Plans are underway for the third annual Southwest Iowa Arts Tour, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, September 17th-18th, 2016. The annual event takes place in communities throughout southwest Iowa, showcasing local artists and galleries. This year, the event has doubled from the inaugural year to 12 communities with over 100 local artists representing diverse media, such as metal work, painting, pottery and jewelry.

Communities hosting stops on the tour include: Council Bluffs, Woodbine, Glenwood, Malvern, Macedonia, Oakland, Avoca, Marne, Shenandoah, Red Oak, Corning and Winterset. The communities of Council Bluffs, Malvern and Red Oak will include multiple gallery and gathering place stops for participants. The self-guided event is free and open to the public and will take place from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on Saturday, September 17^th and noon to 4:00 pm on Sunday, September 18^th.

The Southwest Iowa Arts Tour was conceived in 2014 by a group of artists and volunteers, during a meeting at Project Art Church in Malvern. They determined the purpose of the tour would be to showcase and promote area artists.

The Southwest Iowa Art Tour is coordinated by the Southwest Iowa Arts Council’s volunteer Board of Directors with support from Golden Hills RC&D. Funding support for the event has been provided by the Red Oak City Council Hotel/Motel grant, the USDA Rural Community Development Initiative, the Iowa West Foundation and the University of Iowa. The Southwest Iowa Art Tour, hosted by the Southwest Iowa Arts Council, represents a group of artists from throughout the region who collaborate to provide opportunities for the public to view and purchase their work.

For more information, please visit www.swiarttour.com.