JEFF CHELESVIG, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF DES MOINES PERFORMING ARTS, RECEIVES LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Transformative vision and deep commitment to the industry earn Chelesvig top honor from The Broadway League

DES MOINES, IA – At The Broadway League’s Annual Spring Road Conference in New York this week, Des Moines Performing Arts (DMPA) President and CEO Jeff Chelesvig was presented with the Distinguished Lifetime Service Award for his decades of leadership and advocacy on behalf of touring Broadway.

Over his three-decade tenure, Chelesvig transformed DMPA into a nationally recognized cultural institution, anchoring the Willis Broadway Series and helping attract more than 4.6 million Broadway patrons to the Des Moines Civic Center. He is a lifetime member of The Broadway League, the trade association for Broadway in New York and across the country, serving on the organization’s board of governors. Chelesvig is Iowa’s sole Tony Awards voter and the immediate past president of the Independent Presenters Network, a consortium of Broadway tour presenters who invest in Broadway and touring productions.

“I am grateful for this incredible honor,” said Chelesvig. “I credit much of the success to the passionate team at Des Moines Performing Arts, the collaboration across the Broadway community, and my colleagues at The Broadway League. This recognition reflects the strength of those partnerships and the unwavering support for the arts from our audiences in Iowa.”

The League Awards, held annually in conjunction with The Broadway League’s Spring Road Conference, celebrate industry innovators whose outstanding contributions and exemplary services propelled the success of touring Broadway. Under his leadership, DMPA has invested in over 100 Broadway and touring productions, and the Willis Broadway Series now contributes more than $57 million in annual economic impact.

Chelesvig concludes his 30-year run with DMPA with his planned retirement on August 31, 2025.