DCA unveils new statewide cultural app
The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs today officially launched a new smartphone app designed to introduce everyone from visitors to lifelong Iowans to some of the state’s “best-kept secrets.”
A launch that was two years in the making, the app — called Iowa Culture — creates an interactive way for users to discover arts, history and culture destinations throughout the state. In all, the app contains 3,500 sites across all 99 Iowa counties.
The rollout of the app concluded this morning at Gov. Terry Branstad’s weekly news conference, held at the Iowa State Fair. The app had a soft launch during this year’s RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa).
“The most exciting thing to us is, no matter how much an Iowan thinks he or she knows about the state, this will pleasantly surprise them,” Mary Cownie, Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs director, said in an earlier interview. “Be it 3,500 first impressions, memories, reasons to do business in Iowa, or reasons to move here — this app will mean many different things to many different people, depending on the user.”
The app will allow users to explore places by category and location, browse featured tours and save favorites to “create your own adventure.” Mapping tools will help users find arts and culture destinations across 56,272 square miles. The app also has a “Near Me” function to help users locate nearby attractions.
The culture department is calling it the largest, most comprehensive statewide inventory of cultural experiences in the state of Iowa.
“When you are driving around Iowa, you can’t sit down in front of a computer, so if you need to get the kids out of the car, how do you find a spot that is close to the freeway? We saw a problem and wanted to figure out what the solution was, and this manifested itself,” Cownie said.
DCA staff crisscrossed all 99 counties in its effort to compile the most up-to-date inventory of arts and culture locations, working with many local organizations to collect the most accurate data. It used the Travel Iowa website as a starting point, adding 2,000 additional sites along the way. In addition to locating the destinations, staff members collected the stories behind and significance of each site, all of which can be found in the app.
The final product contains art centers and museums, historic theaters, monuments and memorials, national historic landmarks, and public art, to name a few.
Creating the app fulfills a few goals, such as promoting Iowa’s identity as a culturally healthy state. It also provides a marketing opportunity for communities and cultural organizations. It also created a new and innovative way to digitally connect Iowans and visitors with arts and culture attractions.
Cownie said she isn’t aware of another state that utilizes such a comprehensive smartphone app.
In tandem with the app’s launch, the DCA also kicked off a selfie photo contest. Individuals are encouraged to follow @IowaCulture and share their most creative selfies taken at any of the cultural sites found in the app. Selfies should be shared via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using #iowaculture for a chance to win experiences or getaways to some of Iowa’s cultural destinations.
The Iowa Culture app is free and available on most Android phones, iPhones and iPad devices.
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