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

DES MOINES, IOWA (August, 2025) – The Des Moines Art Center is proud to celebrate 25 years of Community Access Programs (CAP), a pioneering initiative that has transformed lives by making art accessible to individuals of all ages and abilities across our community. Through partnerships with dozens of nonprofits, human health organizations, and other community groups, the Art Center’s Community Access Program has championed cultural inclusivity and creative engagement by breaking down barriers to participation in the arts.

Rooted in four key focus areas – community resiliency, identity affirmation, educational enrichment, and adaptive arts – the Community Access Program continues to evolve, ensuring that everyone, regardless of circumstance, has the opportunity to engage with the arts in meaningful ways.

Reflecting on more than two and a half decades, Senior Director of Museum Learning and Engagement Jill Featherstone said, “Having joined the Art Center team in 1999, I’ve had the privilege of seeing the museum’s commitment to the physical, emotional, and expressive wellbeing of people of all ages and abilities. As we built relationships with many of the extraordinary care-focused organizations in the Des Moines metro area, we have learned a great deal about the desire for connectedness and creative reflection among the participants. The staff, teaching artists, and students form mutually beneficial relationships that are not only artistically supportive, but truly help us all on our paths to becoming more empathic people. We are honored to play this part for our community.

Join the Art Center for a three-day celebration of the Community Access Program Friday, August 22 through Sunday, August 24, featuring a special exhibition by the Art Center’s teaching artists, interactive experiences for all ages, and a landmark dance performance honoring the Art Center as a space steeped in community partnerships.

  • Friday, August 22 | 4:30 – 6:30 pm: Teaching Artist Exhibition
    View a showcase of work by the Art Center’s talented teaching artists, whose passion and innovation lie at the heart of CAP’s programming.
  • Saturday, August 23 | 11 am – 2 pm: Teaching Artist Art Activities and Demonstrations
    Participate in hands-on art-making with teaching artists, offering a glimpse into CAP programming and the powerful role art plays in connecting and uplifting our community.
  • Sunday, August 24 | 2 – 4 pm: Dance Performance by Swan Project and Reception
    Watch a special performance honoring the 50+year legacy of Gateway Dance Theatre and its remarkable contributions to the community.

The entire weekend of activities is free and open to the public. All are welcome to honor 25 years of impact and the many voices that have shaped the Art Center’s journey.

Learn more about Community Access Programs and how you can participate at desmoinesartcenter.org/classes/community-access-program. For more information or to request images, contact Senior Director of Communications and Marketing Amy Day at 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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