February 1, 2021. The Des Moines County Historical Society is pleased to announce that it has received an Iowa Arts & Cultural Recovery Grant from the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. Grant funds will support the Des Moines County Heritage Museum during the COVID-19 pandemic shuttering that occurred on March 2020 and the subsequent cancellation of musical events in the Bart Howard Lounge. The IDCA Recovery Grant will allow for the continued operation of the Historical Society including operating expenses such as payroll, utilities and decreased revenue during the 9 plus months the museum has been closed.
On December 2, 2020, Governor Kim Reynolds allocated $7 million of federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs for the purpose of providing economic relief to Iowa’s arts and culture industry. The funding is administered by the Iowa Arts Council, on behalf of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, through the Iowa Arts & Culture Emergency Relief Fund.
The Iowa Arts & Cultural Recovery Grant supports the mission of DMCHS, to provide opportunities for education and allow for the preservation of history in Des Moines County. In addition to three floors of exhibits and interactive displays, the museum allows visitors to travel back in time to the early days of Iowa, and particularly, Des Moines County, providing a glimpse into the important role that the people in our community served in the development of Iowa as a whole. The Bart Howard Room is a music venue designed in the style of the Blue Angels club in New York City; night club where native son, Bart Howard, performed many of his over 100 published songs. The Bart Howard Room hosts a variety of performers, both seasoned and aspiring, through its many events including recitals, songwriters’ workshops and open-mike nights.
“We are so grateful to have been awarded this Grant,” states Executive Director, Robin Schneiderman. “News of this opportunity, provided by Governor Kim Reynolds and the IDCA, has the DMCHS Board of Directors and Staff brainstorming new exhibits as well as new performance ideas. The Grant will benefit not only our organization, but the community we serve not only the hundreds of community members, but the thousands of visitors who come to Burlington and visit our museum.”