G R E A T E R D E S M O I N E S

PALETTEREPORT TO THE REGION

2018

For decades, Greater Des Moines has valued arts,culture and heritage as essential drivers of quality of life.

Bravo was created to ensure long-term,

sustainable investments in the region’s robust

cultural sector to inspire both residents and

visitors. Now, beyond appreciation that arts

and cultural resources are “nice-to-have” amenities, Greater Des Moines can quantify

a $185 million annual economic impact from the region’s cultural organizations,

affirming that these assets are also “need-to-have” economic engines and integral to

achieving community goals.

This year, Bravo Board President Sean Vicente led critical conversations about ways

Bravo can enhance its community impact. The entire Board of Directors contributed

hundreds of hours of strategic insight into how to leverage Bravo’s resources to drive

regional priorities. Their contributions ensure a stronger organization that is able to

meet dynamic community needs for the future.

Bravo would not be possible without the generous investments from our local

government partners, and Bravo would not be necessary without the outstanding

cultural partners we serve. From Broadway to community theater, historical museums

to botanical gardens, Greater Des Moines has an impressive array of cultural

experiences to offer. Bravo is proud to uniquely support this diverse landscape and

grateful for all the work our cultural partners do to leverage Bravo’s investments

throughout the year.

Accomplishments resulting from Bravo’s investments are easy to find. With clearly

defined regional cultural priorities, now is the time to build on this growing

appreciation for the essential role of arts, culture and heritage in our region. Bravo will

continue to play a leadership role along with essential community partners committed

to strengthening the region with arts, culture and heritage at the center.

Sally Dix

Bravo Executive Director

Sally Dix Bravo Executive Director

Sean Vicente Bravo Board President

Collaborative: Bravo collaborates with all community partners to define

and achieve long-term success for arts, culture and heritage.

Inclusive: Bravo values diversity, and we promote a culture of equity

and inclusion.

Accountable: Bravo acts with integrity and transparency, allocating

resources responsibly and as good stewards of public funds.

Regional: Bravo invests where resources have the most impact on

regional priorities.

Opportunistic: Bravo consistently delivers on core functions while

remaining nimble to respond strategically to regional priorities.

Passionate: Bravo stakeholders are passionate about arts, culture and

heritage and the benefits Bravo brings to Greater Des Moines.

Vision Arts, culture and heritage elevate and enrich a vibrant Greater Des Moines.

Mission Bravo Greater Des Moines leverages community resources to maximize

the impact of arts, culture and heritage to advance regional priorities.

Core Values

SINCE 2006, BRAVO HAS AWARDED

$35 MILLION

TO ARTS, CULTURE AND HERITAGE ORGANIZATIONS

AND PROGRAMS TOTALING MORE THAN

896 GRANTS

ALTOONA ANKENY BONDURANT CARLISLE CLIVE DES MOINES GRIMES INDIANOLABravo Greater Des Moines would not exist without the generous support of 17 local

government partners that invest in our work. By allocating a portion of hotel/motel

taxes to Bravo, these communities collectively contribute 99 percent of Bravo’s

annual revenue. This true regional collaboration is a national example for sustainable

investments in arts, culture and heritage.

JOHNSTON NORWALK PLEASANT HILL POLK CITY POLK COUNTY URBANDALE WAUKEE WEST DES MOINES WINDSOR HEIGHTS

Pyramid Theatre Co. •

Cultural Partner since 2017 •

Standing Ovation Award winner 2018

This year, Bravo sought to define a bold

vision for the future by funding a

Regional Cultural Assessment to identify

ways arts, culture and heritage can help

advance, support and enhance quality of

life and economic development.

Led by Drake University President Marty

Martin and a steering committee of eight

other community leaders, four deeply

interconnected cultural priorities

emerged that define opportunities for

central Iowa’s cultural sector to thrive:

EVERY DAY, EVERYWHERE ART

Generate more spontaneous artistic

and cultural connections in new and

different places.

STRENGTHEN THE CREATIVE

ECONOMY Develop the talent and skillsets of

creative entrepreneurs and artists.

CULTURAL TAPESTRY

Support arts, culture and heritage as

diverse, accessible, inclusive and equitable

throughout Greater Des Moines.

YOUTH CONNECTIONS

Ensure that all young people in the region

have access to a rich array of creative and

cultural experiences, both formal and

informal, educational and recreational.

The full Regional Cultural Assessment can be

found at CentralIowaRCA.org.

PH

OTO

BY

KEL

LY N

OR

RIS

Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden

• Cultural Partner since 2006

•Encore Award winner 2018

CULTURAL PARTNERS

6th Avenue Corridor, Inc. –

Prototyping Festival

Altoona Public Library – Play to Learn!

Literacy Through Music and

Movement

Ankeny Area Historical Society

Ankeny Art Center

Ankeny Community Chorus

Ankeny Community Foundation –

Ankeny City Band 2018 Season

Ankeny Community Theatre

Area515 Des Moines Makers Space –

The Art of Making

ASAP, the After School Arts Program

Avenues Ingersoll & Grand Restoration

Ballet Des Moines

Blank Park Zoo

Brazilian Cultural Center

Carlisle Area Historical Society

Central Iowa Wind Ensemble

City of Clive Public Arts Commission –

Art Along the Trail

Community Supported Advocates –

Momentum: Art Access

CultureALL, Inc.

Des Moines Art Center

Des Moines Arts Festival

Des Moines Bicycle Collective –

Bike Trickin’ - Bike Month 2017

Des Moines Children’s Museum

Des Moines Choral Society

Des Moines Community Orchestra

Des Moines Community Playhouse

Des Moines Diversity Chorus

Des Moines European Heritage

Association

Des Moines Film Society

Des Moines Gay Men’s Chorus

Des Moines Heritage Trust

Des Moines Metro Opera

Des Moines Music Coalition

Des Moines Performing Arts

Des Moines Public Library Foundation –

AViD (Authors Visiting in

Des Moines) Author Lecture Series

Des Moines Social Club

Des Moines Symphony & Academy

Des Moines Vocal Arts Ensemble

Des Moines Young Artists’ Theatre

Downtown Events Group –

World Food & Music Festival

Gateway Dance Theater

Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden

Greater Des Moines Public Art

Foundation

Harmony Central Chorus

Heartland Youth Choir

Historic Valley Junction –

Cinco de Mayo Festival

Historic Valley Junction –

Music in the Junction Concert Series

Hoyt Sherman Place Foundation

I’ll Make Me a World in Iowa, Inc. 

Iowa Architectural Foundation

Iowa Arts in Education (ArtForce

Iowa) – Creative Pathways

Iowa Asian Alliance

Iowa Gold Star Military Museum

Iowa Hall of Pride

Iowa Public Radio –

Studio One Underground Series

Iowa Public Television Foundation –

The Film Lounge

The Iowa Shakespeare Experience

Iowa Stage Theatre Co.

Iowa Youth Chorus 

Italian-American Cultural Center of Iowa

Jewish Federation of Greater

Des Moines (Iowa Jewish Historical

Society)

Latino Resources, Inc.

Living History Farms

Mainframe Studios

Music Under the Stars

The Opera Project DSM

Polk City Development Corporation –

Polk City Four Seasons Festival of Arts

Polk County Heritage Gallery

Pyramid Theatre Company

Pride of Iowa Barbershop Chorus

Refugee Alliance of Central Iowa –

World Refugee Day

Salisbury House Foundation

Science Center of Iowa

State Historical Museum of Iowa

Station 1 Records

Tallgrass Theatre Company

The Des Moines Urban Experience –

Iowa Juneteenth Observation

Urbandale Community Theatre

Urbandale Public Library – Art Outreach

Warren Morrow Latin Music Festival

West Des Moines Historical Society

World Food Prize Foundation

Young Women’s Resource Center –

Women & Art: Unified

GRANT CYCLE 2018 Bravo’s targeted Communitiy Investments in Arts and Culture were

made through three competitive grant programs:

CULTURAL ENRICHMENT GRANT

• 66 Cultural Partners

• $3.7 million awarded

LOCAL ARTS PROGRAM GRANT

• 26 programs presented by 25 Cultural Partners

• $149,980 awarded

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN & PROJECT GRANT

• 12 Cultural Partners

• $450,000 awarded

City of Pleasant Hill –

Art on the Lake Festival

City of West Des Moines –

Art on the Campus

City of West Des Moines Public Arts

Advisory Commission –

Water Quality Community Art Event

City of West Des Moines Parks &

Recreation Department

City Sounds: The Des Moines Public

Piano Project

City Voices

Civic Music Association of Des Moines

Class Act Productions, Inc.

Clive Historical Society

Clive Public Library – Artists Library

Community Housing Initiatives –

East Side Public Art Campaign and

Community Discussion Series

Community! Youth Concepts –

Sidewalk Chalk Flood

Courage League Sports – Music Makers/

Keep to the Beat Program

Sean Vicente President

Jim Sandager Vice President/Treasurer

Kathryn Kunert Secretary

Jill Altringer

Bob Andeweg

Anna Bergman

Connie Boesen

Robert Brownell

Lauren Burt

Holley Bzdega

Charley Campbell

Tara Deering-Hansen

Paula Dierenfeld

Scott Duer

Jeff Fleming

Christine Hensley

Kate Hightshoe

Joseph Jones

Susan Judkins

BRAVO GREATER DES MOINES 2018BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Stephanie Jutila

Emily Kessinger

Stephen King

Bob Kling

Sara Kurovski

David Lester

Proctor Lureman

Robert Miller

Katie Patterson

Ruth Randleman

Paul Schlueter

Phyllis Staplin

Tiffany Tauscheck

Georgia Van Gundy

Susan Voss

Kerry Walter-Ashby

STAFF

Sally Dix Executive Director

Amy Saylor Operations Coordinator

ASAP, the After School Arts Program

•Cultural Partner

since 2012

1011 LOCUST STREET | SUITE 309 | DES MOINES, IOWA 50309

BRAVOGREATERDESMOINES.ORG | 515.243.0388

G R E A T E R D E S M O I N E S

Des Moines Performing Arts

•Cultural Partner

since 2006•

Encore Award winner 2011