For Immediate Release
Contact: Amy Day
Tel: 515.271.0344 (o)
515.612.0775 (c)
aday@desmoinesartcenter.org

DES MOINES, IOWA (November 5, 2026) – Bring friends and family for a day of free art activities, short films, and a community to be grateful for at the Des Moines Art Center’s Social Saturday: Friendsgiving event on November 14 from 11 am – 2 pm.

This event features the ReelAbilities Film Festival from 12 – 2 pm in Levitt Auditorium. Watch a series of short films screened as part of the largest festival in the US dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories, and artistic expressions of people with disabilities. *Please note, films later in the program are intended for adult audiences.

During this Social Saturday, the Art Center’s Community Access Program (CAP) celebrates 26 years. CAP partners with over 40 local non-profit organizations to provide free artmaking opportunities for children and adults who face one or more barriers to the arts. Through accessible art experiences, CAP fosters self-expression, confidence, connection, and well-being.

CAP teaching artists and students will have artwork on view and will guide art making activities for all in the studios, which includes a collaborative community paper quilt and identity friendship bracelets. You may also watch demonstrations of adaptable tools that assist artists with limited mobility in making their work, provided by Easterseals Iowa.

A docent-led guided tour at 1 pm highlights a selection of paintings, sculptures, and more. Check out the exhibitions on view, which include: “Elle Pérez: La Despedida”; “Artists on Fire”; “Valentin Noujaïm: La Défense”; and “Let Us Gather in a Flourishing Way: Contemporary Latinx Painting.”

While exploring the galleries, show your art appreciation! Grab paper leaves in the lobby and place one in front of a work of art that you are thankful for.

Kids can get in on the fun too! Find the Social Saturday interactive art cart in the galleries, try a scavenger hunt for a small prize, and experiment with the Art Center’s Paint-n-Play station in the Harriet S. and J. Locke Macomber Lobby. Story time begins at 11:15 am in Levitt Auditorium with readings of “The Pumpkin Seed” and “My Friend Andy.”

Come hungry and stop by the Art Center Café for a sit-down meal or delicious treat, like seasonal pie-flavored cookies! You may also enjoy other baked goods, alongside a full coffee and tea menu. Art Center members receive a 10% discount in the Art Center Café.

Browse the Museum Shop to find gifts and souvenirs. Art Center members receive a 10% discount in the shop. Visit the $10 and under section for kids’ toys!

Social Saturdays occur at the Des Moines Art Center on the second Saturday of every month from 11 am to 2 pm. This event is free to attend, and no registration is required. Social Saturdays will be documented with photography. Visit desmoinesartcenter.org  for a full schedule and additional event details. Follow the Art Center’s social media channels or visit the website for upcoming themes and programming.

Generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All initiative.

Support is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Iowa Arts Council, which exists within the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

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. In 2025, as part of its strategic plan, the Art Center adopted the values of equity, respect, integrity, continuous reflection, and collaboration. 

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