Coronavirus Update
The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs understands that your first priority is keeping people safe in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. To help, we have compiled a list of information and resources specifically designed for Iowa’s creative professionals and those who lead arts, culture, film and history organizations across the state.
On May 20, Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a proclamation to allow movie theaters, museums, aquariums and zoos to reopen as long as they take measures to ensure public health and safety. The State Historic Museum of Iowa is now open, but the eight state-owned historic sites remain closed. Check back here for additional reopening details as they become available.
The department’s own offices in the State Historical Building of Iowa are also closed to the public. However, our team continues to serve the public in numerous ways, so please feel free to contact our staff. As always, we’re here to help.
Grants and Emergency Funding
The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs is working to distribute more than $1.3 million in grants to Iowa cultural organizations that have been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. Applications for the latest round of grants, from the newly created Iowa Arts, Humanities & Culture Emergency Relief Fund, closed May 26.
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All Iowans may benefit from the State of Iowa’s comprehensive list of COVID-19 resources, including unemployment assistance from Iowa Workforce Development and financial assistance for small businesses from the Iowa Economic Development Authority. See also: |
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Artists, filmmakers, media professionals and others have an extra month to apply for state grants for cultural projects. The new deadline is June 1. We’ve also extended the deadline to apply for Iowa Great Places and Iowa Cultural & Entertainment District designations and re-designations. The new deadline is June 15. (Note to filmmakers: Please see the “filmmakers” section below.) See also: |
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Art teachers may appreciate free lesson plans, podcasts and more from the Art of Education University, as well as additional resources from the Arts Education Partnership. |
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Arts, history and cultural organizations may access the Iowa Arts Council’s online resources, as well as our Local History Network’s online toolkits to help plan for all kinds of contingencies. We've also set up the Iowa Arts & Culture Emergency Relief Fund. Applications for the first round are due May 26. See also: |
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Educators and families are encouraged to explore an array of online materials about Iowa history, including Goldie at Home activities for young children and Primary Source Sets, with K-12 lesson plans that focus on primary sources from the State Historical Society of Iowa’s collection and Library of Congress. See also: |
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Filmmakers may continue to access Produce Iowa’s MediaMasters professional development webinars about a range of media-production topics. The production unions and guilds have released a joint safety report as a follow-up to the Industry White Paper that was released on June 1. "The Safe Way Forward" is a 36-page report detailing safety guidelines for film and television productions that we encourage you to review. Good luck and stay safe! See also: |
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Grant applicants have an extra month to apply for state grants for cultural projects. The new deadline is June 1. |
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History researchers may submit reference questions online or email them to history.research@iowa.gov, as usual. Even though the State Historical Society of Iowa Research Centers in Des Moines and Iowa City are closed to the public, our staff can still access the collections and will respond as soon as possible. |
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Historic preservationists should continue to work with the State Historic Preservation Office, as usual. |
