ArtFest Midwest
June 25 + 26, 2022
Growing Midwest art culture by fostering talented regional artists and art patrons.
ArtFest Midwest 2022, a premier Des Moines-based fine art show, is an indoor event held in the rain-free, air-conditioned Iowa Events Center. ArtFest Midwest is supported by the ArtFest Midwest Foundation, a newly formed nonprofit organization with the mission of growing Midwest art culture by fostering talented regional artists and art patrons. As such, ArtFest Midwest aims to support emerging and underrepresented artists creating unique visual art in the Midwest.
ArtFest Midwest is a family-friendly event that is attended by nearly 10,000 patrons, largely from the greater Des Moines area, each year. ArtFest Midwest takes place only blocks away from the Des Moines Arts Festival and enjoys the benefits of increased traffic of engaged, enthusiastic, art-loving attendees! The event also coincides with the popular downtown farmer's market that takes place each Saturday morning. Admission to the show is free and accessible for attendees experiencing mobility issues.
The event provides Midwest artists with a unique opportunity to share their work with a captive audience of local art buyers, making ArtFest Midwest the go-to event for artists looking to establish or develop their Des Moines-area customer base as well as patrons looking to start or add to their personal art collections.
Artists can expect ArtFest Midwest to support their marketing efforts leading up to the event. In 2021, the event delivered over 2 million marketing impressions with a target audience of people ages 25-64 in Greater Des Moines. In 2022 and the following years, we aim to expand our reach to a more diverse and inclusive audience of patrons and artists alike.
As a newly formed nonprofit, the ArtFest Midwest Foundation is committed to our mission of fostering talented regional artists and is actively pursuing sponsorship opportunities to help support emerging artists succeed during the two-day event and beyond. Emerging artists are encouraged to identify as such during the application process and more details on available resources and programming will follow.
Artist applications are curated by an artist-majority jury panel, ensuring the event engages and supports a diverse array of artists and provides patrons with access to high-quality fine art.
The application process for ArtFest Midwest 2022 is currently closed. There will be no ArtFest Midwest in 2023.
Event Fast Facts 2022
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Location: Iowa Events Center, downtown Des Moines (Hall A and Community Choice Credit Union Level 300)
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Telephone Number: 515-243-2000
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E-mail address: artfestmidwest@sppg.com
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Mailing Address: 2910 Westown Pkwy. Suite 302, West Des Moines, IA 50266
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Jury: Majority artist 5-person jury panel.
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Jury Process: Multi-round, projection jurying.
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Images: 4 images of work + 1 booth image
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Multiple Applications: If an artist has work in different media categories or distinctly spate bodies of work within one category, the artist must submit separate applications.
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Application Fee: $30
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Booth Fees: All single booths are 10’ x 15’. Single booth: $330; Double booth (20 x 15): $650; Corner: Additional $80
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Electricity: Electricity will be available for purchase through the Iowa Events Center. ($100)
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Load In: Set-up for the show will be Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. Artists will receive a scheduled time for unloading to ensure the process goes smoothly. Loading assistance will be available to assist artists.
Artist Benefits
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Each artist will be featured on our event website along with Facebook and other social media.
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Artists will be provided a social media promotional package, complete with promotional graphics, sample social media posts, and tips to increase artists’ social media reach leading up to the event.
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Exposure through over 2 million marketing impressions generated by ArtFest Midwest leading up to the event.
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Email blasts to growing distribution list of residents and patrons in the Des Moines area, with a specific emphasis on the large number of patrons who live and work in downtown Des Moines.
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Event promotion throughout a variety of both local and Central Iowa media and platforms, including newspaper, radio, television, and digital advertising.
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Community partnership with Mainframe Studios, including artist events and workshops.
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Volunteers available to assist artists with managing booth operations.
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Booths are a generous 10 feet wide by 15 feet deep, which allows for an extra 5 feet of storage at the back of the booth space for artists to store materials. Additional storage is also provided to artists free of charge.
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Friendly, helpful, and attentive staff.
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Security will be provided for entire weekend, with additional security Saturday night.
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Free WiFi available to artists.
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An Artist Lounge will be provided to all artists and helpers.
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"Snack Bags" with a mix of snacks and a water bottle will be given to artists at the time of registration.
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ArtFest Midwest is an indoor show with protection from the elements as well as air conditioning.