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Des Moines International Airport to install photography showcasing Iowa

Des Moines International Airport
July 18, 2017

New photographic murals will be installed inside the Des Moines International Airport to give visitors a sense of Iowa as they arrive or fly from the state, according to a news release Monday.

The installation is scheduled for Tuesday, July 18 in the baggage claim and Southwest Airline ticket line areas, according to the release. 

According to the release, the area will include photography and messaging to represent the vibrancy of Iowa.

Some of the photography inside the Des Moines International Airport:

  • Hot air balloons in Fort Madison
  • A kayaker in Fort Dodge
  • A skyline shot of Downtown Des Moines
  • The High Trestle Trail Bridge in Madrid
  • Sculptures on the 24th Street Bridge in Council Bluffs
  • The Downtown Farmers’ Market in Des Moines

Travelers will also be greeted with hand-lettered messages designed and drawn by local artist Jenna Brownlee, Senior Graphic Designer for the Greater Des Moines Partnership.

The messages encouragevisitors to “Explore the Great Outdoors,” “Grow Innovative Ideas,” “Discover Unexpected Opportunity,” “Experience Diverse Art & Culture” and “Ignite a Passion.”

Tina Hoffman, Communications Director at the Iowa Economic Development Authority, said the murals will give business decision-makers a positive impression of Iowa.

“Iowa is a destination for business people especially in the fields of agriculture, insurance, logistics and manufacturing,” Hoffman said. “This mural will give influential business decision-makers a positive impression of our state from the get-go.”

Des Moines International Airport
Each photograph represents a portion of Iowa that hopefully makes travelers feel more welcome. Photo courtesy of the Des Moines Partnership.

Michael Morain, Communications Manager for the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, said visitors may be surprised by how much arts and culture Iowa offers.

“This mural really shows off the vibrancy of our entire state,” Morain, said.

The installation is a joint project of Catch Des Moines, the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Greater Des Moines Partnership.

2 Comments

  • Valerie Van Horne
    Posted July 19, 2017 at 11:22 am

    Who is the photographer?

    0Likes
    • Joey Aguirre
      Posted July 27, 2017 at 1:56 pm

      Valerie! I have reached out but haven’t heard back. I’ll let you know when/if I do

      0Likes

Comments are closed.

Des Moines International Airport to install photography showcasing Iowa | Clay & Milk
A central Iowa ag-tech accelerator has secured more backers and finally has a name. The Greater Des Moines Partnership first announced the accelerator last year, naming four initial investors. On Monday, the Partnership said the program will be called the "Iowa AgriTech Accelerator" and named three new investors. The new investors include Grinnell Mutual, Kent Corp. and Sukup Manufacturing, all Iowa companies. They join investors Deere & Co., Peoples Co., Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Co. and DuPont Pioneer. Each investor has agreed to put up $100,000 for the first year of the accelerator. Startups entering the program will receive $40,000 in seed funding in exchange for 6 percent equity. Tej Dhawan, an angel investor and local startup mentor, is serving as interim director until the AgriTech Accelerator names a permanent leader. Dhawan held a similar role with the GIA before Brian Hemesath was named as managing director. As interim director, Dhawan said his main job includes hiring the accelerator's executive director, establishing a business structure and initial recruiting for the first cohort. The accelerator will place few filters, such as location and product, on the applicant pool, Dhawan said. "When you’re seeking innovation, innovation can come from every corner of the world so why restrict ourselves," he said. One area the the AgriTech Accelerator won't recruit from is biotech. For its first cohort, the AgriTech Accelerator will work out of the GIA's space in Des Moines' East Village, Dhawan said. A future, permanent home is still to be decided. The accelerator's program will host startups from mid-July through mid-October, ending with an event connected to the annual World Food Prize. The GIA, which the AgriTech Accelerator is based on, also ends with presentations at an industry event. The accelerator has also started lining up a mentor pool. The Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Soybean Association and the Iowa Pork Producers Association have agreed to provide mentors, as has Iowa State University. While the AgriTech Accelerator is loosely based off of the GIA, it will differ in its business structure, Dhawan said. The GIA runs through a for-profit model for both operations and its investment fund. The AgriTech Accelerator will have a nonprofit model for its operations and a for-profit setup for its fund. Dhawan said the nonprofit model is being used so the accelerator can better work with other nonprofit partners, such as trade associations. "These are all organizations that are nonprofits and can be amazing stakeholders without ever having to be investors in the accelerator," he said. "It becomes easier to work with trade associations in their nonprofit role when we are also a nonprofit." When it's up and running, the AgriTech Accelerator would be one of a handful of ag-focused startup development programs in Iowa. Others include the Ag Startup Engine out of Iowa State University and the Rural Ventures Alliance from Iowa MicroLoan. Matthew Patane is the managing editor and co-founder of Clay & Milk. Send him an email at mpatane@clayandmilk.com.
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