Public input sought for Iowa City arts center

IOWA CITY - In its nearly 40 years promoting culture and artists in the community, Arts Iowa City never established a physical place to call home. It's time that changed, according to the group's board of directors.

The non-profit organization is collecting feedback and plans to raise money toward its vision for a new community arts center, where both accomplished and aspiring artists could display work and receive instruction in areas like ceramics, metal-smithing, jewelry, fiber, sculpting and painting.

The center, to be named The ArtiFactory, also could provide space for exhibits and artist studios, along with a coffee shop, retail store and artist commons. But the organization's 12 board members are keeping an open mind. Well into an 18-month strategic planning process, the group is continuing to poll the community about what a new arts center should provide.

It's hosting a 'design forum” at the Iowa City Public Library from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday. During the forum, participants will break into small groups to discuss what they'd like to see in the arts center, and where they'd like to see it. The board of directors is debating building new or leasing space either in downtown or in the Riverfront Crossing District, which sits just south of Iowa City's traditional downtown.

The group plans to follow a public vetting process with a fundraising campaign, said Patricia Knox, president of Arts Iowa City. When the group celebrates its 40th anniversary on April 1, 2016, Knox said, she hopes to do so around progress on a new center.

'My goal is to be celebrating that anniversary with the grand opening or, if need be, the groundbreaking of Iowa City's own, permanent, staffed community arts center,” she said in a news release.