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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
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Chair

Bill Burma

Grand View University, Retired
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Chair-Elect

Brian Laurenzo

Brick Gentry P.C.
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Secretary

Marsha Aldridge

Nationwide
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Director

Connie Boesen

Des Moines City Council
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Director, Executive Committee

Chaden Halfhill

Silent Rivers Design+Build
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Director

Kristina Huntsman

Event Management Team Representative
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Director

Chris Kramer

Community Advocate
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Director

Michele Wilkie

Prairie Meadows
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Director

Carl Voss

Des Moines City Council
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Immediate Past Chair

Robert Larson

Catholic Diocese of Des Moines
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Treasurer

Natalie Tomaras

American Equity Investment Life Insurance Co.
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Director

Marquas Ashworth

Musician & Entrepreneur
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Director

Barbara Decker

Catholic Charities
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Director

Kate Hightshoe-Lambert

QCR Holdings, Inc.
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Director

Stephen King

Executive Director
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Director

Matthew McKinney

West Des Moines City Council, Brown Winnick Law
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Director, Executive Committee

Ann Priftis

Krause Gentle Co.
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Director

San Wong

Iowa Department of Human Rights

OUR TEAM

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Director of Guest Engagement

Daphne Dickens, CFEE

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Executive Director

Stephen King, CFEE, MA

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Volunteer Coordinator

Stacey Nay

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Social Media + Photography

Madeleine King

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Director of Community Relations

Colleen Murphy, CFEE

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EMT

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

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