• Bus Wrap #1: "Untitled"
  • Nomade
    Nomade
  • A Monumental Journey by Kerry James Marshall, looking north, 25 July 2018, Commissioned by Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation
    A Monumental Journey
  • Expansion
    Expansion
  • Five Dangos
  • Swirl
  • Miffy Fountain
  • Mental Banquet: Painting with Lights
  • Bus Wrap #8: Outward
  • Pumpkin (L)
  • Liftoff

Welcome to the Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation

The Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation enriches lives by advancing the best of public art by placing art in public spaces in the community through public and private collaborations, adding to the cultural record through its collections and educational programs. We invite you to discover public art through-out the Greater Des Moines area.
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Featured Art this Month

  Tom Sachs

 2007, fabricated in 2008 from an edition of 5 (5/5)  |  Long-Term Collection
  Other Public Art Downtown

  Kerry James Marshall

 July 2018  |  Long-Term Collection
  Other Public Art Downtown

  Mitchell Squire

 2019  |  Short-Term Collection
  Bus Wrap #10: Multiple Black

  Jun Kaneko

 Installed 2012  |  Long-Term Collection
  Principal Riverwalk

Featured Artists this Month


 1958
 American


 born 1944
 American


 born 1955
 American

News + Initiatives Blog

Our blog posts are a growing knowledge base of insights, stories and information. Get inspired by and delve into a breathtaking array of public art.

From Our Facebook Feed

Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation increasingly utilizes social media as an important method to communicate with current and prospective audiences. Facebook and other social media platforms provide diverse opportunities to share the best of public art in Greater Des Moines to people around the world.

Social media participants can witness the public art process. Followers can watch a video of installations or an interview with artists, public art professionals, and educators on particular subjects. According to the Director M. Jessica Rowe at the Public Art Foundation, people do want to see more than just having public art appear: “Rather than hoping for an audience, we want to build an audience.”

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6th Avenue Corridor Art-integrated Bus Shelters win State-wide Award
Des Moines, Iowa!
(April 24, 2023) The 6th Avenue Corridor Main Street Program, DART, and the Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation were honored with a competitive Placemaking Award at the annual Main Street Iowa Development Awards on Friday, April 21st. The award recognizes their collective success integrating public art into the bus shelter system along the 6th Avenue Corridor Main Street District between I-235 and Hickman Avenue.
Main Street Iowa hosted the event at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center in Des Moines. The program celebrates the efforts of those who work tirelessly to revitalize Iowa’s communities and to make a difference in the state’s Main Street districts. 
Eleven art-integrated bus shelters will eventually be installed along the 1.2 mile district. Five shelters have already been installed in the Phase I area (6th Avenue from College Avenue north to Hickman Avenue), four will be installed this year in the Phase II area (6th Avenue from College Avenue south to University Avenue), and two are anticipated be installed adjacent to MercyOne Hospital. The objective of the project is to create a distinct visual identity for transit in the 6th Avenue Corridor district. Each shelter structure features five glass panels and the designs expand across the surface of each panel.
After a rigorous review process, Barbadian artist Sheena Rose was awarded the commission for her vibrant concepts. Last fall, Project partners hosted Sheena Rose in Des Moines with a series of public celebratory events including an artist lecture, workshops with neighborhood youth, bus wrap reveal, and street festival.

6th Avenue Corridor Art-integrated Bus Shelters win State-wide Award
Des Moines, Iowa!
(April 24, 2023) The 6th Avenue Corridor Main Street Program, DART, and the Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation were honored with a competitive Placemaking Award at the annual Main Street Iowa Development Awards on Friday, April 21st. The award recognizes their collective success integrating public art into the bus shelter system along the 6th Avenue Corridor Main Street District between I-235 and Hickman Avenue.
Main Street Iowa hosted the event at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center in Des Moines. The program celebrates the efforts of those who work tirelessly to revitalize Iowa’s communities and to make a difference in the state’s Main Street districts.
Eleven art-integrated bus shelters will eventually be installed along the 1.2 mile district. Five shelters have already been installed in the Phase I area (6th Avenue from College Avenue north to Hickman Avenue), four will be installed this year in the Phase II area (6th Avenue from College Avenue south to University Avenue), and two are anticipated be installed adjacent to MercyOne Hospital. The objective of the project is to create a distinct visual identity for transit in the 6th Avenue Corridor district. Each shelter structure features five glass panels and the designs expand across the surface of each panel.
After a rigorous review process, Barbadian artist Sheena Rose was awarded the commission for her vibrant concepts. Last fall, Project partners hosted Sheena Rose in Des Moines with a series of public celebratory events including an artist lecture, workshops with neighborhood youth, bus wrap reveal, and street festival.
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1 month ago
Repost • @axa_mentorship 
A Transformative Art Project of Accessibility + Inclusion 

The FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION PROJECT 

ALT text on

@polkcountyheritagegallery @mosaicpossible @emanart @dsmpublicart @mainframearts @harkininstitute

Repost • @axa_mentorship
A Transformative Art Project of Accessibility + Inclusion

The FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION PROJECT

ALT text on

@polkcountyheritagegallery @mosaicpossible @emanart @dsmpublicart @mainframearts @harkininstitute
... See MoreSee Less

1 month ago

Comment on Facebook

Thank you Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation for your most generous support of these artists, their work, their voices and this project. With your support, this project was possible 🙏🏽✨️✨️

We couldn’t let Women’s History Month come to a close without highlighting a small selection of the immensely talented women whose creativity we get to live with in greater Des Moines. 

Artists pictured:
Harriet A. Ketcham, Alice Aycock, JD Hansen, Sheena Rose, Gail Folwell, Norie Sato, Rebecca Eckstrand, Anna Gaskell, Evelyn Beatrice Longman.

We couldn’t let Women’s History Month come to a close without highlighting a small selection of the immensely talented women whose creativity we get to live with in greater Des Moines.

Artists pictured:
Harriet A. Ketcham, Alice Aycock, JD Hansen, Sheena Rose, Gail Folwell, Norie Sato, Rebecca Eckstrand, Anna Gaskell, Evelyn Beatrice Longman.
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2 months ago

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3 months ago
We are proud to announce we have been awarded an operational grant from Bravo Greater Des Moines. The grant not only keeps our lights on. It provides major assistance in building the strong relationships that support our ongoing pursuit for outstanding public art throughout greater Des Moines. #bravogreaterdsm

We are proud to announce we have been awarded an operational grant from Bravo Greater Des Moines. The grant not only keeps our lights on. It provides major assistance in building the strong relationships that support our ongoing pursuit for outstanding public art throughout greater Des Moines. #bravogreaterdsm ... See MoreSee Less

6 months ago

We are proud to announce we have been awarded an operational grant from Bravo Greater Des Moines. This grant not only keeps our lights on. It provides major assistance in building the strong relationships that support our ongoing pursuit for outstanding public art throughout greater Des Moines. @BravoGreaterDes Moines. ... See MoreSee Less

6 months ago
Don’t miss theis great image - the recently completed second SWISH mural. Designed by local artist, Jordan Weber and Oakbridge youth and painted by Jill Wells, it’s located at Oakridge Neighborhood’s Building 301 (faces Center Street between 14th and 15th Streets). Like the first mural, it honors 14-year-old Oakridge resident, Yore Jieng, who was killed by a stray bulletwhile he was sitting in the car with his family.
 
Photo Credits: Jill Wells

Don’t miss theis great image - the recently completed second SWISH mural. Designed by local artist, Jordan Weber and Oakbridge youth and painted by Jill Wells, it’s located at Oakridge Neighborhood’s Building 301 (faces Center Street between 14th and 15th Streets). Like the first mural, it honors 14-year-old Oakridge resident, Yore Jieng, who was killed by a stray bulletwhile he was sitting in the car with his family.

Photo Credits: Jill Wells
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7 months ago
Art foundation board president, Susan M Fitzsimmons and Sheena Rose admiring Sheena’s DART bus art.

Art foundation board president, Susan M Fitzsimmons and Sheena Rose admiring Sheena’s DART bus art. ... See MoreSee Less

7 months ago