Des Moines’ First Municipal Artist in Residency Project

With the encouragement and guidance of Group Creative Services, Bravo Greater Des Moines and Invest DSM commissioned Chicago-based interdisciplinary artist Eleanor Kahn as the city’s first Artist in Residence, piloting a creative process for resident engagement and civic improvement. Kahn’s work pushed the context of the Dogtown business district into connections that strengthened identity and created momentum for continued growth and development of Des Moines’ Drake Neighborhood as a welcoming and inclusive place.

The cities that lead the world increasingly turn to artists to help address complex municipal and social issues — to engage residents and improve communities. It was time for such work in Des Moines.

A six- to nine-month Artist in Residence pilot aimed to demonstrate that civic goals can be realized faster and better when the arts play a leading role, embracing a process without a known outcome. Specifically, the work aimed to develop a sense of place for a business district, making the ideas of business owners visible and influencing shared identity for future transformative effects.