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Five questions with Kelly Baum, Des Moines Art Center’s new director, who’s looking forward to the future of art history

After longtime Des Moines Art Center director Jeff Fleming announced last year that he would step away after a quarter century, the question of who could replace him quickly arose. Now, as the Art Center begins its 75th anniversary year, the answer has come in the form of Dr. Kelly Baum, who was announced as […]

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Liz Lidgett Gallery threads together four artists ‘pushing the boundaries of textile-based artwork’ in new exhibit

The Liz Lidgett Gallery and Design opened a new group show, “Textiles,” on Feb. 24, featuring 20 textile-based pieces that can brighten the darkest of rooms. “Each work will make you stop in place to contemplate and try to discover more about the technique and brilliance of the artist,” according to the show’s description. The gallery […]

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Ballet Des Moines earned their right to perform a Balanchine classic, debuting Friday: ‘It is really just a badge of honor’

Ballet Des Moines will bring elements of classical and contemporary dance to Iowa with its performance of Balanchine+ this Friday and Saturday at Hoyt Sherman Place. The piece’s title refers to George Balanchine, co-founder and founding choreographer of New York City Ballet. The company will perform Balanchine’s Who Cares?, a beautiful jazz-tinged dance unbound by […]

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Two Des Moines theater companies, founded a century apart, join forces to stage August Wilson’s ‘The Piano Lesson’

When last year’s revival of August Wilson’s 1987 play The Piano Lesson closed on Broadway on Jan. 29, it was the highest grossing show that week. In fact, the production, which opened Oct. 13, became the highest grossing play revival and highest grossing Wilson play on Broadway. Wilson is regularly among the most-produced playwrights in […]

Posted inArts & Entertainment, Central Iowa Arts & Entertainment

Paint this staircase: Des Moines artists wanted for neighborhood beautification project

Even if you pass it every day on Ingersoll Avenue in Des Moines, you may not have noticed the staircase. Lauren Kollauf wants to change that. “People have probably walked by or driven by this staircase and not really noticed it, it’s drab … and when you go up the staircase, it’s not entirely clear […]

Posted inCentral Iowa Arts & Entertainment

Weekender Central Iowa! Forbidden Broadway | God of Carnage | Ax and the Hatchetmen

READ THE LATEST | SUPPORT LITTLE VILLAGE | SHOP PERKS THE WEEKENDER Your weekly editor-curated arts compendium Black History Month is upon us. Learn about the Black culture that once thrived in downtown Des Moines on Center Street at Mainframe Studios with their First Friday event. That culture continues with a celebration of Black artists and their contributions to […]

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