ABOUT US
Des Moines Arts Festival is a 501c3 NonProfit Organization
OUR MISSION
Impact Lives Through the Arts
OUR CORE VALUES
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Inspire Appreciation of the Arts
We cultivate, educate and engage our audience toward a heightened appreciation of the arts.
Celebrate Original Art
We produce an annual celebration of outstanding original visual art - that is created by the hand of the artist - in a festival atmosphere.
Impact Community
We foster and celebrate the involvement of all people.
Promote Collaboration
We promote and inspire meaningful collaboration to strengthen the arts community.
Deliver the Highest Standards
We value professionalism and quality. We operate in a fair and honorable manner with transparency. We are strong financial stewards. We manage with responsibility and maximize value to our partners.
Innovate Strategically
We champion new and emerging ideas.
OUR VISION
Strengthen a Vibrant and Creative Community
OUR STORY
The Des Moines Arts Festival® traces its beginnings to 1958 when the Des Moines Art Center hosted the All Iowa Art Fair to help celebrate their 10th anniversary. Between 1958-1982, the event was given many names including All Iowa Art Fair, Iowa Artists Exhibition, Iowa Artists Annual Show, and Iowa Art Show. In 1983, the festival was officially identified as Art in the Park. In 1992, the event was moved from the grounds of the Des Moines Art Center to the Iowa State Fairgrounds until in 1998 it was moved downtown along the Des Moines River. The festival went through another name change to become the Des Moines Arts Festival.
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The first All Iowa Art Fair attracted little more than a few hundred people. Nearly five decades later, the Festival has established itself as the signature arts and culture event in Iowa and one of the most prestigious and admired festivals in the world. With an annual attendance exceeding 200,000, the Festival has welcomed more than 2.5 million visitors since moving downtown in 1998, garnered more than 350 awards, and generates an estimated $8 million economic impact annually.
Board of Directors
Chair
Bill Burma
Grand View University, Retired
Chair-Elect
Brian Laurenzo
Brick Gentry P.C.
Secretary
Marsha Aldridge
Nationwide
Director
Connie Boesen
Des Moines City Council
Director, Executive Committee
Chaden Halfhill
Silent Rivers Design+Build
Director
Kristina Huntsman
Event Management Team Representative
Director
Chris Kramer
Community Advocate
Director
Michele Wilkie
Prairie Meadows
Director
Carl Voss
Des Moines City Council
Immediate Past Chair
Robert Larson
Catholic Diocese of Des Moines
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Treasurer
Natalie Tomaras
American Equity Investment Life Insurance Co.
Director
Marquas Ashworth
Musician & Entrepreneur
Director
Barbara Decker
Catholic Charities
Director
Kate Hightshoe-Lambert
QCR Holdings, Inc.
Director
Stephen King
Executive Director
Director
Matthew McKinney
West Des Moines City Council, Brown Winnick Law
Director, Executive Committee
Ann Priftis
Krause Gentle Co.
Director
San Wong
Iowa Department of Human Rights
OUR TEAM
Director of Guest Engagement
Daphne Dickens, CFEE
Executive Director
Stephen King, CFEE, MA
Volunteer Coordinator
Stacey Nay
Social Media + Photography
Madeleine King
Director of Community Relations
Colleen Murphy, CFEE
2023 Event Management Team
Artist Relations
Andrew Tincher
Ann Rolow
Jaclynne (Jac) Maranell
Jennifer Johnson
Katelyn Brockmeyer
Sarah Fandel
Sean Masters
Banner Queen
Sage Halfhill-Boone
Beverage Team
Hannah Hatch (Community Youth Concepts)
Allison Petersen (Cowles Montessori Parents Group)
Betsy Mitchell (Cowles Montessori Parents Group)
Melissa Winters (Cowles Montessori Parents Group)
Mickey Davis (Des Moines Music Coalition)
Amber Graeber (Perkins Elementary PTA)
Caitlyn Gajo (Perkins Elementary PTA)
Luke Dickens
Dan Hofsteter
Kurt Weakland
Food Vendor Relations
Amanda Joseph
Kate Steffen
Marsha Aldridge
Molly Vriezelaar
Interrobang Film Festival
Danny Legaspi
Anthony Phothong
David Durong
Megan Ellis
POS/Technical Support
Ryan Rohlf
Merchandise
Amanda C Leonard
Bridget Murphy
Emma Pantini
Emma Webb
Erika Menke
Jeremy Weiss
Renae Irvin
Off-Site Office Managers
Alyssa Werbach
Heidi Hoffman
Katie Dale
Stephanie Pearl
Production
Kayla Wagener
Kristina Huntsman
Megan Hanson
Nathan Wagner
Sage Halfhill-Boone
Seth Conn
Tony Behnke
Sponsor Relations
Emily Kibbee
Jeff Petterson
Julia Verhoef
Kent Maahs
Lynn Swanson
Stephanie Reynolds
Tiffany Espelund
Stages
Ashley Bohnenkamp
Laurie Miller
Natalia Espinosa
Student Art Exhibition
Alicia Lynch
Peggy Cokeley
Sustainability
Sam Christianson
Volunteer Relations
Gena Hodges
Liz Vernon
Madalyne Rutledge
Sally Corcoran
Zoe Schmitz