Community Conversation on Diversity in Arts Set for This Sunday in Des Moines

A community conversation on diversity in Des Moines theatre will be held at 2:00 PM, Sunday, Sept. 18, in the auditorium at the State Historical Building, 600 E. Locust St. Dr. Wanda Everage, former vice provost at Drake University, will moderate. Hosted by the Des Moines Directors' Group in partnership with the Iowa Arts Council, the conversation is free and open to the public.

Issues the group has identified include play selection, casting, non-acting volunteer opportunities, and diversity within staffs and boards of directors. The conversation's format will provide opportunities for participants to identify other issues and topics. The goal of the Sept. 18 conversation is to listen to diverse voices, and to provide suggestions to area theatres for improving operations, outreach, and communication.

Moderator Everage served in Drake University's Office of the Provost from 1988 until her retirement in 2012. While there, she helped coordinate, implement, and assess diversity efforts. She continues to work as a consultant in private and public sectors on topics including human relations, goal-setting and decision-making strategies, and living and working in a diverse society. This past summer, Everage played Lena Younger in Pyramid Theatre Company's production of "A Raisin in the Sun."

The Des Moines Directors' Group is a coalition of executive and artistic directors from the Des Moines Community Playhouse, Des Moines Young Artists Theatre, Pyramid Theatre Company, Repertory Theater of Iowa, StageWest, and Tallgrass Theatre. The group was formed to share resources, collaborate on projects, and resolve issues facing Central Iowa theatres.

The Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, empowers Iowa to build and sustain culturally vibrant communities by cultivating creativity, participation and learning in the arts. Established in 1967, the Iowa Arts Council serves as Iowa's state arts agency and works in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts to build the capacity of Iowa's arts ecosystem. The Iowa Arts Council strives to create opportunities for the arts to flourish in Iowa by nurturing cultural leadership and investing in projects that provide access to arts experiences in communities and public spaces throughout Iowa.

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