Creativity News Desk
Amplifying storytelling around Midwestern creativity.
About the Creativity News Desk
Arts Midwest programs are currently under review for compliance with state and federal laws.
The Creativity News Desk is a cultural reporting and storytelling initiative covering the creative Midwest.
We amplify Midwestern creativity and the voices of diverse Midwesterners. Our initiative constructs a new lens for the Midwest and its people—far beyond “flyover country.”
This project is led and activated by Midwesterners. We focus on stories of, by, and for Native communities, rural communities, and communities of color; and work with freelance writers, photographers, videographers, and illustrators to cover these stories. We also support partnerships, grants, and learning opportunities for community-engaged media organizations and individuals.
The Creativity News Desk is published by Arts Midwest, a U.S. Regional Arts Organization serving the nine-state region of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, the Native Nations that share this geography, and beyond.
Check out how you can get involved below!
Arts Midwest retains full authority over editorial content to protect the best journalistic and business interests of our initiative, the Creativity News Desk. We maintain a firewall between our coverage decisions and sources of all revenue. Acceptance of financial support does not constitute implied or actual endorsement of donors or their products, services, or opinions.
We accept gifts and grants from individuals and organizations for the general support of our activities. Arts Midwest may consider donations to support coverage that aligns with the goals of the news desk and our organizational values. We will cede no right of review or influence of editorial content, nor of unauthorized distribution of editorial content. The Creativity News Desk recognizes the importance of transparency. We commit to disclosing the names of all donors who support this initiative.
Arts Midwest’s Creativity News Desk is generously supported by Builders Initiative. Builders Initiative is the philanthropic team of Builders Vision, an impact platform dedicated to supporting people and organizations building a more humane and healthy planet. Builders Initiative is a strategic philanthropy that includes grantmaking and impact investing.
This project is also supported by Arts Midwest’s gift from MacKenzie Scott, an unrestricted contribution received in 2021.
Recent Creativity News Desk Stories
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Shakespeare for All in Rural Appalachia, Rooted in Soil and Soul
May 2, 2025
Nestled in the rural mountains of Southwest Virginia, the nearly century-old Barter Theatre helps actors and creative staff to put down roots and build connections in their community.
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Step Into Art: Midwest Cities Turn Sidewalk Potholes into Poetry
April 30, 2025
A simple premise—poems stamped in wet concrete—is leaving a lasting impression across Midwest cities.
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Meet Jeremy Red Eagle, The Bow-Maker Teaching Dakota Traditions
April 29, 2025
Taking a holistic approach that includes responsibly harvesting natural materials, Red Eagle teaches the traditional art of bow-making from wood, plants, hides, bone, and more.
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Midwestern Reuse Stores Inspire Creativity and Sustainability
April 24, 2025
“Art thrift stores” across the Midwest put their he(art)s into saving, selling, and repurposing would-be trash into creative treasure.
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Everyone Wins: Inside a Sioux Falls Gallery’s Art Lottery
April 23, 2025
For the last decade, Ipso Gallery in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has built an exciting fundraiser to contribute to local culture, pay artists, and encourage a new way of collecting art.
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A To-Be-Demolished School Is Now an Arts Refuge
April 21, 2025
An Iowa community’s demand for art has surged in the last few years, prompting Eastern Iowa Arts Academy to shift programming to a 111-year-old elementary school.
Collaborate With Us
We work with freelance writers, reporters and photographers year-round for our coverage. Pitch us your idea for a story about Midwestern Creativity!
Creative Midwest Media Cohort
We support innovative media outlets that are amplifying and celebrating Midwestern art and creativity. Ten organizations have received a total of $150,000 through the Creative Midwest Media Cohort, a new year-long program.
Contact us about the Creativity News Desk
Reach out to Managing Editor Angela Zonunpari with questions.
Contact Us FAQs