Bravo / ICON Public Art Grant

Bravo, in collaboration with ICON Water Trails, provides financial support for public art projects that are to be installed at an ICON access point as defined by ICON and the 28E government partner. Eligible Bravo / ICON Public Art Grant applicants must have current 28E Agreements with both Bravo Greater Des Moines and with ICON. Applications will open in March 2024.

Grant Details

Program Overview

As a collaboration between Bravo and ICON, this funding program is for new public art projects or plans that generate more artistic and cultural expression in Greater Des Moines and enhance the community’s ability to safely interact, enjoy or promote ICON water trail sites, access points, creeks, and rivers.

For the purposes of this grant, “public art” is defined as semi-permanent or permanent artwork that is free and accessible to the public. Priority will be given to projects that meaningfully involve both artists and the community intended to experience the artwork in its design and development. Artwork may include, but is not limited to, installations, sculptures, murals, integrated architectural or landscape architectural work, community art and/or digital new media.

A two-year partnership, there is up to $360,000 available for Bravo/ICON Public Art Grant awards in 2024 (GC24). This is a competitive grant program; it is likely not all funding requests will be approved. The program is expected to sunset after GC24.

Applicant Eligibility

Eligible ICON PAG applicants must have current 28E Agreements with both Bravo and with ICON. A community may submit only one ICON PAG application per grant cycle. Communities that received a Bravo/ICON Public Art Grant award in GC23 are ineligible for funding in GC24. Communities may apply for both ICON PAG and Bravo’s Public Art Grant in the same year as long as the funds are used for different and distinct projects.

All applicants must meet with Bravo staff about their project before submitting an application. A detailed timeline with available meeting dates will be provided in early 2024.

Project Eligibility

Eligible ICON PAG projects include concept development and the creation and/or installation of works of public art. Eligible artwork must have a total cost of at least $10,000. The artwork may be part of a building, bridge, landscape design or other permanent infrastructure, but grant funds are restricted to the costs associated with the artistic enhancement of the infrastructure project.

ICON PAG funding may be used for the following:

Artist fees and stipends or other eligible costs associated with project concept development, which can include the creation of detailed proposals for eligible public art projects
Costs to create and to install public art, including land and site development directly associated with the public art installation

Projects ineligible for ICON PAG funding include, but are not limited, to the following:

Maintenance, repair or enhancement of existing public art collection
Landscapes and gardens that do not have a life of at least 6 months
Signage, including welcome and wayfinding signs
ICON MidAmerican Grant funds may not be used for Public Art at water trail access point
Projects previously funded through Bravo PAG
Amphitheaters
Events & Programs
Freedom Rocks
Bus shelters

Grant funds must be spent within the funding period and projects must be completed within 24 months of receiving funds:

Funding Period	Project Completion Date
GC24 July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025	June 30, 2026

Ineligible expenses include, but are not limited to the following:

City/County staff salaries and wages
Equipment and fixtures that are not integral to the structure or operation of the artwork
Endowment
Sponsorship
Existing obligations, debts or liabilities
Marketing, promotion and merchandise
Public art maintenance
Programming