Des Moines Arts Festival® Announces 2025 Invited Artists

The first look at the artists invited to the Festival in June

(Des Moines, IA) – The Des Moines Arts Festival® presented by Nationwide has released the list of the professional visual artists invited to exhibit in the Juried Art Fair at the Festival, June 27 – 29, 2025 in downtown Des Moines’ Western Gateway Park.

This year’s invitation list includes 195 artists from 31 states. Of those invited, 113 (58%) are new compared to the 2024 Festival artists, including 25 artists who applied to the show for the first time. Thirteen artists are award-winners from 2024. Artist’s names and images of their work can be seen at desmoinesartsfestival.org/25artistgallery.

“Our jury process honors the quality and distinctiveness of the artists’ work, which is why the Des Moines Arts Festival is regarded as one of the best in the country,” said Stephen King, Executive Director of the Des Moines Arts Festival. “Each jury brings a unique perspective, and that variation is reflected in each Festival.”

Artists were selected last month through a rigorous jury process featuring jurors Suzy McGrane-Hop, Jami Milne, and David Smith and peer jurors Steve Jones and Mark Sudduth. Over three days, the Jury participated in a Blind Jury process. Through this, they were only privy to images of the artwork with associated pricing, booth images, and an artist statement. No other information was provided to the Jury. The Jurors previewed more than 5,700 images in a variety of mediums submitted by a pool of 953 applicants from 43 states. The Jury used a 1 – 7 scoring system for the first round, followed by rounds of voting, eventually narrowing down, and composing the final show for 2025.

In addition to the professional visual artists, the jury compiled a list of emerging artists to exhibit as part of the Emerging Iowa Artist and Emerging Artist programs presented by Principal. Since 2003, the Emerging Iowa Artist program has offered a unique opportunity for visual artists who are Iowa residents and currently enrolled in an institution of higher education to display their talents at one of the nation’s most decorated arts festivals. The Emerging Artist program offers the opportunity for individuals making a new career in outdoor arts festivals at any stage of their life.