Hip, hip, HOORAY!!: ArtHaus Receives Governor’s Arts Award

Did you know that ArtHaus just received a 2016 Governor’s Art Award? ArtHaus Co-directors, Eric and Jenni Petersen-Brant were on hand to receive the award during the 2016 Iowa Arts Summit in Des Moines on Friday, August 5.  ArtHaus received the award for “Impact and Accessibility in the Arts,” which recognizes an individual, organization or business that initiates a community-wide artistic undertaking that is broad in scope and seeks to serve a significant amount of Iowans or that seeks to improve accessibility to the arts for an underserved target population in Iowa.

Administered by the Iowa Arts Council, the Governor’s Arts Awards recognize and honor individuals, organizations and businesses in Iowa that have had a significant impact on the vitality of the arts in Iowa.

Other 2016 recipients are David Dahlquist and Turnaround Arts: Des Moines, both of Des Moines; and the Fort Dodge Community Foundation and United Way of Fort Dodge.

ArtHaus was recognized for the development of innovative programs that bring visual, performing and literary art together to offer creative educational and cultural programs for all ages. Examples include a lecture series with Luther College faculty; a sound-sculpture public art installation designed by high school students in collaboration with Luther College music composition students with involvement from Spectrum Network, which serves individuals with disabilities; plus a host of free and low-cost art fairs, gallery openings, poetry slams, live music concerts and a youth apprentice program.

“Here in Iowa, we enjoy an outstanding quality of life thanks in large part to our artists and nonprofit arts groups,” Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs Director Mary Cownie said. “Museums and performing arts groups and cultural nonprofits together add up to more than 5,000 arts organizations that support more than 20,000 jobs across the state. So, it’s important to lift up examples of extraordinary leadership in the field, which is exactly what the Governor’s Arts Awards were created to do.”

More information about the Governor’s Arts Awards and the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs is available at iowaculture.gov or 515-281-5111. To support the work of ArtHaus, make a donation today and become a Friend of ArtHaus online.