ABOUT US
Des Moines Arts Festival is a 501c3 non-profit organization
OUR MISSION
Impact Lives Through the Arts
OUR CORE VALUES
​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
Brian Laurenzo
Brick Gentry P.C.
Treasurer
Brooke Fultz
Principal Financial Group
Director
CHRIS COSTA
Knapp Properties, LC
Director
Stephen King
Executive Director
Director
jami milne
Artist, Des Moines Ballet
Director
emily a. stevens
Wellabe
Director, Executive Committee
Michele Wilkie
Prairie Meadows
Immediate Past Chair
Bill Burma
Grand View University, Retired
Secretary
San Wong
Iowa Department of Human Rights
Director
Kristina Huntsman
ChildServe, Event Management Team Representative
Director, Executive Committee
Chris Kramer
CK Resource Group
Director
katie overberg
Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
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Board Emeritus
Natalie Tomaras
American Equity investment Life Insurance Co., Retired
Chair-Elect
Marsha Aldridge
Nationwide, Retired
Director
Connie Boesen
Mayor, City of Des Moines
Director
john irving
Tri-City Electric
Director
ron maahs
Trilix
Director
Susan Patterson Plank
Rebuild Local News
Director
Carl Voss
Des Moines City Council
Past Board chairs
Pamela Bass Bookey, 2003, 2004
Kirk Blunck*, 1997 - 2002
Bill Burma, 2023, 2024
Vicki Comegys, 2019-2020
E.J. Giovanetti, 2013, 2014
Robert Josten*, 2009, 2010
Robert Larson, 2021, 2022
Tracy Lewis, 2007, 2008
Kent Mauck, 2005, 2006
Patricia McFarland, 2011, 2012
Susan Patterson Plank, 2017, 2018
Natalie Tomaras, 2015
Jim Quilty, 2007
Tom Whitney, 2016
​*Deceased
Original Incorporators, June 17, 1997:
Kirk Blunck*
Robert Helmick*
Nancy Montgomery
Peggy Patrick*
Mary Seidler
Dennis Young
*Deceased
OUR TEAM
Director of Guest Engagement
Daphne Dickens, CFEE
Executive Director
Stephen King, MA, CFEE
Event Coordinator
Sage Halfhill-Boone
Director of Community Relations
Colleen Murphy, CFEE
Social Media + Photography
Madeleine King
Volunteer Coordinator
Stacey Nay
2025 Event Management Team
Artist Relations
Amanda Leonard
Andrew Tincher
Ann Rolow
Jac Maranell
Jennifer Johnson
Madison Bemus
Sean Masters
Banner Queen
Sage Halfhill-Boone
Beverage Team
Alicia Lynch (DMAF Beverage Czar)
Melissa Winters (DMAF Beverage Czar)
Alison Hoeman (DSM Refugee Support)
Mallory Bennett (DSM Refugee Support)
Tisa Johnson (DSM Refugee Support)
Alicia Vermeer (Community Youth Concepts)
Catherine Cook (Community Youth Concepts)
Julie Cackler (Community Youth Concepts)
Amanda Wiebers (Cowles Montessori Parent Group)
Amber Graeber (Perkins Elementary PTA)
Erik Weber (Perkins Elementary PTA)
Stacy Satterstrom (Perkins Elementary PTA)
Lindsey Weis (Perkins Elementary PTA)
Food Vendor Relations
Amanda Joseph
Kate Steffen
Marsha Aldridge
Michele Ramsey
Rondolyn Hawkins
Sophia Karau
Interrobang Film Festival
David Derong
POS/Technical Support
Dylan Verhoef
Ryan Rohlf
Merchandise
Bridget Murphy
Carlene Kurschinski Rivera
Emma Webb
Jessica Fink
Sandra Roberts
Tracee Collins
On-Site Office Managers
Heidi Hoffman
Judi Mireles
Katie Dale
Marh Abdulmahdi
Production
Corey Wright
Hannah Graves
Katherine King
Kaci Wiegand
Megan Hanson
Michal King
Mitch Rogers
Rachel Wegmann
Sage Halfhill-Boone
Tony Behnke
Sponsor Relations
Carrie Thede
Jeff Petterson
Julia Verhoef
Kent Maahs
Kimberly Kerr
Robert Lee
Stages
Ashley Bohnenkamp
Dan Ray
Karina Abbott
Kristina Huntsman
Student Art Exhibition
Alicia Lynch
Willa Goodman
Sustainability
Brittney Stelmacher
Jessie McBroom
Kyle Fiala
Tanner Faaborg (Urban Ambassadors)
Volunteer Relations
Jennifer Kellner
Madalyne Rutledge
Sally Corcoran
Stacey Nay
Zoe Schmitz