ABOUT US
Des Moines Arts Festival is a 501c3 non-profit organization
OUR MISSION
Impact Lives Through the Arts
OUR CORE VALUES
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Inspire Appreciation of the Arts
We cultivate, educate and engage our audience toward a heightened appreciation of the arts.
Celebrate Original Art
We produce an annual celebration of outstanding original visual art - that is created by the hand of the artist - in a festival atmosphere.
Impact Community
We foster and celebrate the involvement of all people.
Promote Collaboration
We promote and inspire meaningful collaboration to strengthen the arts community.
Deliver the Highest Standards
We value professionalism and quality. We operate in a fair and honorable manner with transparency. We are strong financial stewards. We manage with responsibility and maximize value to our partners.
Innovate Strategically
We champion new and emerging ideas.
OUR VISION
Strengthen a Vibrant and Creative Community
OUR STORY
The Des Moines Arts Festival® traces its beginnings to 1958 when the Des Moines Art Center hosted the All Iowa Art Fair to help celebrate their 10th anniversary. Between 1958-1982, the event was given many names including All Iowa Art Fair, Iowa Artists Exhibition, Iowa Artists Annual Show, and Iowa Art Show. In 1983, the festival was officially identified as Art in the Park. In 1992, the event was moved from the grounds of the Des Moines Art Center to the Iowa State Fairgrounds until in 1998 it was moved downtown along the Des Moines River. The festival went through another name change to become the Des Moines Arts Festival.
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The first All Iowa Art Fair attracted little more than a few hundred people. Nearly five decades later, the Festival has established itself as the signature arts and culture event in Iowa and one of the most prestigious and admired festivals in the world. With an annual attendance exceeding 200,000, the Festival has welcomed more than 2.5 million visitors since moving downtown in 1998, garnered more than 350 awards, and generates an estimated $8 million economic impact annually.
Board of Directors
Chair
Bill Burma
Grand View University, Retired
Chair-Elect
Brian Laurenzo
Brick Gentry P.C.
Secretary
Marsha Aldridge
Nationwide
Director
Connie Boesen
Mayor, City of Des Moines
Director
Kristina Huntsman
ChildServe, Event Management Team Representative
Director
Chris Kramer
CK Resource Group
Director
Susan Patterson Plank
Gannett I USA Today Network
Director
Michele Wilkie
Prairie Meadows
Immediate Past Chair
Robert Larson
Catholic Diocese of Des Moines
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Treasurer
Natalie Tomaras
American Equity Investment Life Insurance Co.
Director
Marquas Ashworth
Ashworth Development
Director
Brooke Fultz
Principal Financial Group
Director
Stephen King
Executive Director
Director
Matthew McKinney
West Des Moines City Council, Brown Winnick Law
Director
Carl Voss
Des Moines City Council
Director, Executive Committee
San Wong
Iowa Department of Human Rights
OUR TEAM
Director of Guest Engagement
Daphne Dickens, CFEE
Social Media + Photography
Madeleine King
Director of Community Relations
Colleen Murphy, CFEE
Event Coordinator
Sage Halfhill-Boone
Executive Director
Stephen King, MA, CFEE
Volunteer Coordinator
Stacey Nay
2024 Event Management Team
Artist Relations
Amanda Leonard
Andrew Tincher
Ann Rolow
Jac Maranell
Jennifer Johnson
Madison Bemus
Sean Masters
Banner Queen
Sage Halfhill-Boone
Beverage Team
Alicia Lynch (DMAF Beverage Czar)
Melissa Winters (DMAF Beverage Czar)
Alison Hoeman (Des Moines Refugee Support)
Mallory Bennett (Des Moines Refugee Support)
Sedina Traljesic (Des Moines Refugee Support)
Tisa Johnson (Des Moines Refugee Support)
Addie Trueblood (Community Youth Concepts)
Alicia Vermeer (Community Youth Concepts)
Julie Cackler (Community Youth Concepts)
Lee Harper (Community Youth Concepts)
Amanda Wiebers (Cowles Montessori Parent Group)
Zach Scott (Cowles Montessori Parent Group)
Amber Graeber (Perkins Elementary PTA)
Caitlyn Gajo (Perkins Elementary PTA)
Stacy Satterstrom (Perkins Elementary PTA)
Lindsey Weis (Perkins Elementary PTA)
Luke Dickens (Ice Crew)
Kurt Weakland (Ice Crew)
Maya Weakland (Ice Crew)
Food Vendor Relations
Amanda Joseph
Kate Steffen
Marsha Aldridge
Molly Vriezelaar
Sophia Karau
Michele Ramsey
Interrobang Film Festival
David Durong
Maxwell Mootz
Megan Ellis
POS/Technical Support
Ryan Rohlf
Merchandise
Allison Ernst
Bridget Murphy
Emma Webb
Jessica Fink
Molly Vriezelaar
On-Site Office Managers
Alyssa Werbach
Heidi Hoffman
Katie Dale
Stephanie Pearl
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Production
Katherine King
Kayla Wagener
Kristina Huntsman
Megan Hanson
Michal King
Sage Halfhill-Boone
Seth Conn
Tony Behnke
Sponsor Relations
Emily Kibbee
Jeff Petterson
Julia Verhoef
Kent Maahs
Kimberly Kerr
Lynn Swanson
Tiffany Espelund
Stages
Ashley Bohnenkamp
Karina Abbott
Laurie Miller
Natalia Espinosa
Student Art Exhibition
Peggy Cokeley
Tabitha Zokaitis
Willa Goodman
Sustainability
Jessie McBroom
Sam Christianson (Urban Ambassadors)
Tanner Faabor (Urban Ambassadors)
Volunteer Relations
Madalyne Rutledge
Sally Corcoran
Stacey Nay
Val Van Horne
Zoe Schmitz