Youth Art Workshops: Paper Pillows or Painted Totes
2025-07-01 09:30 (America/Chicago) | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Looking for a fun and creative way to spark your child’s imagination this summer? Our one-day youth workshops offer kids a chance to explore painting, drawing, and mixed media in the Art Center studios—no experience needed! Led by experienced teaching artists, these hands-on, two-hour workshops are the perfect way to engage imaginations and practice artistic skills.
Visit the museum after the workshop for more art inspiration! Admission is always free.
PAPER PILLOWS (AGES 6-8)
PAPER PILLOWS (AGES 9-13)
Who wouldn’t love a big, squishy sculpture constructed from their imaginations? Students will learn how to make a simple design, draw and cut out their plans, decorate, and stuff to make their incredible pillow creations. Students will go home with a paper pillow that is lightweight enough to hang from a string for wall decoration!
PAINTED TOTES (AGES 6-8)
PAINTED TOTES (AGES 9-13)
Show off your unique, artistic abilities with a tote bag you painted yourself! Students will create designs for their tote bags and paint them in their preferred style. If there’s time, students will learn embellishment techniques like adding beads and sewing patches.
Des Moines Art Center members receive a 20% discount on all classes, camps, and workshops! Become a member today.

Guided Meditation Inspired by “Firelei Báez” - SOLD OUT
2025-07-12 12:30 - 13:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
You’re invited to join us for a brief guided meditation inspired by the exhibition “Firelei Báez,” prior to the exhibition tour at 1 pm. Enjoy a relaxing and inspiring meditation led by Des Moines artist Amy Putney Koenig within Firelei Báez’s incredible “A Drexcyen chronocommons (To win the war you fought it sideways)” installation before the docent led tour experience.
Free; registration required. *This event is sold out.
Photo: Brittany Brooke Crow

Art Workshop: Henna & Mandalas
2025-07-13 13:00 - 16:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join us on this exploration of traditional mandala and henna patterns while learning about the history of art in India. From medieval times to the present day, students will be exposed to examples of traditional mandala and henna patterns, rangoli, lettering, and paintings.
REGISTER
Des Moines Art Center members receive a 20% discount on all classes, camps, and workshops! Become a member today.
Scholarships for classes and materials are offered on our application page.

Museum Shop Summer Clearance Sale + Member Double Discount Days
2025-07-15 - 2025-07-20 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Stop by the Museum Shop July 15 – 20 for Double Discount Days, plus our annual summer clearance sale! Shop a huge selection of items on extra discounted prices! Des Moines Art Center members receive 20% off regularly priced merchandise. Grab a special treat for yourself or unique gifts for family and friends; we have something for everyone.
Interested in saving 20% in the Museum Shop during Double Discount days? Become a Member today! Art Center members receive a year-round 10% discount in the Museum Shop, plus a 20% discount to all studio classes and workshops. Members also enjoy invitations to behind-the-scenes experiences and events.
Museum Shop hours

Guided Tour: Mystical Creatures and Magical Places
2025-07-19 13:00 - 14:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Explore how folklore, Greek and Roman gods, and spiritual and majestic places inspired the imagination and creativity of artists in the Art Center’s collections. On this tour, you’ll uncover the stories behind these artworks and be invited to dream up your own mythical creature or magical realm.
Public guided tours are offered every Saturday from 1 – 2 pm. Free; no registration required.
Carl Milles (Swedish, active United States, 1875 – 1955)
Man and Pegasus, 1949
Bronze
Des Moines Art Center Permanent Collections; Purchased with funds from Florence Call Cowles, 1949.151

Gallery Talk: "Firelei Báez" with Associate Curator Elizabeth Gollnick
2025-07-20 13:30 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join Associate Curator Elizabeth Gollnick, Ph.D., for a gallery talk of the extraordinary exhibition “Firelei Báez.” Organized by the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, this exhibition is the first North American survey dedicated to the richly layered work of artist Firelei Báez. Over the past 20 years, she has made work that explores the multilayered legacy of colonial histories and the African diaspora in the Caribbean and beyond.
Free; no registration required.
Firelei Báez (Dominican, born 1981)
“Untitled (Les tables de géographie réduites en un jeu de cartes),” 2022
Oil, acrylic, and inkjet on canvas
Collection of Deborah Beckmann and Jacob Kotzubei. Courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth, New York. Photo by Jackie Furtado. © Firelei Báez

Exhibition Opening Celebration: “Iowa Artists 2025: Ben Millett"
2025-07-25 17:00 - 19:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join us for the opening celebration of “Iowa Artists 2025: Ben Millett,” a timely and groundbreaking entry into the Des Moines Art Center’s decades-long series presenting the best of Iowa-made art, and the first solo show by a quilt maker in the museum’s history. Based in Des Moines, Millett’s approach to textiles is literally multi-layered, employing traditional quilting techniques to create works that combine original patterns, a bright palette, and visual nods to Queer iconography and activism. This exhibition will feature various types of Millett’s textile art, including large quilts, garments, multi-paneled fabric collages, and an artist’s book made from fabric.
Take in the new show from the Art Center’s long-standing Iowa Artists exhibition series. Bring family and friends to kick off the evening with complimentary hors d’oeuvres and desserts from The Tangerine Food Company. Beer, wine, and a specialty cocktail (Lavender Vodka Lemonade) available for purchase. Live music provided by DJ Mollie Downs. Remarks from Kelly Baum, John and Mary Pappajohn Director and CEO, will take place at 6 pm.
This event is free; registration is not required. This event will be documented with photography.
Ben Millett (American, born 1979)
“Progress Pride Stars” (detail), 2023
Cotton fabric, batting, and thread; quilted by machine
Courtesy of the artist

Pizza Saturday at the Art Center Café
2025-07-26 14:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-02 14:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-09 14:00 - 16:00 | The Art Center Café, 4700 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Spend Saturday afternoons at the Art Center with a complimentary slice of pizza and live music in the beautiful setting of the Bookey Family Courtyard! Presented by the Art Center Café, sample artisan-made pizza* from a local vendor and enjoy a variety of wine, beer, espresso beverages, and desserts for purchase.
While you’re here, be sure to take in the magnificent art on view, including the “Firelei Báez” exhibition.
*One slice of pizza per guest while supplies last. Gluten-free pizza available while supplies last. Additional gluten-free and vegan options available from the regular menu. No outside food or drinks are allowed in the café or courtyard.

“Iowa Artists 2025: Ben Millett” Exhibition Tour
2025-08-02 13:00 - 14:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Learn more about the 2025 Iowa Artists exhibition at the Des Moines Art Center, featuring local quilt maker Ben Millett. Based in Des Moines, Millett’s approach to textiles is literally multi-layered, employing traditional quilting techniques to create works that combine original patterns, a bright palette, and visual nods to queer iconography and activism. “Iowa Artists 2025: Ben Millett” is a timely and groundbreaking entry into the Art Center’s decades-long series presenting the best of Iowa-made art, and the first solo show by a quilt maker in the museum’s history.
Public guided tours are offered every Saturday from 1 – 2 pm. Free; no registration required.
Ben Millett (American, born 1979)
“It’s Electric!,” 2024
Cotton fabric and thread, wool batting; quilted by machine
Courtesy of the artist

Community Access Teaching Artist Exhibition + Opening Reception
2025-08-22 16:30 - 18:30 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
The Des Moines Art Center’s Community Access Program is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year! We invite the public to celebrate 25+ years of no-cost art experiences for our community by joining us August 22 – 24.
At the opening reception of the Community Access Teaching Artist Exhibition, enjoy artwork, original poetry, music, and complimentary refreshments. Gather in the Macomber Lobby as teaching artists will be in attendance to discuss their work. The exhibition will be on view August 22 – September 28, 2025 in the Adrienne and Charles Herbert Galleries, Education Wing
Generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program.

Community Access Programming presenting sponsor: Charlotte and Fred Hubbell
Additional support provided by: Corteva Agriscience, HyVee, Iowa State Bank, Lincoln Savings Bank, Meier Bernstein Foundation, David J. Noble Foundation, Polk County Board of Supervisors, Prairie Meadows, Variety – the Children’s Charity of Iowa, Voya Financial
Free; no registration required.

Community Access Teaching Artist Demonstrations and Art Activities
2025-08-23 11:00 - 14:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join us in the Education Wing of the Art Center as Community Access Program teaching artists put on public art demonstrations and host a variety of hands-on art activities for all ages!
Demonstrations Schedule:
Working Around Chance, with Aron Johnston l Studio 6
Participants roll a die to choose shapes, colors, or techniques, inviting playful randomness into abstract compositions and sparking unexpected creativity.
Community Access and ASL Letter Cutting Workshop, with Amber Montoya l Studio 5
A hands on session celebrating Deaf culture: artists select printed ASL letters to cut out and arrange into names or words, blending visual art with sign-language identity.
Textured Self Portraits: Touch and Color, with Branscom Chavaque l Studio 2
Create self portraits using textured materials and vibrant hues to reflect personal identity and emotion, celebrating diversity and self-love.
Lego Stamp Art, with Victoria Story l Studio 1
Use LEGO bricks to create custom stamps and decorate canvas bags with playful shapes and colors, combining play and printmaking.

The Des Moines Art Center’s Community Access Program is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year! We invite the public to celebrate 25+ years of no-cost art experiences for our community by joining us August 22 – 24.
Generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program.

Community Access Programming presenting sponsor: Charlotte and Fred Hubbell
Additional support provided by: Corteva Agriscience, HyVee, Iowa State Bank, Lincoln Savings Bank, Meier Bernstein Foundation, David J. Noble Foundation, Polk County Board of Supervisors, Prairie Meadows, Variety – the Children’s Charity of Iowa, Voya Financial
Free; no registration required.

Gallery Talk with 2025 Iowa Artist Ben Millett and Senior Curator Laura Burkhalter
2025-08-23 13:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join our 2025 Iowa Artist Ben Millett and Des Moines Art Center Senior Curator Laura Burkhalter for a gallery talk about Millett’s solo exhibition on view in the lower Richard Meier galleries. Learn more about the exhibition and hear from Millett about his process and practice.
Based in Des Moines, Millett’s approach to textiles is literally multi-layered, employing traditional quilting techniques to create works that combine original patterns, a bright palette, and visual nods to queer iconography and activism. “Iowa Artists 2025: Ben Millett” is a timely and groundbreaking entry into the Art Center’s decades-long series presenting the best of Iowa-made art, and the first solo show by a quilt maker in the museum’s history.
Free; no registration required. Photo: Brittany Brooke Crow.

THREADS Dance Performance + Reception
2025-08-24 14:00 - 16:00 | Levitt Auditorium, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
The Art Center is a magnificent space for performances of all variety. Dating back to 1975, Penny Furgerson’s Gateway Dance Theatre tapped into the museum’s iconic architecture and inspiring artwork, and put their bodies in motion in powerful, challenging, and beautiful ways. Today, Swan Project honors the legacy of Gateway Dance Theatre and the spirit of art access and collaboration by activating the Art Center with THREADS, a multigenerational dance and video performance.
This contemporary dance performance has been produced in homage to the legacy of Gateway Dance Theatre by Sarah Jae, Izzy Kelai, Aminah Nalani, and Syd Furgerson. Stay after the performance for a reception.
The Des Moines Art Center’s Community Access Program is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year! We invite the public to celebrate 25+ years of no-cost art experiences for our community by joining us August 22 – 24.
Generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program.

Community Access Programming presenting sponsor: Charlotte and Fred Hubbell
Additional support provided by: Corteva Agriscience, HyVee, Iowa State Bank, Lincoln Savings Bank, Meier Bernstein Foundation, David J. Noble Foundation, Polk County Board of Supervisors, Prairie Meadows, Variety – the Children’s Charity of Iowa, Voya Financial
Free; no registration required. Seating in Levitt Auditorium will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
Photo: Historic photo of Gateway Dance Theatre dancers in the I. M. Pei building circa 1976 by Dave Penney.

“Life Mask: A Celebration of Gifts from the Dale Jansen Estate” Exhibition Tour
2025-08-30 13:00 - 14:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join us for a guided tour of the “Life Mask: A Celebration of Gifts from the Dale Jansen Estate” exhibition, on view in the John Brady Print Gallery April 25 through August 31, 2025. This exhibition pays tribute to the late philanthropist, collector, and longtime Des Moines Art Center supporter Dale Jansen. Its title is borrowed from Bruce Nauman’s 1981 lithograph “Life Mask,” one of 65 artworks that were donated to the Art Center by Jansen through his estate.
Public guided tours are offered every Saturday from 1 – 2 pm. Free; no registration required.
Bruce Nauman (American, born 1941)
“Life Mask,” 1981
Lithograph in black on Arches cover wove paper
Des Moines Art Center Permanent Collections; Gift of the Estate of Dale Jansen, 2024.73

Coffee with a Curator
2025-09-05 09:30 - 11:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Members at the Curator’s Circle ($550) and above are invited to Coffee with a Curator, an exclusive event featuring a gallery talk and casual group discussion. Local artist Ben Millett and Des Moines Art Center Senior Curator Laura Burkhalter, who co-curated “Iowa Artists 2025: Ben Millett,” will guide a limited in-person tour about the exhibition in the lower galleries of the Richard Meier building.
In vivid colors, Ben’s work introduces several themes in this presentation. His works inspire a direct dialogue around the importance and history of Queer pride, echoing multiple works in the galleries that tell stories of identity, visibility, and justice. It is a timely and groundbreaking entry into the museum’s decades-long series presenting the best of Iowa-made art, and the first solo show by a quilt maker in our history.
After the gallery talk, enjoy coffee and pastries with Ben, Laura, and your fellow members in the Art Center Café, presented by la mie.
Register by August 29. Space is limited.
Curator’s Circle+ members can RSVP by emailing Jess Lane, Gala and Development Events Coordinator at jlane@desmoinesartcenter.org.
Become a member or upgrade your membership.
Pictured: Des Moines Art Center Senior Curator Laura Burkhalter and artist Ben Millett at the “Iowa Artists 2025: Ben Millett” exhibition opening. Photo: Brittany Brooke Crow.

“Light Within Ourselves: Haitian Art in Iowa” Exhibition Tour
2025-09-06 13:00 - 14:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join us for one last chance to visit and learn about the exhibition “Light Within Ourselves: Haitian Art in Iowa,” before the show closes on Sunday, September 7! Hear from an Art Center docent details about the exhibition and artworks on display in the A. H. Blank Gallery.
Organized in partnership with the Waterloo Center for the Arts (WCA), “Light Within Ourselves: Haitian Art in Iowa” showcases a selection of the rich holdings of Haitian Art in the WCA’s collection—the largest public collection of Haitian Art in both Iowa and the United States. This exhibition explores the vibrant diversity of Haitian artwork, featuring paintings, metalwork, sculpture, and drapos (beaded and sequined banners).
Public guided tours are offered every Saturday from 1 – 2 pm. Free; no registration required.

“Firelei Báez” Exhibition Tour
2025-09-13 13:00 - 14:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
The presentation of “Firelei Báez” at the Des Moines Art Center closes on Sunday, September 21—join us for a guided exhibition tour one final time!
Organized by the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, this exhibition is the first North American survey dedicated to the richly layered work of artist Firelei Báez. Over the past 20 years, she has made work that explores the multilayered legacy of colonial histories and the African diaspora in the Caribbean and beyond.
Public guided tours are offered every Saturday from 1 – 2 pm. Free; no registration required.
Firelei Báez (Dominican, born 1981)
“A Drexcyen chronocommons (To win the war you fought it sideways),” 2019
Two paintings, hand-painted wooden frame, perforated tarp, printed mesh, handmade paper over found objects, plants, and books
Courtesy the Joyner/Giuffrida Collection, ​San Francisco
Image courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth, New York. Photo by Phoebe d’Heurle. © Firelei Báez

Ben Millett Hand Quilting in Art Center Galleries
2025-09-14 13:00 - 16:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
You’re invited to stop by and watch an artist at work in the Des Moines Art Center’s galleries! Ben Millett will be hand quilting in the “Iowa Artists 2025: Ben Millett” exhibition space for the afternoon. He will be working on adding accents to a previously assembled quilt, inspired by the textiles in his exhibition. Museum attendees are encouraged to ask questions and observe his process.
Free; no registration required. Photo: Jami Milne.

Connecting Through Art (Adults Impacted by Parkinson’s)
2025-09-16 14:00 - 15:30, 2025-10-21 14:00 - 15:30 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
The Des Moines Art Center is partnering with the American Parkinson Disease Association to offer classes specifically for adults of any age impacted by Parkinson’s Disease. Connecting Through Art uses creativity to help improve motor skills, boost emotional well-being, and enhance cognitive function. Sessions are split into two days, an art-making day taking place at a separate studio location in the Des Moines area, and an afternoon in the Des Moines Art Center galleries to discuss art and learn.
The gallery sessions will take place on the third Tuesday of every month at 2 pm and will take a conversational deep dive looking at one work of art, with a break for some gentle chair yoga mid-session. Participants are welcome to bring a caregiver. The docent-led gallery talk is followed by an informal gathering with coffee and tea. This program is free and registration is required.
REGISTER

2025 Gala: Chiaroscuro
2025-09-20 18:00 - 23:00 | IA
You’re invited to experience a night of art and celebration at the 2025 Des Moines Art Center Gala, an extraordinary event to support the Art Center in style! Enjoy an elegant cocktail reception before an exquisite dining experience in the Krause Gateway Center. Create unforgettable memories with fellow art enthusiasts as you dance the night away.
Saturday, September 20, 2025
Cocktail Hour | 6 pm
Dinner and Dessert l 7:30 pm
Dancing and Music | 9 – 11 pm
Your support of this dynamic event ensures the Art Center remains free and accessible to everyone, every day. With your help, we will continue to offer engaging exhibitions and exciting educational programs, building an inclusive space that stimulates creative, critical, and empathetic thinking.
2025 Gala Sponsorships are available now. Guarantee tickets to the event and maximize your brand by becoming a sponsor today. To pledge your support, please email Senior Director of Development Caleb Hegna at chegna@desmoinesartcenter.org or call 515.271.0338.
Patron packages ($2,700 per pair or $1,350 for an individual) and Individual tickets ($300) are on sale now!
PURCHASE TICKETS
For more information or questions about the gala, please contact Gala and Development Events Coordinator Jess Lane at jlane@desmoinesartcenter.org or 515.271.0336.
Photo: Cameron Campbell
chi·a·ro·scu·ro
/kyärəˈsko͝orō/ noun
__________
The juxtaposition between light and dark in a pictorial work of art, from Italian, “chiaro” clear, light + “oscuro” obscure, dark.
At the Des Moines Art Center Chiaroscuro Gala, glamour and mystery intertwine to captivate partygoers at the black-and-white masquerade.

Guided Tour: Blue Star Welcome Week for Service Members, Veterans, and Military Families
2025-09-27 13:00 - 14:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
In celebration of Blue Star Welcome Week, the Art Center is offering a free guided tour titled “Sailor, Soldier, Airman, Artist.” Join us for this themed tour that asks the question, “How did the military experience influence mid-century modern artists?” with artist features such as Ellsworth Kelly (WWII), Sam Francis (WWII), or b. Robert Moore (son of a Vietnam veteran).
The Des Moines Art Center is a Blue Star Museum, offering free admission every day to everyone. Hosting this guided tour during Blue Star Welcome Week, seeks to build support for the 600,000 military families who move to new communities each year. We invite all military personnel and family members to attend, whether new to the Des Moines community or not, to enjoy an afternoon at the Art Center.
Public guided tours are offered every Saturday from 1 – 2 pm. Free; no registration required.
b. Robert Moore (American, born 1983)
“Kin to War” (detail), 2023
Acrylic, charcoal, saw dust, Ethiopian coffee, Ethiopian coffee burlap, polyurethane, oil pigment on Belgian Linen
Des Moines Art Center Permanent Collections; Purchased with funds from the Edmundson Art Foundation, Inc., 2023.24
Photo: Rich Sanders

“Aliza Nisenbaum: Día de los Muertos” Exhibition Tour
2025-10-04 13:00 - 14:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Aliza Nisenbaum is known for her vibrantly colored, large-scale portraits. She describes her paintings as a “montage of points in time.” Rather than depicting a specific moment, they capture the essence of the community she paints.
Last fall, the Art Center invited Nisenbaum to meet with pivotal Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) committee, learn about the event’s history, and photograph the 2024 celebration, as part of her two-year residency as the Toni and Tim Urban International Artist-in-Residence. View the exhibition and learn more about the works in “Aliza Nisenbaum: Día de los Muertos” during this guided tour.
Public guided tours are offered every Saturday from 1 – 2 pm. Free; no registration required.
Aliza Nisenbaum (Mexican and American, lives and works in New York, NY, born 1977)
“Mantilla” (detail), 2025
Oil on canvas
Courtesy of the artist, Anton Kern Gallery, and Regen Projects

“Robert Rauschenberg: Currents, 1970" Exhibition Tour
2025-10-11 13:00 - 14:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
This exhibition features 17 large-scale prints and a related sound piece from Robert Rauschenberg’s “Currents” series of 1970. Join us in the John Brady Print Gallery for a guided tour of the show.
During a tumultuous political moment in the US, the artist conceptualized the “Currents” project as an experience of immersion and overstimulation meant to jar viewers into action. “Currents” refers to current events as much as forces of nature — ocean currents, electrical currents — phenomena that can sweep someone away or jolt them into attention.
Public guided tours are offered every Saturday from 1 – 2 pm. Free; no registration required.
Robert Rauschenberg (American, 1925 – 2008)
“Surface Series 52, from ‘Currents”’ (detail), 1970
Screenprint on paper
Des Moines Art Center Permanent Collections; Gift of Lawrence Zicklin, New York, 1983.62.15
Photo: Rich Sanders

Art Workshop: Ukrainian Pysanky Holiday Egg Decoration
2025-10-12 10:30 - 13:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Learn the art of Pysanky decoration in this fun holiday workshop. Pysanka, coming from the verb pysaty meaning “to write” or “to inscribe”, is a Ukrainian egg decorating technique used to make traditional folk designs and writings that uses beeswax in a hot wax-resist. Ukrainians have been decorating eggs with highly symbolic and colorful motifs for countless generations. Different villages had specialized motifs, but some common imagery includes depictions of the sun, birds, a ladder, the tree of life, flowers, and geometric designs. Scholarships for class and materials are available.
REGISTER
Des Moines Art Center members receive a 20% discount on all classes, camps, and workshops! Become a member today.
Scholarships for classes and materials are offered on our application page.

Gallery Talk: “Aliza Nisenbaum: Día de los Muertos” with Elizabeth Gollnick and Vince Valdez
2025-10-12 13:30 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join Associate Curator Elizabeth Gollnick and longtime member of the Art Center’s Day of the Dead committee, Vince Valdez, for an engaging gallery talk that looks at Aliza Nisenbaum’s exuberant painting exhibition. As curator of the exhibition, Gollnick will speak about the residency in which Nisenbaum conceived of the Day of the Dead premise for the works, and Valdez, a photographer and documentarian who has contributed to the visuals and storytelling of the honorees for numerous Day of the Dead events, will offer his experiences being involved with the celebration at the Des Moines Art Center.
Aliza Nisenbaum is the 2024-2025 Toni and Tim Urban International Artist-in-Residence.
Free; no registration required.

Member Event: Exclusive Artist Talk with Aliza Nisenbaum
2025-10-23 17:30 - 19:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
In appreciation of your generous Director’s Circle membership and commitment to the Des Moines Art Center we are pleased to invite you and your special guests to join John and Mary Pappajohn Director and CEO, Kelly Baum, for an exclusive gallery talk and reception with visiting artist Aliza Nisenbaum. Nisenbaum is the 2024-2025 Toni and Tim Urban International Artist-in-Residence. Her work is featured in the current exhibition “Aliza Nisenbaum: Día de los Muertos,” curated by Art Center Associate Curator Beth Gollnick.
Nisenbaum is known for her vibrantly colored, large-scale portraits. She describes her paintings as a “montage of points in time” — rather than depicting a specific moment, they capture the essence of the community she paints. Inspired by her visits to the Des Moines Art Center during the fall of 2024, Nisenbaum created five paintings to commemorate the 25-year history of the Día de los Muertos celebration at the museum.
After the talk, enjoy an exclusive preview of the “Manuel Álvarez Bravo: Collaborations” exhibition before it opens, mingle with fellow Art Center patrons, and enjoy hors d’oeuvres and drinks by the Art Center Café.
Registration required by October 16. Space is limited. Director’s Circle members, register by emailing Jess Lane, Gala and Development Events Coordinator, at jlane@desmoinesartcenter.org.
Aliza Nisenbaum (Mexican and American, lives and works in New York, NY, born 1977)
“Mantilla” (detail), 2025
Oil on canvas
Courtesy of the artist, Anton Kern Gallery, and Regen Projects

Exhibition Opening Celebration: “Manuel Álvarez Bravo: Collaborations” and “Aliza Nisenbaum: Dia de los Muertos”
2025-10-24 17:00 - 19:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join us for the opening celebration of “Manuel Álvarez Bravo: Collaborations” in the Anna K. Meredith Gallery! Manuel Álvarez Bravo is sometimes called the father of Mexican photography, but he did not reach the heights of his field on his own. He achieved his place in history through conversations and connections with some of the greatest minds of the 20th century in Mexico and abroad. With over 100 photographs and ephemera, this exhibition illustrates that working with others was a central part of the artist’s creative process.
This event will also celebrate the exhibition, “Aliza Nisenbaum: Día de los Muertos,” open through January 11 in the A. H. Blank Gallery. Last fall, the Art Center invited Nisenbaum to meet with pivotal members of the Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) committee, learn about the event’s history at the museum, and photograph the 2024 celebration, as part of her two-year term as the Toni and Tim Urban International Artist-in-Residence. Inspired by her visits to the Des Moines Art Center, Nisenbaum created five paintings to commemorate the 25-year history of the Día de los Muertos celebration at the museum.
Bring family and friends to view the artwork, and kick off the evening with complimentary lite bites from The Cheese Shop and desserts from The Tangerine Food Company. Beer and wine available for purchase. Live music provided by DJ Richie Daggers. Remarks from Kelly Baum, John and Mary Pappajohn Director and CEO, will take place at 6 pm.
This event is free; registration is not required. This event will be documented with photography.
Support for “Manuel Álvarez Bravo: Collaborations” is provided by:

Jacqueline and Myron Blank Exhibition Fund
Richard L. Deming, M.D.
Manuel Álvarez Bravo (Mexican, 1902 – 2002)
“Caja de visiones (Box of Visions)” (detail), 1931
Gelatin silver print
Des Moines Art Center Permanent Collections; Purchased with funds from Craig and Kimberly Shadur, 2024.11
Photo: Rich Sanders
