Arts & Culture
Rural, urban and regional benefit to arts, culture and entertainment in Iowa-
SESSION 1
Finding cash flow in changing nonprofit streams
From sudden federal funding cuts to shifting corporate priorities, the changing winds of 2025 have presented large-scale, fundamental challenges to the norms for nonprofit funding. How are nonprofits adapting to survive, and what do these changes mean for the future of securing funding? As more organizations are forced to cast a wider net for funding, will an increase in competition pit nonprofits against each other?
October 02, 2025 at 9:35AM
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SESSION 2
Federal funding cuts and impacts on Iowa’s arts and culture
Arts and Culture organizations have had to adjust on the fly as major funders like the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) have made major priority shifts away from DEI. Some grants have been cut with little notice. Meanwhile other groups, like the Corporation for Public Broadcasting are shutting down in the wake of federal cuts, which are also impacting PBS and NPR. What impacts have these cuts had in Iowa? Who will emerge to continue to support of cultural programming – particularly as support for minoritized communities wanes?
October 02, 2025 at 10:40AM
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SESSION 3
Hedge Your Bets: A look at how a casino impacts the arts scene
Casinos can be a jackpot of new funding streams for Iowa cities. But as all-in-one stops for arts, entertainment, dining and lodging, they also pose a change in the dynamics of a community and its long-standing players, like nonprofit cultural organizations and entertainment venues. What do cities win when new casinos come to town, and what do they stand to lose? Which players have come out on top in other Iowa cities that built casinos?
October 02, 2025 at 11:45AM
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SESSION 4
Charting the course in choppy waters for arts and culture
With museums and cultural institutions like the Smithsonian and Kennedy Center facing increased political pressures to align content and exhibits to align with federal messaging, what trickle down effects are being felt in Iowa? How are organizations working to take smart risks, and what are boards and others having to do to make sure the organizations move forward while remaining true to their mission?
October 02, 2025 at 1:55PM
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SESSION 5
Creating new pipelines for the arts
Having viable arts in Iowa means supporting viable artists. What artistic career paths are viable in Iowa, and how can Iowa’s workforce broaden its horizons? This session will explore the new pipelines being created to foster talent, untapped options to shape new career paths and how those shaping them envision Iowa’s future through new infrastructure.
October 02, 2025 at 3:00PM
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SESSION 6
Keeping a pin in flyover country: Vamping up Iowa’s arts economy
Iowa has changed politically, socially and economically over the years. How can Iowa put a pin in the map to avoid being a “flyover state” for artists, musicians, speakers and authors? How is Iowa’s quality of life impacted with the loss of cultural giants like the International Writing Program? This session will explore how to further develop Iowa’s talented arts scene, and how can a region known more for its farmers than its artists elevate itself in marketing?
October 03, 2025 at 9:40AM
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SESSION 7
Finding your passion for art later in life
Not everyone finds their way into the arts at an early age. We’ll talk to some folks who made their way into Iowa’s arts scene later in life. How and why did they feel compelled to try something different and embrace the arts? What are the benefits for keeping active in the arts later in life?
October 03, 2025 at 11:50AM
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