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Des Moines Arts Festival® Announces 2025 Visual Arts Award Winners

6/30/2025

Colorado artist Scott Hildebrandt takes “Best in Show,” the Festival’s top honor

(Des Moines, IA) – Officials from the Des Moines Arts Festival recognized winners of the 2025 juried visual art fair at a private reception at Centroheld this morning prior to the opening of the last day of the Festival.

The awards are a key aspect of festival traditions. As of Saturday night, thousands of guests have visited the annual event, which runs through 5 p.m. Sunday in Western Gateway Park in downtown Des Moines, with vigorous sales reported by artists and vendors.

The centerpiece of the nationally recognized Festival is a highly competitive, industry-noted juried art fair, which occupies multiple blocks surrounding the John & Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park in downtown Des Moines. 950 artist applications were submitted for the 2025 Festival. The 195 artists selected to participate represent 35 states (including Iowa) in a range of mediums, such as clay, digital, drawing, fiber, glass, jewelry, metalworks, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and wood.

“The Juried Art Fair is the cornerstone of the Des Moines Arts Festival, and the artists selected to participate play a pivotal role in its success,” said Stephen King, Executive Director of the Des Moines Arts Festival. “These award winners represent the pinnacle of artistic achievement in the United States. Being chosen by our jury is a prestigious honor and a testament to their exceptional talent. They truly are the best of the best.”