For Immediate Release
Contact: Amy Day
Tel: 515.271.0344 (o)
515.612.0775 (c)
aday@desmoinesartcenter.org
DES MOINES, IOWA (December 16, 2025) – The Des Moines Art Center has received a 2026 Operating Grant from Bravo Greater Des Moines, supporting free admission for nearly 350,000 people — 70% from Bravo partner communities — to the Art Center’s museum and Pappajohn Sculpture Park each year.
Thanks to Bravo’s support, the Art Center remains one of the only free cultural amenities in the Greater Des Moines region — and is one of the few free art museums in the country. Visitors enjoy access to a renowned art collection, world-class exhibitions, engaging public programs, and a nationally celebrated sculpture park.
“We are deeply grateful to Bravo and its local government partners for their support and shared commitment to building vibrant, culturally rich communities,” said Dr. Kelly Baum, John and Mary Pappajohn Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Des Moines Art Center. “Their collaborative approach ensures that organizations like the Art Center can make the greatest possible impact. Because of their partnership, we are able to bring world-class art experiences to Central Iowa that would not otherwise be possible. From exhibitions and performances to educational programs and studio classes, Bravo’s support allows us to make these opportunities accessible across the region, fostering creativity, learning, and cultural engagement for people of all ages.”
In 2026, with support from this grant, the Art Center will debut nine new exhibitions featuring artists from around the world, the U.S., and Iowa. Each exhibition will include free public programming, such as artist lectures, gallery talks, and hands-on workshops. The Art Center will continue to offer free school tours for K-12 students, including all fourth graders in local districts, and will partner with Central Iowa nonprofits through its Community Access Program to provide free artmaking workshops. It will also host community events, such as Day of the Dead and Entirely Kids Day, and introduce a new monthly Social Saturdays program of themed activities across the museum and studios.
Funding for this grant program comes from Bravo’s partnerships with 17 local governments that contribute a percentage of their hotel/motel tax revenue each year. These partnering communities are Altoona, Ankeny, Bondurant, Carlisle, Clive, Des Moines, Grimes, Indianola, Johnston, Norwalk, Pleasant Hill, Polk City, Polk County, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines, and Windsor Heights.
About the Des Moines Art Center
The Des Moines Art Center is a vibrant, AAM-accredited (American Association of Museums) institution located in the capital city of Iowa that welcomes over 300,000 visitors annually from across the country and around the globe. Its historic campus consists of three buildings designed by major architects of the 20th century—Eliel Saarinen, I. M. Pei, and Richard Meier—incorporated into the natural landscape of Greenwood Park. The Art Center is home to one of the strongest collections of 20th and 21st century art in the region, and it hosts a series of ground-breaking exhibitions and lectures each year featuring artists known regionally, nationally, and internationally. The experimental art for which the Art Center cares is reflected in its creative offerings, including a celebrated education program that prioritizes access and collaboration, an art school with studio classes for all ages, and the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park, situated on 4.4 acres in downtown Des Moines. The Art Center is committed to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion, which are incorporated into every facet of its mission and identity.
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