How to support art during a summer without the arts festival 

What a year it has been! We got the news that the Des Moines Arts Festival is canceled this year and, though I am in support of the decision, it still makes me sad. It has been a staple part of my summer for as long as I can remember and even served as my inspiration to read Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon as I looked to some of the festival's incredible artists for my own work.

Here are some ways that I will be supporting the arts even in the midst of a pandemic:

1. The Pappajohn Sculpture Park: We are so fortunate to have an incredible sculpture park here in Des Moines. Take the time to walk around the sculpture park or even sit down and enjoy some coffee or tea from your favorite coffee shop and take in the beauty around you. Bring a sketch book along and draw some of your favorite pieces or journal about why you love that piece so much. Get out your phone and do a little research about the piece that you are inspired by; learn about the artist and what they are saying with this piece. You can even listen to the Spotify Playlist the Arts Festival put together while you’re doing it. It features music from artists who have performed at past Arts Festivals.

2. Social media: Start following those artists' work you have been dreaming about. Look more artists up and start following them. Follow those who inspire the artists that inspire you; you are making a family tree of inspiration! Repost some of their work that you are a fan of and show this incredible artist off to your friends.

3. Watch Films: If you have participated in watching the incredible films produced for the Arts Festival you are still able to watch them on Vimeo this year. To make sure you watch the films you are wanting to see, make sure you check out the schedule and have your popcorn ready!

4. Purchasing work: For a lot of these artists, the arts festival is a major source of income. If you have an artist that you are a big fan of, find a way to still support them! Request commission work, purchase some of the pieces that they were going to sell at the Arts Festival, or, like I said before, just share their work via social media. Who knows, maybe your Great Aunt Louise has been looking for something just like that for her entryway!

5. Come walk around the gallery: Lastly, come visit us! We would be more than happy to have you come into the gallery and take a peak at all the incredible artists we have on our walls.