52 I BEST COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM 52 I BEST COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM

A. Introduction and description of main event

The ®, ’s only free, three-day celebration of the arts, attracted more than 235,000 guests June 22-24 to ’ Western Gateway Park to celebrate its 21st annual Festival with an exciting lineup of visual art, live entertainment, film, community outreach, interactive activities, eclectic foods, craft beer, and drinks.

At the heart of the Festival is the juried art fair featuring 178 professional artists selected from more than 1,157 applicants by a panel of jurors during a rigorous and competitive process. The commitment to visual art extends to all ages through the Festival’s Emerging Iowa Artist program which highlighted the work of 11 Iowa residents currently enrolled in an institution of higher education and the ’s Student Art Exhibition program which allowed more than 400 students grades K-12 to showcase their talent.

Adults and children of all ages engaged in a variety of hands-on, arts-related activities that included everything from Latin dancing lessons to decorating a walking stick to designing their own t-shirt. MidAmerican Energy’s BOOM ART! mural and The Knotty Nail’s self-guided string art designs provided large-scale opportunities for guests to share their art with the community. If guests didn’t want to get their hands dirty, exhibiting artists demonstrated their craft with 19 artist demonstrations and workshops.

The Interrobang Film Festival, presented by AARP Movies for Grown Ups, celebrated the art of film throughout the three-day weekend. 58 films were screened throughout the weekend and guests also enjoyed talk-backs and workshops with film producers.

The local community engaged with the Festival through several community outreach programs including the Volunteer Program, Patron Program, Non-Profit Partner Program at Beverage Stations, Habitat for Humanity, Creative Family Zone and the DART Art Bus unveiling. An army of 630 volunteers supported the Festival through a variety of opportunities.

The Festival’s Green Arts Sustainability program provided guests the opportunity to reduce, reuse, and recycle throughout the event at 17 custom-designed Zero Waste Stations. The Sustainability Program is in its fifth year of a strategic plan to achieve zero waste.

Live entertainment took the stage at two locations. Headliners Sir Sly and Spin Doctors were watched by thousands of guests on the Hy-Vee Main Stage. The Acoustic Stage featured folk and Americana standouts, Jeffrey Foucault and Joe Pug.

The Des Moines Arts Festival has truly put Des Moines, Iowa on the map, drawing more than 3.6 million guests to the three-day event during the past 21 years. The Festival has something for everyone to enjoy and it’s all free to attend thanks to the continued support of sponsors in our community.

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B. Description and Purpose/ Objective of Community Outreach Program

The mission of the Des Moines Arts Festival® is to create an opportunity for people of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds to embrace the arts. One way the Festival accomplishes this mission is through the Community Outreach Program sponsored by which provides our fellow non-profits the chance to provide an onsite interactive arts- related activity for our guests. Through this strategic partnership, local and state nonprofit organizations are able to reach and share their mission with an estimated 85,000 guests free of charge.

The Festival also partners with several non-profit organizations each year to provide volunteers for beverage booths. Any donations or tips they make go back to the organization’s efforts to place arts in the community. This year’s non-profit organizations were Cowles-Montessori, Community Youth Concepts and Habitat for Humanity. All participating non-profit organizations are promoted in Festival marketing materials, on the official Festival website, and in the official Festival program.

As a fellow non-profit, the Festival understands the significance and the need to offer a program to provide options for local groups to share their mission to a wide audience at no charge. These organizations are an integral part of the Greater Des Moines community and with support from Prairie Meadows, the Festival is pleased to offer this opportunity. The following 27 organizations participated in the Prairie Meadows Community Outreach Program this year:

Animal Lifeline

Animal Rescue League of Iowa Friends of Des Moines Parks Bergman Academy Friends of Iowa CASA & ICFCRB Blank Park Zoo Greater Des Moines Sister Commission Class Act Productions Inc (CAP Theatre) HCI Care Services and VNS of Iowa Community Support Advocates Iowa International Center Des Moines Downtown Chamber Iowa Youth Chorus Des Moines European Heritage Association Opportunity on Deck Des Moines Public Library Pancreatic Cancer Action Network Des Moines Skatepark Positive Impact Media Pulse 101.7 FM Des Moines Social Club Salsa Des Moines Diocese of Des Moines Catholic Schools Society of St. Vincent de Paul Des Moines Area Religious Council Stephens Auditorium Everly Ball Community Mental Health Services Walnut Creek Church

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C. Target Audience/ Attendance/ Number of Participants

The target audience for this program is first and foremost the families of the Greater Des Moines community, as the interactive activities produced by the non-profit organizations’ booths are historically family favorites. Guests of all ages are invited to participate in the interactive arts activities, which make up one of the five main pillars of the arts featured each year at the Festival. Throughout the three days of the Festival, all guests have the opportunity to get creative and hands-on with art, music, dance, and more, offered by the participating 27 area non-profit organizations. This year, approximately 85,000 guests attended and participated in the Prairie Meadows Community Outreach Program.

D. Impact program had on the Community

Through the Prairie Meadows Community Outreach program, 27 non-profit organizations had the incredible opportunity to share their mission free of charge to an estimated 85,000 guests. Guests enjoyed these great hands- on activities:

Animal Lifeline Activity: Create dog and cat toys for your favorite pup and kitty or for ours to play with!

Animal Rescue League of Iowa Activity: Make a fleece cat toy for your favorite furry friend and make one for the cats at the shelter!

Bergman Academy Activity: Make a beautiful leaf out of different colors of tissue paper!

Blank Park Zoo Activity: Make a seed ball! Ingredients include clay, native Iowa prairie seeds, organic soil, and tissue paper!

Class Act Productions Inc (CAP Theatre) Activity: Take photos and videos of you and your friends reciting plays and musicals in a photo/video booth with costumes, props, and various backdrops!

Community Support Advocates Activity: Design something special using markers, paints, and everyday household items to create a unique piece of art, then turn it into a bookmark!

Des Moines Area Religious Council Activity: Design your own food mobile and include all your favorite foods!

Des Moines Downtown Chamber Activity: Cut a ribbon to celebrate the opening of your new business! You can also create a picture frame out of popsicle sticks and other materials to put your picture in!

Des Moines European Heritage Association Activity: Decorate a Lebkuchen Herzen to wear around the Festival!

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Des Moines Public Library Activity: Make your very own button to wear throughout the Festival!

Des Moines Skatepark Activity: Come and draw your own piece of artwork on our benches for our new public skatepark!

Des Moines Social Club Activity: Create multi-media buttons and magnets out of recycled materials such as comic books, old Des Moines Social Club posters, fabrics straps and more!

Diocese of Des Moines Catholic Schools. Activity: Generate your own Styrofoam square impressions with whatever image you choose! You can also get your picture taken with the “Let your Spirit Soar” banner!

Everly Ball Community Mental Health Services Activity: Create and take home different kinds of slime!

Friends of Des Moines Parks Activity: Decorate a walking stick, build your own a birdhouse, or make a monarch bomb with Friends of Des Moines Parks!

Friends of Iowa CASA & ICFCRB Activity: Build your own 3-D house and decorate it with markers, glue, cutouts, and various other materials!

Greater Des Moines Sister Commission Activity: Fold a paper fortune cookie and decorate it with markers, crayons, pens, and more!

HCI Care Services and VNS of Iowa Activity: Paint your own rock of KINDNESS. Decorate your rock with paint pens and sharpies to show your idea of KINDNESS!

Iowa International Center Activity: Draw a self-portrait of yourself using watercolors, markers, crayons, colored pencils, and more!

Iowa Youth Chorus Activity: Make your own instrument with the Iowa Youth Chorus. Instruments include an egg shaker, tambourines, harmonicas, and tom-tom drums. You can also take part in solfege tutorials!

Opportunity on Deck Activity: Learn a simple, easy, and fun dance while broadcasting yourself on our screen with different props and clothing!

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network Activity: Create your own bracelets and necklaces out of upcycled t-shirts. You can also make a tote bag and headbands out of these t-shirts as well! go where it takes you… 52 I BEST COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM

Positive Impact Media Pulse 101.7 FM Activity: Form different designs with just your thumb and paint during Positive Impact Media’s thumb painting activity!

Salsa Des Moines Activity: Put your moves to the test with Salsa of Des Moines as they teach the art of Latin dancing!

Society of St. Vincent de Paul Activity: Decorate a paper fish with glitter, crayons, markers, or tinsel and attach it to a “fish line” to make a kite or a makeshift fish line!

Stephens Auditorium Activity: Experience what it’s like to be in a Broadway show with visual reality technology, learn several magic tricks, and make an edible balloon to take home!

Walnut Creek Church Activity: Select a famous painting and stand in front of a green-screen to become a part of the masterpiece! You can print out the picture and take it with you. Share it on social media with the hashtag #mymasterpiece!

E. Tie-in of program to main event

Interactive arts activities are one of five pillars of the arts featured each year at the Festival. Such interactive opportunities help to make the arts accessible and create a better understanding between guests and the artists and artwork, while also providing many guests with a way to feel some ownership of the Festival. The participation of Des Moines-area nonprofit organizations is considered by the Festival to be essential, in order to recognize the great contributions that these organizations bring to the community and to involve more community members in the production of the Festival. As a nonprofit itself, the Festival is proud to partner with these local groups year after year and to provide them with a way to promote their mission free of charge at the three-day event.

F. Duration of program (Start to finish) and years program has been a part of the event

This program spanned the entire duration of the three-day Festival, beginning on Friday, June 22 at 11 a.m. and closing at 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 24. The entire process began in March with an invitation for artists to participate and then lines of communication were kept between the Festival staff and the organizations as needed leading up to the Festival. The program wraps up with the completion of the Festival each year and follow-up surveys to participating organizations. The hours of the Festival included: Friday, June 22: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, June 23: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, June 24: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Prairie Meadows Community Outreach Program has been a part of the Festival since its beginning 21 years ago.

G. Overall revenue/ Expense budget of specific program

There is no revenue derived from the event as it is free to participate. The only revenue derived as a result of the event is from the sponsorship of Prairie Meadows (that amount is confidential due to existing agreement and confidentiality clause). Expenses totaled approximately $5,260 and include banners, staff time, tents, electricity, and additional infrastructure. go where it takes you… 52 I BEST COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM

H. Description of sponsor/ charity/ volunteer/ school/ other group involvement with program and benefits to each

Each participating organization, its mission statement, and activity are featured in all Des Moines Arts Festival® promotional literature and marketing materials, as well as on the Festival website, throughout the Festival and in the program. The following are the 27 non-profit organizations that participated in the Prairie Meadows Community Outreach Program this year:

Animal Lifeline Animal Lifeline of Iowa is Central Iowa’s only special needs focused, no-kill animal shelter, celebrating over 30 years of serving the Des Moines area and all of Iowa.

Animal Rescue League of Iowa The Animal Rescue League (ARL) works towards the promotion of animal welfare, strengthening the human-animal bond, and preventing the overpopulation of pets.

Bergman Academy Bergman Academy's mission is to provide an environment that nurtures total development while guiding students toward the joy of life-long learning.

Blank Park Zoo Blank Park Zoo’s mission is to inspire an appreciation of the natural world through conservation, education, research, and recreation.

Class Act Productions Inc (CAP Theatre) Class Act Productions (CAP Theatre) is a children's community theatre which has performed nearly 40 musicals in the past 10 years in old town Altoona. They strive to give young people, regardless of experience, the opportunity to express themselves, perform in front of a live audience and learn theatre etiquette. They also encourage community involvement and growing relationships between CAP and the areas it serves.

Community Support Advocates CSA was formed to assist persons with mental illness, intellectual disabilities, or other developmental disabilities in gaining access to appropriate housing, needed medical services, and interrelated social, vocational, and educational services. CSA's momentum programs promote the use of art for growth and recovery by offering free art services to individuals with disabilities in Central Iowa.

Des Moines Area Religious Council The Des Moines Area Religious Council is an interfaith organization with a core membership of over 125 congregations from multiple faith traditions, working together to meet basic human needs for the Greater Des Moines community.

Des Moines Downtown Chamber of Commerce The Des Moines Downtown Chamber of Commerce is a community of businesses and non-profits focused on downtown vitality. Their mission is to be providers of knowledge sharing, foster an environment of civility, and educate on economic issues. go where it takes you… 52 I BEST COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM

Des Moines European Heritage Association The Des Moines European Heritage Association connects Iowans with European traditions, language education, and cultural experiences. They also provide resources and tools to other cultural heritage organizations.

Des Moines Public Library Founded in 1866, the Des Moines Public Library is the public library system for the City of Des Moines. With six branches and a collection of more than 550,000 items, the Des Moines Public Library is the largest public library system in the state of Iowa.

Des Moines Skatepark The Des Moines Regional Skatepark committee's primary goal is to construct a world-class skatepark in downtown Des Moines.

Des Moines Social Club The Des Moines Social Club is an innovative arts and entertainment venue and home for local artists that offers unique programming spanning all arts disciplines and brings people of every age and background together under one roof — all for the purpose of using the arts as a catalyst to create unprecedented community engagement.

Diocese of Des Moines Catholic Schools Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Des Moines mission is to develop and inspire learning for life by providing a world- class education within a Catholic environment for our students.

Eyerly Ball Community Mental Health Services The goal at Eyerly Ball is to provide excellent behavioral healthcare services that empower individuals and families to live healthy and successful lives in the community. They offer a variety of levels of behavioral health services and have locations in five counties.

Friends of Des Moines Parks The Friends of Des Moines Parks is a non-profit organization with a mission to preserve, protect, improve, and promote the use of Des Moines’ parks, greenways, and recreational programs for the benefit of all neighborhoods, residents, and visitors.

Friends of Iowa CASA & ICFCRB The Court Appointed Special Advocate program recruits, trains, and supports community volunteers to serve as an effective voice in court for abused and neglected children, while helping ensure they live in a safe and permanent home.

Greater Des Moines Sister Commission The Greater Des Moines Sister City Commission exists primarily to foster meaningful relationships with our sister cities in Stavropol, Russia; Kofu, Japan; Shizhijjian, China; St. Etienne, France; and Catanzaro, Italy.

HCI Care Services and VNS of Iowa The mission of HCI Care Services is to promote dignity, independence and quality of life for all through education, compassion and effective community-based care.

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Iowa International Center As a leader in international understanding and civic diplomacy, it is the mission of the Iowa International Center to enrich lives and build pathways to prosperity.

Iowa Youth Chorus Iowa Youth Chorus is an educational and artistic organization dedicated to enriching the intellectual and philosophical quality of life for our community for this and future generations.

Opportunity on Deck Opportunity on Deck strives to serve Central Iowa communities by providing free-of-charge athletic and arts opportunities for children.

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network The Des Moines affiliate of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is dedicated to leading the local fight to end pancreatic cancer.

Positive Impact Media Pulse 101.7 FM Pulse 101.7 is a Christian music radio station that serves the Des Moines metro area with music with a positive, upbeat message.

Salsa Des Moines Salsa Des Moines provides high-quality dance education experiences for all ages and levels in order to expand the dancer community through technique and knowledge. They coordinate with local organizations, institutions, and venues to provide social dancing opportunities for the community and the students.

Society of St. Vincent de Paul St. Vincent de Paul’s mission is to help those in need become self-sufficient through education, community connectedness, and unconditional support.

Stephens Auditorium Stephens Auditorium's mission is to engage adults and students in experiences with the performing arts through the presentation of performances by world-class artists.

Walnut Creek Church Walnut Creek Church is a vibrant multi-site Christian community that is passionate about Jesus and desires to love people practically and to see all grow in a meaningful, rich relationship with God.

I. Overall effectiveness/ Success of program

The amazed look on each child’s face as they participate in the exciting activities at the Festival, the immense gratitude and appreciation of parents, and the excitement of guests who are able to interact with the art and each other lead to the conclusion that the program is a success. On the Festival front, success can be found in whether your sponsors are happy and sustain their involvement with the program. Upon reviewing post-event exit surveys, we found that each of the organizations who participated, indicated their intent to apply for the program in 2019.

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Additionally, we found that several participating organizations ran out of supplies as early as Saturday afternoon indicating they had more participants than they expected, which is always a good thing!

Supporting question

What did you do to update/change this program from the year before? Were your updates/changes successful?

There were no substantive changes to the mission of the Community Outreach Program. It’s a good program that is working well for us, so change for change’s sake is not progressive in this case. We did, however, make an intentional adjustment on the amount of organizations participating. In 2017 we had 19 organizations participate and in 2018 we grew that number to 27. For the most part we welcomed organizations that have participated before, but 12 new non-profits joined us this year. Some of the new organizations included Animal Lifeline, Des Moines Area Religious Council, Des Moines Skate Park and Opportunity on Deck.

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From Latin dancing to magic tricks, everyone can find something fun in the Creative Family Zone.

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There were four pages dedicated to the Community Outreach Program in the free Festival Program.

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Our online application system allowed for ease in applying while being environmentally aware at the same time!

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Six credentials were provided to every non-profit organization to allow for afterhours entry and other special accommodations.

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All the participating non-profit organizations received an information packet, giving answers to the important questions.

We provided information about the other non-profit organizations, emergency information, and the important load-in and load-out details.

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go where it takes you… 52 I BEST COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM

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go where it takes you… 52 I BEST COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM

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go where it takes you… 52 I BEST COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM

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