Arts + Culture Alliance

06/11/2026

We are still overwhelmed with joy from the grand opening of the Apgar Family Water Plaza.

Seeing this vision come to life and be embraced by our community was more than we could have imagined.

A special thank you to JBS for sponsoring cultural performances and entertainment, and to Bertha Santillan and her Mexican Folk Dance Group for sharing their talent and helping make the day so memorable.

This celebration was a wonderful reminder that public spaces can bring people together in many different ways, and the grand opening did just that.

This exciting project was made possible through a partnership between the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce, City of Marshalltown - Local Government, and Marshalltown Parks and Recreation Department as well as Iowa artist HILDE DEBRUYNE ART & DESIGN.

Thank you to everyone who took pART. We can't wait to see the memories, connections, and celebrations this space will inspire for years to come.

06/10/2026

Don’t miss the 1st concert of the season with Marshalltown Community Band!!!

Take pART and enjoy some local live music! 🎶

1st concert of the summer season is TOMORROW! 7:00 pm at West End Park. Alternate location will be at the MHS Auditorium if weather becomes an issue. Check back for updates!

06/10/2026

Festivals, live music, local vendors, and summer fun are waiting for you this weekend in Marshall County. Wherever your adventures take you, don't forget to look local first!

06/09/2026

📣 Artist Spotlight: Erica Love 📣

We are honored to share the journey of local artist Erica Love.

Erica is a spoken word artist, poet, and storyteller originally from Chicago, Illinois, now living in Marshalltown, Iowa. What began as private journal entries became a way to heal, find her voice, and turn life's challenges into powerful stories.

Erica's first performance was at the Arts + Culture Alliance, where she discovered the power of sharing her words with an audience. Soon after, she entered her first spoken word competition—and won. She continued competing in local poetry slams and spoken word events, earning recognition for her raw honesty, emotional depth, and powerful storytelling.

Today, that journey has led her to one of the biggest stages of her life: the Literary Arts Stage at the Des Moines Arts Festival. Through poetry, Erica shares stories of love, trauma, healing, resilience, and self-worth, hoping to inspire others to find strength in their own stories.

"Turning pain into poetry and poetry into purpose."
— Erica Love

Way to go, Erica! Thank you for helping our arts community thrive, we are so proud of you!

06/09/2026

Summer opportunity for youth to get involved in the arts! 🎨

Visit: https://business.marshalltown.org/community-events/Details/le-grand-enrichment-arts-program-1697914?sourceTypeId=Website to learn more about this summer enrichment program!

Mark your calendars!

Join us for LEAP 2026! Registration begins May 1, and there are two sign up nights also- May 7 and May 14 from 5-7 PM at the Community Center, 206 N Vine St.

If you can't make it to our sign up event, contact Le Grand City Hall at 641-479-2464 to register!

06/09/2026

Books, dirty sodas, and local art, OH MY! 📚🥤🎨

Something new is on the walls at Fizz & Fiction! Stop in today to check out artwork by local artist Loren Chantland, browse your next favorite read, and sip on a delicious dirty soda while you're at it.

Support local, discover something new, and enjoy a little bit of everything under one roof.

06/08/2026

Another week is here, bringing new opportunities to take pART in our community. ✨

06/08/2026

Wow, what a weekend! Thank you to everyone who helped us celebrate the grand opening of the Apgar Family Water Plaza!

A long-awaited dream was officially realized and celebrated on a balmy Saturday morning as the Apgar Family Water Plaza — located next to Mega-10 Park just off of South 6th Street — opened to the public following a dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting.

Arts + Culture Alliance Executive Director Amber Danielson, whose organization played a key role in the design of the unique water feature and also helped to catalyze fundraising efforts, remarked that the event signified “so much more” than the opening of a water plaza.

“We celebrate a vision realized. We celebrate what can happen when a community dreams boldly, plans intentionally and works together to bring something special to life. Projects like this are never built by a single person or an organization. They’re built by communities,” she said. “This project exists because people believed in an idea. They committed to it over time, and this project exists because of public-private partnerships.”

Link: https://tinyurl.com/5dd3sj5f

06/04/2026

A new month means new artwork to enjoy at Groundedmtown! ☕🖼

Stop by to grab a coffee or a one-of-a-kind piece of art created by the artist Will Hildebrandt.

Thank you to local artist Josh Cox for putting this show together and taking pART in supporting arts+culture in Marshall County. Its partnerships like this that inspire and amplify the possibilities of creativity.