Iowa’s creative community is visible everywhere you look this summer, from art fairs and cultural events, to concerts in the parks and headlining performances at music festivals and county fairs.

Every two years, this same community comes together at the Iowa Arts Summit, the state’s premier conference for the arts organized by the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs.

The 2022 Iowa Arts Summit includes a three-day program and kicks off with inspirational, half-day virtual sessions featuring leading voices in the arts on August 10 and August 11. The Summit culminates with an in-person, collaborative conference on Friday, August 12, at Mainframe Studios in Des Moines.

Registration for the event is open now at www.iowaartssummit.com.

At this year’s Summit, attendees will learn about and discuss ways that communities of all sizes benefit from a focus on cultivating the creative workforce and partnering with artists.

Summit attendees will hear from a range of leading voices in the arts. Speakers on Wednesday, August 10 include Pam Breaux, the president of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies. Nina Ozlu Tunceli, who serves as chief counsel of government and public affairs at Americans for the Arts, will address Summit attendees on August 11.

Dynamic sessions and workshops on Friday, August 12 will spotlight innovative Iowa approaches to addressing local issues through the arts. For example, attendees will learn from Springboard for the Arts, based in St. Paul, Minnesota, how creatives can be valuable collaborators in community planning efforts, while nonprofit arts leaders will share practical advice for growing your audience and community support.

Attendees will also hear from communities that have undertaken major projects to support their creative workforce and from Iowa artists who have built a robust creative life in Iowa. Additional sessions will explore youth-centered arts projects and ways to empower creative entrepreneurs.

“We encourage everyone who feels passionate about the arts in Iowa to participate in the Summit," Iowa Arts Council Administrator David Schmitz said. "The conversations and learning that happen – and the seeds of collaboration that are planted – at each Summit are part of how we collectively grow and advance as an arts community."

If you go:

Visit iowaculture.gov for more information and to register in advance.

Aug. 10-11

• Virtual sessions are free with registration required.
• 9 a.m. to noon each day

Aug. 12

• The in-person event is $50 and includes breakout sessions, collaborative workshops and a networking lunch.
• 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Mainframe Studios, 900 Keosauqua Way, Des Moines.

Iowa Arts Summit scholarships are available for Iowa creatives, arts professionals at small nonprofits, and students currently pursuing an arts-related major at an Iowa college or university. Selected scholarship recipients will receive complimentary registration to the full conference, including both virtual and in-person events (a $50 value).