Photo: Dave Bohl
(Des Moines, IA) -- Two new art installations are now complete in the downtown Des Moines skywalk system.
The new displays, one located at the Wellmark YMCA and the other at Capital Square, are part of a broad downtown revitalization campaign. Renae Mock, Vice President of Downtown Development with the Greater Des Moines Partnership, tells WHO Radio News the displays, "are part of a larger initiative called Skywalk Reimagined, and Skywalk Reimagined is part of an even larger initiative called the Downtown DSM Future Forward Vision Plan, and it really served as our north star, coming out of COVID and tumultuous years asking what does Des Moines want to see in downtown specifically in the 5, 10, 15 years? So through those community conversations, the skywalk was really listed as a place we want to invest in."
The Wellmark YMCA installation was created by Project7 Design and incorporates colorful ceiling elements and vinyl window features that bring out various colors throughout the day based on lighting and the movement of pedestrians. Funding for the project was provided through the Prairie Meadows Community Betterment Grant Program.
The installation at Capital Square is called "Enlightened" and was created by Jill Wells and features linear colored string elements that create a sense of motion. Funding for this display was provided by Operation Downtown and Bravo Greater Des Moines.
More information on the Skywalk Reimagined program is available at the Greater Des Moines Partnership website.