DES MOINES – In anticipation of the 100th anniversary of Iowa state parks in 2020, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources; the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs; and Iowa State University are bringing 20 artists to 20 state parks this summer. From April through August 2019, faculty and graduate student artists from three of Iowa State University’s colleges — Design, Agriculture and Life Sciences, and Liberal Arts and Sciences — will each be matched with a state park, creating artwork that reflects their time as artists-in-residence. Todd Coffelt, chief of the State Parks Bureau at the DNR, says “The 20 Artists, 20 Parks program highlights two important contributors to quality of life in Iowa — arts and the outdoors. By focusing on the unique natural and cultural aspects of our state parks, we are able to tell their story in a new and inspirational way.”

In southwest Iowa, works by Amy Harris will be featured at the Lake of Three Fires State Park, in Bedford, and works by Olivia Valentine will be found at Viking Lake State Park, in Stanton.

Paintings, sculpture, textiles and other art forms inspired by the park will be organized into an exhibit that will travel to at least three art venues in 2020. Additionally, each artist will return to his or her park to share a program about the artist-in-residence experience. Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs Director Chris Kramer, who oversees both the Iowa Arts Council and the State Historical Society of Iowa, said “We can’t wait to see what these 20 Iowa artists create through this unique collaboration to mark the state parks’ centennial. The 20 Artists, 20 Parks program is such a creative and authentic way to celebrate our state’s art, history and natural beauty.”

Parks selected for the arts project represent diverse ecological, geological and cultural experiences that make Iowa unique. The 20 parks that are included in the new project are featured on the Iowa Culture mobile app, a free and interactive tool to discover arts, history and cultural destinations across Iowa. More information about how to visit the parks is on the app, which the public can download for free from Google Play and the App Store. Visitors can also find state park information on the DNR website.