Greater Des Moines leaders on Wednesday launched the Art Route Des Moines path downtown with a live installation of one piece of the route. The Art Route is a first-of-its-kind project that will connect nearly 90 existing pieces of public art downtown with a 6.6-mile path of dots, chevrons and painted intersection artwork.

Des Moines is believed to be the first city in the nation to create an artful pathway connecting both painted sidewalks and painted intersections to public art, according to a news release from organizations partnering on the project.

“This is a collaborative initiative to highlight the arts in Greater Des Moines, and we are proud to unveil the first Art Route in Downtown Des Moines,” said Tiffany Tauscheck, chief communications officer at the Greater Des Moines Partnership and an organizer of the project. “This project will add vibrancy and further create a culture of walkability in Greater Des Moines, and it is the result of the type of collaborative effort that sets our region apart.”

The city of West Des Moines also announced plans to expand on the Art Route by installing an “art pocket” near City Hall, making this a regional effort.

M. Jessica Rowe, director of the Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation, said the route is “the realization of almost two years of hard work and vision by many volunteers, businesses and organizations. The Art Route initiative celebrates creativity, enhances urban identity and encourages public-private partnerships. Inventive partnerships such as this place public art at the core of what makes Des Moines a vibrant city.”

The Art Route will stretch from the State Capitol on the east to Meredith Corp. on the west. Bright colored circles will be painted every 20 feet on the sidewalks connecting the route, and painted chevrons will point to public art attractions along the way. In addition, six downtown intersections will be repainted with artistic designs by Canadian street artist Peter Gibson, also known as “Roadsworth.”

Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie said the art route help set Des Moines apart from other cities.

Don Pearson, regional president for Wells Fargo Bank, one of the sponsoring organizations, noted that the Art Route is one of many downtown improvements, including the Walnut Street revitalization, which coincides with the Wells Fargo History Museum, which will open this November in the branch at Seventh and Walnut Streets.

 

Sponsors for the Art Route in downtown are Wells Fargo, the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, Bravo Greater Des Moines, Principal, Kum & Go, Bankers Trust, MidAmerican Energy, the Downtown Community Alliance, the Greater Des Moines Partnership, Prairie Meadows, the Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Des Moines Arts Festival, the Greg and Suzie Glazer Burt Foundation, the Downtown Neighborhood Association and members of the Art Route Committee. 

Partner and supporting organizations include the cities of Des Moines and West Des Moines, the Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation, the Downtown Community Alliance, the Greater Des Moines Partnership, the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau, Neumann Monson, Substance Architecture, Grimes Asphalt and Paving, the Des Moines Arts Festival and  Art Week Des Moines, the Des Moines Police Department, Des Moines Public Schools and the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative.

For more information, click here, or download an app on the route or follow the hashtag #ArtRouteDSM on social media.