The Iowa City Downtown District has launched a search for a director of the Iowa City Arts Alliance, a new full-time position created to coordinate and advocate for the region’s arts and cultural community.
The director will be employed by the Downtown District and will serve as the Arts Alliance’s primary leader and public representative. The role calls for developing a strategic plan with a governance structure, membership framework, and implementation roadmap aimed at long-term sustainability. Day-to-day responsibilities include coordinating an Arts Alliance Advisory Committee, facilitating monthly stakeholder convenings, and overseeing collaborative initiatives including Free Week, a community-driven winter arts and culture festival.
The position also advances the Downtown District’s 2025–2031 strategic priority to support Iowa City’s arts and culture economy.
“Iowa City has an extraordinary arts community built over decades of investment, collaboration, and community passion,” said Betsy Potter, executive director of the Iowa City Downtown District. “This director will help formalize that energy into a sustainable structure and ensure the arts remain a defining pillar of who we are as a city.”
The Arts Alliance grew out of years of dialogue among Iowa City arts leaders, with representatives from performing arts organizations, visual arts venues, community nonprofits, the University of Iowa, and local government meeting regularly to explore deeper collaboration and a more unified voice for the arts. With support from the City of Iowa City and Think Iowa City, the group completed an eight-month feasibility study involving stakeholder input, peer research, and facilitated planning sessions, resulting in a recommendation to establish a dedicated Arts Alliance.
Iowa City holds UNESCO City of Literature designation and has seen significant cultural growth over the past 25 years, including venue development and renovation, expansion of a cultural core beyond downtown, and investment in the University of Iowa’s arts campus. Organizations such as FilmScene, The Englert Theatre, Riverside Theatre, and Public Space One have been among the institutions shaped by that momentum.
The Downtown District is seeking candidates with three to five or more years of experience in arts administration, nonprofit management, or community development, with backgrounds in strategic planning, facilitation, and cross-sector partnership development. The position includes employer-covered health insurance, with salary commensurate with experience.
Interested candidates may submit a resume and cover letter to [email protected]. More details about the position are available here.
