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X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://desmoinesartcenter.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Des Moines Art Center
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DTSTART:20260308T080000
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DTSTART:20261101T070000
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260715T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260715T210000
DTSTAMP:20260603T182141
CREATED:20250414T215317Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260527T201432Z
UID:11303-1784138400-1784149200@desmoinesartcenter.org
SUMMARY:Art Workshop: Calligraphy—Abstract and Experimental Lettering
DESCRIPTION:Join fellow students for this one-day workshop of bringing abstraction to calligraphy. Students will use various tools\, including balsa wood and automatic pens\, to make expressive calligraphic marks and letters on paper. Students will learn to incorporate watercolor and vellum to add depth and layers. \nREGISTER \nDes Moines Art Center members receive a 20% discount on all classes\, camps\, and workshops! Become a member today.  \nScholarships for classes and materials are offered on our application page.
URL:https://desmoinesartcenter.org/event/art-workshop-calligraphy-2/
LOCATION:Des Moines Art Center\, 4700 Grand Ave\, Des Moines\, IA\, 50312\, United States
CATEGORIES:Studio Art Classes
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://desmoinesartcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/web-tile-size-9.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260718T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260718T140000
DTSTAMP:20260603T182141
CREATED:20260209T205139Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260603T155638Z
UID:13337-1784379600-1784383200@desmoinesartcenter.org
SUMMARY:“Elle Pérez: La Despedida” Exhibition Tour
DESCRIPTION:Visitors are invited to learn more about the exhibition “Elle Pérez: La Despedida” during this free guided tour. The show\, on view in the A. H. Blank Gallery\, highlights Bronx-based photographer Elle Pérez’s practice as she constructs lush and tactile photographs born from careful attention to the objects\, settings\, and individuals in their everyday life. The artist’s 2025 series “La Despedida (the world is always ending\, the world is always again beginning)” encompasses photographs taken in the gardens of two very different sites: Pérez’s grandfather’s backyard in Puerto Real\, Puerto Rico\, and Impressionist painter Claude Monet’s home in Giverny\, France. \nPublic guided tours are offered every Saturday from 1 – 2 pm. Free; no registration required. \nElle Pérez (born 1989)\n“untitled (light window)” (detail)\, 2025\nArchival pigment print\nImage courtesy of the artist and 47 Canal\, New York\nPhoto: Joerg Lohse \n 
URL:https://desmoinesartcenter.org/event/elle-perez-la-despedida-exhibition-tour/
LOCATION:Des Moines Art Center\, 4700 Grand Ave\, Des Moines\, IA\, 50312\, United States
CATEGORIES:Exhibitions,Guided Tours
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://desmoinesartcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/web-tile-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260719T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260719T153000
DTSTAMP:20260603T182141
CREATED:20250327T172201Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260527T205405Z
UID:11165-1784464200-1784475000@desmoinesartcenter.org
SUMMARY:Art Workshop: World of Wine
DESCRIPTION:Work on your own or team up with someone to create your own bottle design wrap and decoration for a carrying device in this workshop. While you are working on your design\, you will have the chance to sample wines and learn about their history from around the world. \nREGISTER \n*Participants must be 21 or over to participate. \nDes Moines Art Center members receive a 20% discount on all classes\, camps\, and workshops! Become a member today.  \nScholarships for classes and materials are offered on our application page.
URL:https://desmoinesartcenter.org/event/art-workshop-world-of-wine/
LOCATION:Des Moines Art Center\, 4700 Grand Ave\, Des Moines\, IA\, 50312\, United States
CATEGORIES:Studio Art Classes
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://desmoinesartcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/web-tile-2-5.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260719T133000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260719T133000
DTSTAMP:20260603T182141
CREATED:20260108T181241Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260512T170912Z
UID:13152-1784467800-1784467800@desmoinesartcenter.org
SUMMARY:“Topographies: Mapping Being and Belonging” Gallery Talk with Associate Curator Beth Gollnick
DESCRIPTION:Join Associate Curator Beth Gollnick for a gallery talk about the exhibition “Topographies: Mapping Being and Belonging” on view in the Anna K. Meredith Gallery from June 13 – September 20\, 2026. Topography (drawn from the Ancient Greek words topos\, meaning place\, and graphia\, meaning writing) is the creation of a visual map that describes the natural or human-made features of a place. \nHumans have long used the process of mapmaking to make sense of the world around us. Mapping can create order out of vast amounts of information\, help us to extrapolate broader patterns\, or reveal how unseen systems influence our perceptions. In this exhibition\, mapping serves as a metaphor for the ways artists draw meaning from their surroundings: how they transform our understanding of both the physical world and the societal forces that shape the places we inhabit. \nFree; no registration required. \nSky Hopinka (Ho-Chunk Nation/Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians\, born 1984)\n“Mnemonics of Shape and Reason\,” 2021 (still)\nHD video\, stereo\, color\, 4.2 min\nDes Moines Art Center Permanent Collections; Purchased with funds from the Pamela Bass-Bookey and Harry Bookey Moving-Image and Time-Based Art Fund\, 2025.1\n© Sky Hopinka. Image appears courtesy of the Artist and The Green Gallery\, Milwaukee
URL:https://desmoinesartcenter.org/event/topographies-gallery-talk/
LOCATION:Des Moines Art Center\, 4700 Grand Ave\, Des Moines\, IA\, 50312\, United States
CATEGORIES:Exhibitions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://desmoinesartcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/web-tile-1-3.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260723T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260723T173000
DTSTAMP:20260603T182141
CREATED:20260518T203921Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260518T203921Z
UID:14239-1784827800-1784827800@desmoinesartcenter.org
SUMMARY:“Elle Pérez: La Despedida” Gallery Talk with Associate Curator Ashton Cooper
DESCRIPTION:Join Associate Curator Ashton Cooper for a gallery talk about the exhibition “Elle Pérez: La Despedida” on view in the A. H. Blank Gallery from June 25 – November 29\, 2026. Bronx-based photographer Elle Pérez constructs lush and tactile photographs born from careful attention to the objects\, settings\, and individuals in their everyday life. The artist’s 2025 series “La Despedida (the world is always ending\, the world is always again beginning)” encompasses photographs taken in the gardens of two very different sites: Pérez’s grandfather’s backyard in Puerto Real\, Puerto Rico\, and Impressionist painter Claude Monet’s home in Giverny\, France. \nFree; no registration required. \nElle Pérez (born 1989)\n“untitled (light window)” (detail)\, 2025\nArchival pigment print\nImage courtesy of the artist and 47 Canal\, New York\nPhoto: Joerg Lohse
URL:https://desmoinesartcenter.org/event/elle-perez-gallery-talk/
LOCATION:Des Moines Art Center\, 4700 Grand Ave\, Des Moines\, IA\, 50312\, United States
CATEGORIES:Exhibitions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://desmoinesartcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/web-tile-1.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260725T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260725T140000
DTSTAMP:20260603T182141
CREATED:20260512T165118Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260527T150453Z
UID:14195-1784984400-1784988000@desmoinesartcenter.org
SUMMARY:"The American Experience: Semiquincentennial" Guided Tour
DESCRIPTION:To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence\, the Des Moines Art Center will be offering several public guided tours titled\, “The American Experience: Semiquincentennial.” These tours will highlight works on view in the Art Center galleries that center around American artists\, history\, and culture. \nPublic guided tours are offered every Saturday from 1 – 2 pm. Free; no registration required. \nFritz Scholder (La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians\, 1937 – 2005)\nBicentennial Indian\, from “Kent Bicentennial Portfolio: Spirit of Independence”\, 1974-75\nLithograph on paper\nDes Moines Art Center Permanent Collections; Gift of Lorillard\, New York\, 1975.40.12
URL:https://desmoinesartcenter.org/event/semiquincentennial-guided-tour/
LOCATION:Des Moines Art Center\, 4700 Grand Ave\, Des Moines\, IA\, 50312\, United States
CATEGORIES:Guided Tours
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://desmoinesartcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/web-tile-14-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260727T161500
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260727T180000
DTSTAMP:20260603T182141
CREATED:20251204T215748Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260512T163337Z
UID:12706-1785168900-1785175200@desmoinesartcenter.org
SUMMARY:Creative Aging: Studio Series (Ages 55+)
DESCRIPTION:Creative Aging is a program designed for adults age 55+ to gather at the Art Center and learn about art while making community connections and fostering cognitive health. These sessions will offer a social atmosphere and a variety of exploratory projects to try out materials and techniques with the support of an experienced teaching artist.  \nIn this session\, students will make print designs in linocut with guidance from the instructor. Students will be given instructions on creating the design and transferring it to your print medium to then create multiple prints. \nMaterials\, tools\, and guidance will be provided. Cost of the class is $30 ($24 for Art Center members). \nREGISTER
URL:https://desmoinesartcenter.org/event/creative-aging-studio-series/
LOCATION:Des Moines Art Center\, 4700 Grand Ave\, Des Moines\, IA\, 50312\, United States
CATEGORIES:Studio Art Classes
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://desmoinesartcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/web-tile-18.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260909T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260909T200000
DTSTAMP:20260603T182141
CREATED:20260428T195736Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260428T195736Z
UID:14139-1788976800-1788984000@desmoinesartcenter.org
SUMMARY:Topographies over Time: A Hike Series with Wander Women Midwest
DESCRIPTION:Join the Des Moines Art Center and Wander Women Midwest for a three-part guided hiking series that invites you to experience the same landscape across changing seasons. Centered on connection\, reflection\, and time outdoors\, each hike offers space to notice how the environment—and your relationship to it—shifts over time. Inspired by exhibition\, “Topographies: Mapping Being and Belonging\,” the series considers how movement through place shapes memory and meaning\, with a simple\, optional creative reflection following each walk. \nFor each hike\, we’ll gather as a group at Jester Park in Polk County to wander the park’s trails and discuss the different art pieces featured in the park’s prairie\, before wandering individually for an independent phenology practice meant to encourage reflection and observation. The practice of phenology\, returning to a place at different times of year to notice the changes in the landscape\, is a grounding exercise meant to connect yourself to the landscape and hone skills of observation. You’ll find a special-to-you location and have time for whichever form of reflection you prefer\, like drawing\, journaling\, photography or sensory intake. \nREGISTER \n$12 registration per session\, attendance at all sessions not required; need-based scholarships available. All genders are welcome.\nSeptember 9 is the third and final hike event in this series.
URL:https://desmoinesartcenter.org/event/topographies-over-time-3/
LOCATION:Jester Park\, 12130 Northwest 128th Street\, Granger\, IA\, 50109\, United States
CATEGORIES:Events and Programs,Exhibitions
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260919T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260919T230000
DTSTAMP:20260603T182141
CREATED:20260327T204817Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260506T224237Z
UID:13739-1789840800-1789858800@desmoinesartcenter.org
SUMMARY:2026 Art Center Gala
DESCRIPTION:You’re invited to experience a night of art\, music\, and celebration at the 2026 Des Moines Art Center Gala\, an extraordinary event to support the Art Center in style! Join us at the legendary Val Air Ballroom\, where jazz syncopation meets punk disruption\, elegance meets edge\, and rhythm sparks connection. This is a night where art doesn’t simply hang on the walls—it moves\, grooves\, and gathers us together. \nCocktail Hour | 6 pm\nDinner and Dessert | 7:30 pm\nDancing and Music | 9 – 11 pm \nBlack tie optional. Creative attire encouraged. Break a fashion rule. \nYour support of this dynamic event ensures the Des Moines 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. \n2026 Gala Sponsorships are available now. Guarantee tickets to the event and maximize your brand by becoming a sponsor today. \nPresenting Sponsor | $20\,000\nSignature Sponsor | $10\,000\nTable Sponsor | $7\,500\nSupporting Sponsor | $4\,000 \nTo pledge your support\, please email Caleb Hegna at chegna@desmoinesartcenter.org or 515.271.0338. \nPatron packages go on sale in April. Individual tickets sales begin in June. \nPatron Pair | $2\,700 | Seating for two and patron recognition\nIndividual Patron | $1\,350 | Seating for one and patron recognition\nIndividual Gala Ticket | $300 | Seating for one\nArtist Ticket | $300 | Sponsor seating for one artist\nYoung Professional Ticket | $200 | Seating for one \nFor more information\, purchasing tickets\, or questions about the gala\, please contact Gala and Development Events Coordinator Jess Lane at jlane@desmoinesartcenter.org or 515.271.0336.
URL:https://desmoinesartcenter.org/event/2026-gala/
LOCATION:Val Air Ballroom\, 301 Ashworth Rd\, West Des Moines\, IA\, 50265\, United States
CATEGORIES:Events and Programs,Membership & Development
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