Cultural Express

The Iowa Arts Council's Cultural Express program provides an opportunity for Iowa communities to experience traditional music, foods, dance, rituals and crafts from a variety of groups living in Iowa. Tabletop exhibits, resource kits for activities, and live two-hour programs explore Danish, American Indian, Lao, Bosnian, Asian Indian, and Vietnamese folklife, as well as traditional Gospel, Blues, Latino, Old Time Anglo-Scots-Irish, and Czech and German Polka music.

The Cultural Express program was created in collaboration with traditional artists and communities in Iowa to bring diverse traditional arts to libraries and museums throughout the state. It is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts Challenge America: Access to the Arts Grant.

The Iowa Arts Council is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to Iowa libraries and museums, which are eligible to apply for up to $8,000 to help offset the costs of this traveling program.

A successful proposal will:

include an event plan that incorporates presentation and display of all 11 exhibits and live two-hour programs over the span of 9 months;
show evidence of collaborative partnerships (including plans for shared presentations and displays) with libraries and museums within one of the 7 library areas (visit www.ilsa.lib.ia.us for information);
show evidence of having planned the program with an emphasis on outreach with underserved communities and towns;
show evidence of having involved contact persons from at least five of the eleven programs in preparing the event plan; and
include a timeline, budget (both income and expenses), and information about marketing plans.

Eligible Applicants

Iowa museums and libraries that are either a part of local government or have nonprofit and tax-exempt status.

Grantee Responsibilities

The lead organization receiving this grant will be required to submit a final report by July 31, 2007, detailing expenditure of grant funds and results achieved.