This self-guided tour allows participants to begin and end where they would like, come and go from location to location at their leisure, and explore diverse art forms – including fiber art, sculpture, pottery, painting, metal works, jewelry, glassware and much more from more than 90 artists. The eighteen unique stops this year include the same footprint with all of last year’s communities represented, plus two additional Gathering Places in Glenwood and the return of the Harvester Artist Lofts & Gallery in Council Bluffs. Gathering Places will be located in the following Southwest Iowa towns: Avoca, rural Clarinda, Council Bluffs, rural Essex, Glenwood, Harlan, Macedonia, Malvern, rural Malvern, Neola, Red Oak and Villisca. The event will be held on its traditional third Saturday and Sunday in September, with an additional Friday “Sneak Peek” at select locations. This year’s Friday “Sneak Peek” hours are from 4 to 7 PM on September 15th at 9 of the 18 locations. This will provide attendees with the additional opportunity to explore the Gathering Places in Clarinda, Essex, Macedonia, Malvern, Neola and Villisca a little early – whether you can’t make it the other days or just need additional time to visit all locations over the weekend. Avoca, Council Bluffs, Glenwood, Harlan and Red Oak’s Gathering Places will join the tour on Saturday morning; the hours for all locations are from 10 AM to 5 PM on Saturday, September 16th and from Noon to 4 PM on Sunday, September 17th.

The inaugural Southwest Iowa Art Tour was in 2014, when a group of local artists came together to create a regional event to connect their rural communities – a self-guided ‘Art Tour’ that would showcase their artworks, studios, galleries, and hometowns. The first year included six participating communities: Elliott, Macedonia, Malvern, Red Oak, Shenandoah and Stanton. Of the 21 artists who participated in the first event, 8 are participating in this year’s 10th Annual Southwest Iowa Art Tour. When you’re visiting with the artists along the way, take an extra moment to chat with Zack Jones, Paul Koch, Phil Lamb, Cece Lock, Curt Adams, Cherie Miner, Tom Harnack and Fred Bolton; and thank them for their foresight and dedication to creating and maintaining this wonderful event for southwest Iowa. The success of the Southwest Iowa Art Tour has grown the tenth annual event to eleven communities, eighteen Gathering Places, and more than ninety local artists. Two of the original locations – The Art Church in Malvern and The Painted Camel Gallery in Macedonia – are also celebrating milestones this year. The Art Church is celebrating the 150th Year of the building, showing off major exterior renovations, a new coat of paint and live music to accompany the Art Tour. After 9 years of ownership by Paul and Carol Jean Koch, the Painted Camel is transitioning into a cooperative non-profit for its 10th year of business.

The Southwest Iowa Art Tour is coordinated by Golden Hills RC&D of Oakland, Rebecca Castle Laughlin of Imogene, and the collaborative efforts of local participating artists. Funding for coordination of this event, which is free to the public, comes in part from grant funding and local sponsorships. The 10th Annual Southwest Iowa Art Tour was supported by an Iowa Tourism Grant from the Iowa Tourism Office and a Community Impact Grant from the Community Foundation for Western Iowa. Other partnering supporters at the $1,000+ level are Houghton State Bank of Red Oak and the Pottawattamie Countywide Tourism Promotion Committee. The $350 sponsors for 2023 include Malvern Bank, CB Skin Secrets of Council Bluffs, Dave Carbaugh State Farm of Red Oak, Kum & Go and Firespring. We are proud to have more than 24 local businesses, organizations and individuals as sponsors for the 10th Annual Southwest Iowa Art Tour. We encourage you to support those businesses who support the arts in southwest Iowa, and make the most of your Southwest Iowa Art Tour experience by stopping at the great restaurants and other shops in the host towns. To find out which businesses are sponsors of the Art Tour, a full listing may be found on our website at www.swiarttour.com, as well as a map so you can plan out your route.

The Southwest Iowa Art Tour began with the intent to not only bring awareness of the arts and artists in rural southwest Iowa, but also to help support economic reinvestment in our small towns through the arts. Remember that when you purchase an original piece of work from an artist, you are directly helping to make the arts a viable career choice in our area. And while you’re at it, grab a shake from the local ice cream shop and a burger from your local café.

For more information be sure to check the “Southwest Iowa Art” Tour Facebook page (with individual Facebook Events for each Gathering Place) and visit the website: www.swiarttour.com, or contact Becca at rebecca.castle@goldenhillsrcd.org.