For Immediate Release
Contact: Amy Day
Tel: 515.271.0344 (o)
515.612.0775 (c)
aday@desmoinesartcenter.org
DES MOINES, IOWA (June 2026) – Visit the Des Moines Art Center for “Social Saturday: Free to Be” on July 11 from 11 am – 2 pm. Each month features a new theme and fresh opportunities for all ages to explore art, culture, and community.
Art and Activities
Settle in for a film screening of “Powwow People” — a documentary about the vibrant world of contemporary Native American powwow culture. This screening is in collaboration with the Art Center’s exhibition, “Topographies: Mapping Being and Belonging,” on view in the Anna K. Meredith Gallery through September 20, 2026. The film begins at noon and no registration is required.
Explore other exhibitions on view, including: Elle Pérez: La Despedida; Christine Rebet: Sound of Time; and Artists Around a Table: Artmaking and Merrymaking, 1927-1952. Find the interactive Art Cart in the galleries and participate in a scavenger hunt.
Storytime begins at 11:15 am with a reading of books selected especially for “Social Saturday: Free to Be.” Featured titles will be available for purchase in the Museum Shop.
Stop by the Art School Studios and exercise your creative freedom! Sketch, get inspired, and express your inner artist with activities designed for all ages.
Explore the Grounds
Join Art Center staff and Wander Women Midwest for a guided art and nature hike through Greenwood Park. Expect a mix of light movement, storytelling, and moments to slow down and look a little closer. Meet fellow explorers at 1 pm outside of the Art Center’s main entrance (weather permitting).
Member Appreciation
All Des Moines Art Center members are invited to celebrate the many ways membership supports arts and culture in the community. As a thank you, members will receive a special gift and will be eligible for unique drawings. Members receive a 20% discount in the Museum Shop and a 10% discount in the Art Center Café!
Bravo Greater Des Moines Community partners are also celebrated during this special Social Saturday event. Residents of Bravo Greater Des Moines communities are eligible to enter into a drawing for a free, one-year Art Center membership. Visit the membership table in the Harriet S. and J. Locke Macomber Lobby to participate in the drawing.
Eat, Drink, Shop
Fuel up at the Art Center Café where you can enjoy delicious pastries, grab-and-go snacks, coffee drinks, or a sit-down lunch. From 1 – 3:30 pm, listen to live music in the Bookey Family Courtyard by special guests Jesse Pace, Steve Tyler, and friends who will perform melodic improvised music with guitar and saxophone. Browse the Museum Shop to find gifts and souvenirs – including exclusive Art Center merchandise.
Celebrate America’s 250th
Ready. Set. Vote! As part of America’s 250th birthday celebration, visitors can register to vote on-site during the event.
Visit desmoinesartcenter.org for a full schedule and additional event details and registration information. Follow the Art Center’s social media channels or visit the website for upcoming themes and programming.
Generous support is provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program.
For more information, contact Senior Director of Communications and Marketing Amy Day at 515.271.0344 or aday@desmoinesartcenter.org.
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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