Iowa Cultural & Entertainment District designation recognizes well-identified, walkable, mixed-use, compact areas of a city or county in which a high concentration of cultural facilities serves as the anchor. To be designated, a Cultural & Entertainment District must already be an area where arts and cultural activities thrive. Designation by the state is an achievement, intended to formally recognize that a particular locale is an acknowledged cultural destination.
- Who: Nonprofits, For-Profit or Commercial Entities, Communities
- What: Designation, technical assistance, promotional programming, marketing materials
- When: Deadline to apply has been extended from May 1, 2020 to June 15, 2020 for ten year designation
How to Apply
- Read the guidelines for designation
- Watch the informational webinar*
- Complete the application
*Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, updates to the deadline have been made since the webinar was recorded. See program guidelines for current information.
Manage Your Designation
Designation Handbook
Read the handbook to learn how to manage your designation, including Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) compliance and publicity.
Annual Report
As a designation recipient, you must complete the annual report form by August 1 each year of designation with an overview of the past year’s successes and upcoming projects.
Current Districts
- Cedar Falls Downtown District
- Cody Road Cultural & Entertainment District
- Downtown Dubuque Cultural Corridor
- Downtown Davenport Cultural & Entertainment District
- Downtown Mason City Cultural & Entertainment District
- Fairfield Cultural & Entertainment District
- Historic Valley Junction Cultural & Entertainment District
- Mount Vernon Cultural & Entertainment District
