effective. Social movements produce such works as the signs, banners, posters, and other printed materials used to convey a cause or message. Often, such art is used as part of demonstrations or acts of civil disobedience. These works tend to be ephemeral, characterized by their portability and disposability, and are frequently not authored or owned by any one person. The various peace symbols, and the raised fist are two examples that highlight the democratic ownership of these signs.
Founded in 2007, the After-School Arts Program (ASAP) connects underserved 1st–8th graders in the heart of Des Moines, Iowa, with challenging, enriching arts experiences and provides quality instruction from professional teaching artists who lead studios ranging from ceramics and painting to drumming and dance.
To learn more about ASAP, watch a 3-minute YouTube video produced for the Bravo Greater Des Moines Gala this past February.
SUPPORT IOWA ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES