Iowa Art Organizations & Associations
News
ART BEACON DIGITAL ARTIST RESIDENCY
Artists with a connection to the Midwest are invited to participate in a two-week digital artist residency on the Art Beacon Instagram profile @artbeacondsm.
900VIEWS, is an exploration of arts and community with Host Pat Boddy. Based out of Mainframe Studios in downtown Des Moines, 900Views provides a platform for glimpsing the creative work and lives of the Midwest’s cultural producers and influencers.
Creative Communities
SALONNIÉRE DSM’s current initiative is it’s Salon Series which connects Iowa’s creative economy with individuals who value the state’s art, culture, and music. Future events may include travel experiences and small-group outings such as gallery openings, studio visits, museum exhibitions, live music, festivals, dinner theatre, comedy, open mics, book signings, and poetry readings paired with dining.
MAINFRAME STUDIOS in Des Moines, Iowa is the largest nonprofit arts workspace in the U.S., a vibrant hub housing over 200 artists and creatives in 180+ studios, offering affordable space across 30+ disciplines like painting, sculpture, ceramics, game design, and more, all while supporting the local arts community through affordable rents and public events like First Fridays when the public can explore the creative ecosystem
THE FITCH BUILDING is the oldest continuing studio home for artists in Des Moines, Iowa. Built in 1917 as the manufacturing plant for the FW Fitch Co., it has also housed a janitorial services warehouse. Since the early 1990s, the upper floors have been studios for artists and independent small businesses. Many of Des Moines’ most prominent artists have had studios in the Fitch at some point in their careers.
THE BARNUM FACTORY in Des Moines is a vibrant creative hub and event space, located in the former Iowa Paint Co. building, offering affordable studios and offices for artists, musicians, makers, and small businesses, while also hosting unique events like haunted houses (Scare DSM) and comic cons, providing a collaborative environment for entrepreneurs in the city’s arts scene.
IOWA ARTISTS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and educating artists across Iowa through juried shows, workshops, and community building, offering Iowans opportunities to exhibit, learn new techniques, network with peers, and expand their market for 2D and 3D art forms like painting, sculpture, and fiber arts, fostering a thriving state-wide art community.
Galleries and Museums
DES MOINES ART CENTER The not-for-profit Des Moines Art Center engages diverse local and international audiences with the art of today through its museum and school, adding to the cultural record through collections and programs.
MOBERG GALLERY is a fine art gallery that specializes in contemporary art from over 50 professional artists from Iowa and across the nation. For over a decade, Moberg Gallery has contributed to the changing visual art culture of the Midwest and beyond by hosting more than 100 solo and group shows exhibiting a variety of the highest quality artworks.
OLSON LARSEN GALLERY, is a contemporary gallery representing over 60 of the finest artists in the Midwest. Located in Historic Valley Junction in West Des Moines, Iowa, Olson-Larsen fulfills its commitment to original art through exhibitions and support services for clients ranging from individuals to corporations.
POLK COUNTY HERITAGE GALLERY in Des Moines is a free public art space in the historic 1908 Beaux Arts Polk County Administration Building at 111 Court Avenue that showcases Iowa artists, hosting juried shows like Greater Des Moines Exhibited and other local artist features in a beautiful, historic setting. It offers a cultural hub for visual arts, focusing on local talent and history, with typical weekday hours.
URBANDALE ART GALLERY a collaborative partnership between the Urbandale Public Library, the Urbandale Public Art Committee and UCAN.
Music Venues
xBk is located at 1159 24th Street in the Dogtown/Drake neighborhood of Des Moines. It is a newly renovated state of the art, 250 capacity small performing arts venue dedicated to musicians, performers, and artists that strive to present adventurous and engaging work.
NOCE is the premier home for jazz & cabaret in Des Moines, Iowa, hosting acts both local & national & featuring a world-class cocktail bar.
WOOLY’S is located in the Historic East Village. Their venue capacity ranges from 100 to 700 people. They have high-quality sound as well as booths, tables and chairs for events. A bar is located on the right side of the venue as you come in the building. They have local and national music acts come through all year long.
VAL AIR BALLROOM is a historic live music venue featuring a diverse range of artists located in West Des Moines, Iowa. Originally an outdoor dance venue in the 1940s, the space was eventually enclosed to form a venue space for music, school dances, and the like.
Resources and Support
IOWA ARTIST DIRECTORY is a free, online, statewide platform created by ARTSwork to connect artists of all disciplines (visual, performing, literary, etc.) with paid work, projects, and opportunities, while also helping the public, organizations, and communities find and hire local Iowa creatives for commissions, events, and more. It serves as a central hub for career development, allowing artists to build profiles and discover calls for art, performances, and professional development, making it easier to find local talent.
IOWA ARTS COUNCIL empowers Iowa to build and sustain culturally vibrant communities by cultivating creativity, learning and participation in the arts.
Established in 1967, the Iowa Arts Council serves as Iowa’s state arts agency and works in collaboration with its federal agency partner, the National Endowment for the Arts, and regional arts partner, Arts Midwest, to build the capacity of Iowa’s arts ecosystem. The Iowa Arts Council strives to create opportunities for the arts to flourish in Iowa by nurturing cultural leadership and investing in projects that provide access to arts experiences in communities and public spaces throughout Iowa.
ARTS MIDWEST promotes creativity, nurtures cultural leadership, and engages people in meaningful arts experiences, bringing vitality to Midwest communities and enriching people’s lives.
NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS is an independent federal agency that funds, promotes, and strengthens the creative capacity of our communities by providing all Americans with diverse opportunities for arts participation.