$250,000 in Inspire Iowa grants awarded to six projects
For more information, contact:
Jessica O'Riley, Iowa Economic Development Authority
515.348.6256
communications@iowaeda.com
$250,000 in Inspire Iowa grants awarded to six projects
May 9, 2024 (DES MOINES) – The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) announced $250,000 in Inspire Iowa grants to projects in Linn, Polk, Scott, Shelby and Woodbury counties.
The Inspire Iowa program was launched by the Iowa Tourism Office and Iowa Arts Council, both divisions of the IEDA, to elevate the perception of Iowa as a cultural destination and promote out-of-state visits and extended stays, which in turn can generate additional local spending and support economic growth.
Details for the projects awarded grant funding follow:
Awardee: Orchestra Iowa
Project Name: Orchestra Iowa Presents “Field of Dreams” (Linn County)
Total Project Cost: $225,000
Amount Awarded: $80,000
Project Description: Grant funds will support Orchestra Iowa’s collaboration with the Cedar Rapids Kernels and presentation of the beloved film “Field of Dreams” with a live symphony orchestra, a first-of-its-kind event that will take place at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids in June 2025.
Awardee: Figge Art Museum, Davenport (Scott County)
Project Name: Walter Wick (I Spy book fame) – Hidden Wonders Exhibit and Community Activations
Total Project Cost: $103,000
Amount Awarded: $35,000
Project Description: Grant funds will provide an opportunity for residents and out-of-state visitors to experience the nostalgia of the popular “I Spy” series while exploring a new visual world. As the only venue in the Midwest hosting this traveling exhibition, the Figge Art Museum will promote the exhibit and Davenport as a destination for out-of-state visitors.
Awardee: National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, Cedar Rapids (Linn County)
Project Name: Alphonse Mucha Exhibit
Total Project Cost: $87,000
Amount Awarded: $30,000
Project Description: Grant funds will support the costs of hosting and promoting the traveling exhibition “Alphonse Mucha: Master of Art Nouveau.” The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library was one of three locations in the U.S, and the only Midwestern venue, selected for a national tour of the exhibition.
Awardee: Des Moines Art Center, Des Moines (Polk County)
Project Name: Firelei Baez Exhibition
Total Project Cost: $275,000
Amount Awarded: $40,000
Project Description: Grant funds will support a project to bring one of the country’s Top 10 Must-See Museum Exhibitions to Iowa and create a multi-channel marketing campaign to elevate Iowa as a cultural destination of choice.
Awardee: Museum of Danish America, Elk Horn (Shelby County)
Project Name: Danish Ceramics: Beyond Blue and White Exhibition
Total Project Cost: $84,000
Amount Awarded: $25,000
Project Description: Grant funds will support the costs of presenting a major exhibition featuring three centuries of Danish ceramic art and attracting new visitors to Elk Horn before the exhibit travels outside of the Midwest.
Awardee: Sioux City Art Center / Art Center Association of Sioux City (Woodbury County)
Project Name: Razzle Dazzle building art wraps for ArtSplash anniversary
Total Project Cost: $140,475
Amount Awarded: $40,000
Project Description: This project supports costs and promotion of Razzle Dazzle, a site-specific textile sculpture on the Art Center's building that coincides with the 30th annual of ArtSplash, the Art Center's signature annual outdoor art festival.
A total of $250,000 in program funding was available for Fiscal Year 2024.
The Iowa Tourism Office works closely with community partners, attractions and events, to promote the state’s beautifully vast scenery and unique history. Tourism in Iowa generated $6.9 billion in expenditures in 2022, with more than $1.1 billion supporting state and local governments, while employing a total of 68,607 people statewide.
Iowa nonprofit arts and cultural organizations generate more than $750 million of economic impact annually, while supporting the broader hospitality industry and attracting new visitors to our state.
For more information on tourism or arts and culture in Iowa, visit traveliowa.com or culture.iowaeda.com
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