Public Art & Design: Design Iowa Program

Design Iowa is an initiative of the Iowa Arts Council resulting from the recommendations and outcomes of the 1993 Governor’s Summit Community Building and Design.

The Summit provided Iowans with a clear mission:

• To strengthen partnership and dialogue between key decision makers on community building and design issues.
• To develop and test demonstration design projects that advance the role of design and aesthetics in community building activities and programs.

These recommendations are meant to serve Iowans and address issues that affect the daily lives and the quality of life of our citizens—from highway overpass and rest stops to streetscapes, riverfront and city park initiatives.

Design Iowa encourages communities and organizations to:

• seek ways to strengthen the capacity of organizations and communities to work in collaboration with each other on community building activities;
• utilize existing projects to plan and develop innovative approaches to enhancing community improvement and infrastructure projects;
• seek a higher standard of design or aesthetic excellence in infrastructure and community improvement projects in order to increase their value to the public (e.g., value added products).

Communities and organizations interested in developing a Design Iowa Initiative are encouraged to contact the IAC.