For Immediate Release
Contact: Amy Day
Tel: 515.271.0344 (o)
515.612.0775 (c)
aday@desmoinesartcenter.org
Prairie Meadows Donates $25,000 to the Des Moines Art Center
Community Betterment Grants will help fund School Tours and Community Access Programs
DES MOINES, IOWA (October 2025) – Prairie Meadows recently awarded the Des Moines Art Center two Community Betterment Grants totaling $25,000 to help fund School Tours and Community Access Programs.
“These grants will enrich the lives of children and adults throughout Central Iowa, including the nearly 10,000 elementary, middle, and high school students who benefit from our school tours and the more than 2,220 youth and adults, including veterans, who participate in our community access workshops. These programs are offered at no charge to participants, thanks to support from this grant, and provide transformational, live-changing experiences that foster learning, growth, and development. We are extremely grateful to Prairie Meadows for their support,” says Dr. Kelly Baum, John and Mary Pappajohn Director and Chief Executive Officer at the Art Center.
School Tours Program
The Art Center’s School Tours Program offers K-12 students across Central Iowa meaningful art experiences that strengthen visual analysis, critical thinking, creative problem-solving, and collaboration skills. As the Art Center’s longest running educational program, School Tours serve as a vital resource for teachers to support classroom curriculum. For many students, these tours represent their first visit to an art museum — often sparking a lifelong interest in the visual arts. In the 2025-2026 school year, all fourth-grade students in Des Moines, Indianola, Southeast Polk, Waukee, and West Des Moines Public Schools will receive free bussing to the Art Center to participate in these tours, made possible with the support of this grant. All tours are provided free of charge.
Community Art Access Program
Through its Community Access Program (CAP), the Art Center provides free art workshops to youth and adults through partnerships with 39 local nonprofits. Designed for people who face social, cultural, economic, or physical barriers to access – including veterans, seniors, caregivers, and students with learning support needs – CAP reduces isolation, builds confidence, and fosters overall well-being through engaging creative experiences. Grant funding will help support transportation, art supplies, and contract teaching artist fees, ensuring access to these opportunities at no cost to participants.
“At Prairie Meadows, we are dedicated to enriching the lives of Iowans. We are proud to invest in the Art Center’s School Tours and Community Access Programs. It’s an honor to support initiatives like these that make our communities stronger,” said Julie Stewart, Senior Vice President of Business Development at Prairie Meadows.
About the Des Moines Art Center
Founded in 1948, the Des Moines Art Center is a vibrant, AAM-accredited (American Alliance of Museums) institution located in the capital city of Iowa that welcomes nearly 350,000 visitors annually from across the country and around the globe. The Art Center is proud to offer free admission to its galleries, programs, and sculpture park for all visitors. Our 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 largest art museum in the Greater Des Moines metro and one of the few in the state, 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.
About Prairie Meadows
Prairie Meadows began operations as a nonprofit organization in 1989 with the goal of promoting economic development, jobs, agriculture, and tourism in the state of Iowa. Through taxes and charitable donations, Prairie Meadows has given more than $2.3 billion to the state of Iowa. Prairie Meadows offers slot machines, table games, live and simulcast racing, sports wagering, hotel accommodations, entertainment, and more.
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