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Consultant outlines feasibility study for an arts alliance in Iowa City
Summary
Group Creatives presented a discovery-phase overview to the Public Art Advisory Committee about whether an arts alliance should form in Iowa City, how it might be structured and possible funding models; steering committee to refine scenarios by fall.
Teva Dawson, founder of Group Creatives, told the Iowa City Public Art Advisory Committee that her firm was hired by the Downtown District in collaboration with the city and local arts organizations to study whether an arts alliance should be created and, if so, what form it should take. “We are in the first phase of this effort,” Dawson said, describing the current discovery work of individual interviews, focus groups and a steering committee.
Dawson said the study is looking at whether membership should include individual artists as well as organizations, what roles an alliance would perform, what staffing and funding models would be needed and how an alliance would interact with existing groups. “We’re looking at traditional planning things like risks and opportunities,” she said, and added the project team will test potential organizational scenarios in coming weeks.
The consultant team convened a steering committee made up of roughly a dozen local organizations and partners, which Dawson said will meet at the end of the month to review early themes from the discovery phase. She said the next phase will evaluate concrete organizational scenarios and that the final phase would solidify a recommended vision and path forward, with the team aiming to finish the study in early fall.
Rachel Kinger of the University of Iowa, who introduced the consultant, said Group Creatives will share findings with the committee and that committee members will have opportunities to provide feedback as recommendations take shape. Committee members asked about who has been interviewed and who serves on the steering committee; Dawson listed groups that have participated or been invited, including PS1, the Downtown District, University of Iowa entities, the Community Foundation and Summer of the Arts.
Committee members said they want the study to prioritize practical outcomes that can be implemented—several commissioners urged that the study identify early “wins” and clear roles for any new structure. Dawson said she and the team welcome further suggestions for organizations or individuals to interview as discovery continues.
