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Art, culture, and creativity are no replacement for basic human services—food, shelter, medicine—but they are by no means irrelevant to our health and happiness either. An increasing number of scholars, doctors, and scientists are producing...
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During Women’s History Month in March, I had more chances than usual to ponder and celebrate the contributions of women, especially those who played a pivotal role in the Des Moines Art Center’s history. Women...
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I’m thrilled to introduce the Art Center’s 2026 winter season, which builds on a very successful 2025 during which our institution fired on all cylinders. Last year, thanks to an electrifying exhibition program, excellent events,...
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I love learning. I was reminded how much I love to learn, and how important learning is to my personal and professional well-being, this summer, when I attended the executive education course Strategic Perspectives in...
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Over the span of 36 hours at the very end of April and beginning of May, I attended two inspiring lectures, both of which deepened my belief in the power and necessity of art museums....
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I am launching myself into 2025 with a renewed sense of purpose, ever more confident in the necessity and importance of the Des Moines Art Center. We accomplished a great deal in 2024. Many of...
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I have always found the end of summer and the beginning of fall to be a particularly bittersweet time of the year. It is a moment of transition, as the weather begins to change and...
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I’m recently back from an exhilarating trip to New York with sixteen of our trustees, members, and guests. We were thrilled to see our masterpiece “Woman in White” (1946), by Henri Matisse, on view in...
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Welcome to 2024! I’m very excited to write to you as I launch my first full year as John and Mary Pappajohn Director of the Des Moines Art Center. Over the last several months, I...
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Non-profits like the Art Center depend on the generosity of people, governments, organizations, foundations, and corporations. However, generosity is never guaranteed—indeed, generosity would not be generosity if it were compelled or mandated. That puts the...
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