Iowa DCA – Strategic Plan 2007-2011

Iowa Arts Council Vision Statement

The vision of the Iowa Arts Council is that Iowans recognize the arts are essential to their quality of life.

The mission of the Iowa Arts Council is to enrich the quality of life for Iowans through support of the arts.

Goal 1. There is a high level of visibility statewide for the contribution of Iowa artists and arts organizations make to Iowa’s quality of life.

Strategy 1.a. Broadly promote Iowa arts and artists through a public promotional campaign
Strategy 1.b. Boost the marketing abilities and resources of Iowa artists and arts organizations
Strategy 1.c. Establish a data collection process to identify and track cultural workers and other entities that contribute to the creative economy in Iowa

Goal 2. Excellent Iowa artists are recognized and supported.

Strategy 2.a. Plan and implement a means to provide financial support to emerging, mid-career, and established Iowa artists
Strategy 2.b. Offer resources for artist professional development in entrepreneurial skills, collaboration, grant writing, and discipline-specific topics

Goal 3. Iowa’s arts organizations are viable and important contributors to high quality of life in their communities and regions

Strategy 3.a. Help arts organizations build sustainability and provide enhanced value to their communities and regions
Strategy 3.b. Increase access to the arts by helping arts organizations build new relationships and reach out to new audiences

Goal 4. Iowans have access to excellent lifelong opportunities for education in and through the arts

Strategy 4.a. Collaborate with the Department of Education, Iowa Alliance for Arts in Education, and other statewide entities to promote the importance of arts education in the PreK-12 school system
Strategy 4.b. Support and share innovative educational practices in and through the arts in Iowa schools and communities

Measures:

Number of people impacted by arts projects funded by the Iowa Arts Council
Level of return on the state’s investment of dollars into IAC Mini and Major Grant programs
Number of cultural workers receiving professional development through IAC workshops, forums, and conferences
Number of Iowa arts-related organizations and employees reported by Americans for the Arts in its annual Creative Industries Report
Number of artists listed on the IAC’s Iowa Artist Directory, Performing Artists Roster, Teaching Artists Roster, Folk & Traditional Arts Roster, and any other artist rosters or directories