Marshalltown hosts annual Iowa Great Places conference

A total of 80 representatives from 30 Iowa communities descended on the Marshalltown Arts and Civic Center (MACC) Monday for the annual Iowa Great Places Conference hosted by the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs.

Marshalltown, which has held the "Great Places" designation from the IDCA since 2014, was on full display to the visitors, and early in the afternoon, Marshall County Arts and Culture Alliance Director Amber Danielson had the opportunity to give a presentation on some of the local projects both completed and in the works, including the Water Plaza, downtown and neighborhood murals, sculptures and street poetry. She then invited poet and artist Akwi Nji up to the stage to recite some of her work, as Nji was preparing for her keynote address at the artists gathering scheduled for Monday evening, also at the MACC.

The local delegation included Danielson, city councilors Jeff Schneider and Gabe Isom, Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce President/CEO John Hall, Martha-Ellen Tye Foundation Executive Director Heidi Dalal and City Housing and Community Development Director Michelle Spohnheimer.

After her address, Danielson, joined by IDCA Director Chris Kramer, said the conference was a great showcase both for Marshalltown as a whole and the newly renovated MACC, which was badly damaged by the 2020 derecho.

"The conversation has been really positive and exciting, lots of networking about how other communities can do some of the things that we've done and make (them) happen in their own communities," Danielson said.

Kramer added that for many cities in Iowa, the process of even starting a public art project or similar endeavor can be daunting, so the conference offered them a chance to pick up some pointers from places where such undertakings have already been successful.

"A lot of these folks are talking about how to do it and how to hire an artist or how to create a new district or a new neighborhood, and that then ends up resulting in having other small businesses that want to be there and just addressing whatever it is for your community," Kramer said. "So this is very much about authentic placemaking in towns throughout Iowa."

As Kramer noted, young people are flush with choices about where they want to live as they join the workforce and start families, and amenities like live music, plays, a lively art scene and recreational trails -- with restaurants and bars along the way -- are all key selling points in whichever community they ultimately choose.

"It's really a blend of all of it, and we're just trying to help you figure out how you can make it happen in your community," she said. "But it often relies on leaders, and without these leaders doing it, a lot of things are just not gonna get done."

Earlier in the day, participants took a bus tour of the 13th Street District and the MHS Roundhouse -- both Iowa Great Places funded projects.

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Contact Robert Maharry

at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or

rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.