The Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation appoints Mat Greiner as Executive Director

The Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation (GDMPAF) board of directors announced Mat Greiner as its new executive director, effective, September 1, 2022. He follows M. Jessica Rowe’s 12 years of foundation leadership.

Greiner brings over 15 years’ experience to the position. Before arriving at GDMPAF, he was co-founder and director of Group Creative Services, a public art planning and consulting group. He previously was an Assistant Professor of Graphics at Grand View University and lectured at Iowa State University College of Design. Among the public art projects he has led are Shoreline –Signals for Polk County’s Water Trails Initiative; Woven Lines sculpture, Altoona; Drop In, public art integrated with trail amenity, Ankeny. He also managed All Talk No Action, a youth sculpture and video project for GDMPAF’s inauguration of A Monumental Journey. He served as the Executive Director of Chicken Tractor, an arts nonprofit offering alternative art venues and professional development workshops.

“On behalf of the board, we are particularly pleased to welcome Mat Greiner to lead the foundation into the future. Mat arrives with a depth of entrepreneurial experience in public art throughout the Des Moines metro area. His background encompasses the whole gamut of public art, from developing art master plans to public art consulting, installations, project management and educational programming,” said foundation board president Susan Fitzsimmons. “His skills are a great match for this position.”

In his new role, Greiner will be the lead resource and public figure for advancing public art and public art education. He will be the foundation’s liaison for artist selection, project management, building and managing community relationships, fund development and financial performance.

“This is an extremely exciting time to be part of Des Moines’ multicultural art community. Our arts scene has a national reputation. We have over 200 public art installations throughout the community,” said Greiner. “My extended network within local and regional arts organizations will assure the foundation’s mission and vision are extended to an increasingly wide audience throughout the metro area.”

Greiner holds an MFA in Integrated Visual Arts from Iowa State University, Ames and a BFA in Printmaking from Drake University. He received a Presidential Fellowship from Northwestern University, Evanston, IL for graduate studio arts research.

ABOUT GREATER DES MOINES PUBLIC ART FOUNDATION

The Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation, established in 2004, recognizes that art belongs not just in galleries and museums, but also in streetscapes, parks, buildings and infrastructures of a thriving community. Dedicated to envisioning, developing, advancing and promoting public art projects, the Public Art Foundation collaborates with local entities and artists to engage, inspire and enrich the lives of residents and visitors to the community. For more information visit: https://dsmpublicartfoundation.org, or socialize with us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/dsmpublicartfoundation, Twitter.com and Instagram at @DSMPublicArt. #DSMPublicArt