Location: Iowa

Artist Jill Wells’ murals transform ordinary buildings, uplifting Black culture.

Built on community, La Luz Centro Cultural provides a unique space for Latinos in rural Hampton, Iowa.
Basado en la comunidad, La Luz Centro Cultural entrega un espacio único para los latinos en Hampton rural, Iowa.

From a 138-year-old historic church to a vacant tube manufacturing building, these projects across the Midwest are staking out space for creativity to shine.

Midwestern organizations Sacred Pipe Resource Center, For the Love of the Arts, and La Luz Centro Cultural are taking part in the second round of Arts Midwest’s community-based artist-in-residency program.

20 years on, Public Space One continues to exemplify the value of artist-led, community-driven efforts in creating thriving arts and culture spaces.

What do Japanese Breakfast, a breakdancing crew, and a Des Moines-themed board game have in common? You could’ve found them all at this year’s 80/35 Music Festival.

Amidst times of uncertainty and chaos, an unexpected musical connection creates cross-cultural unification.

Iowa City, Iowa is a bookish town. The first American UNESCO City of Literature, it is known for extensive University writing programs, a famous bookstore, Prairie Lights, and a community of open-minded literature lovers. The National Endowment for the Arts’ Big Read program, which aims to expose people to new ideas through works of literature and community conversations, is right at home here. But alongside Iowa City’s internationally renowned literary enclaves are less visible communities with important stories to tell.

Mushrooms, multi-use spaces, murals, and more? Explore an often-overlooked corner of the Midwest with local writer Elisabeth A. Fondell, and discover how the Driftless Region is delicious, distinctive, and utterly creative.