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

DES MOINES, IOWA (May 2026) – Find yourself at the Des Moines Art Center for “Social Saturday: Pride and Seek” on June 13 from 11 am – 2 pm. It’s a celebration of community and art during Des Moines’ annual Capitol City PrideFest! Social Saturday is a free, all-ages event held on the second Saturday of every month with a different theme each month. Follow the Art Center’s social media channels or visit the website for upcoming themes and programming.

Watch Party
Presented in partnership with Capitol City Pride, watch all six episodes of “The Last American Gay Bar,” a docuseries by filmmaker Kristian Day that tells the story of the heart and soul of Blazing Saddle, the oldest gay bar in Des Moines. This free screening is offered in the Art Center’s Levitt Auditorium. Guests may come and go throughout the event.

Hide and Seek
Search for one-of-a-kind mini artworks hidden outside the museum with Tiny Art provided by the Des Moines Public Library. This activity runs from 12 – 12:15 pm, while supplies last and is weather dependent. If you prefer to seek inside, go on a scavenger hunt for artwork by LGBTQIA+ artists and turn it in for a Pride-themed prize.

Art and Activities
View current exhibitions including: Opening day of Topographies: Mapping Being and Belonging; Iowa Artists 2026: Henry Payer: Aagakinąk Haciwi: We Live Opposite Each Other, which closes on June 17; Christine Rebet: Sound of Time; and Artists Around a Table Artmaking and Merrymaking, 1927-1952.
Enjoy a free, guided tour of LGBTQIA+ artists in the Art Center Collection, led by Associate Curator Ashton Cooper, and keep an eye out for the interactive Art Cart in the galleries. Contribute to a temporary community mural and create your own art in the Art School studios.

For the Littles
You’ve heard of Drag Queen story time. This is the same, but different. Kick off the day at 11:15 am with an engaging story time hosted by a local Des Moines Drag King.

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. Listen to live music in the Bookey Family Courtyard after 1 pm by special guest of the Café. Browse the Museum Shop to find gifts and souvenirs – including exclusive Art Center merchandise. Members save 10% on all purchases in the Art Center Café and Shop.

Find a complete schedule of events and activities at desmoinesartcenter.org. 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.

Visit desmoinesartcenter.org for additional event details and registration information.

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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