Iowans who are looking to hire a potter, a painter, a folk singer or any other type of artisan now have one-stop shopping on the Internet. The Iowa Arts Council has compiled an on-line list of hundreds of Iowa artists, from mimes to ballerinas and from sculptors to storytellers. Council administrator Mary Sundet Jones says it’s a new way to showcase Iowa artists to anyone, anywhere, 24-seven. Jones says they’re always interested in new and emerging artists as well as those who have been around for a long time “and we want Iowans to know that there are really great artistic resources all across this state and this is the place to go to find them.”
Jones hopes the new web-based directory will have a wide appeal. If you’re looking to hire an artist or a performing group, Jones says this is the place to look, and any Iowa artist can register their information too. Jones says the Iowa Artist Directory provides immediate access to artists in all genres for educators, performing arts presenters, festivals, colleges, galleries, schools, communities and individuals. She says if you’re looking to hire an artist to perform at a senior center, or you need a person to work in a residency or a school visit or a summer festival, it’s very easy to search on this website. Jones says people can search by artistic discipline, by publication or by key word in a format that is easy to navigate and provides accurate and quick results.
To access the directory, go to “www.iowaartscouncil.org”, click on “Publications and Resources” and scroll down to “Iowa Artist Directory.”