An effort to strengthen the area’s arts and culture is underway.
A team of University of Iowa graduate students are creating an arts and culture plan in partnership with the cities of Burlington and West Burlington and the U of I’s Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities.
The students, from the U of I Urban and Regional Planning and Sustainable Development Programs, are conducting a community input survey as part of this project.
The survey, “Voice Your Vision,” invites residents to share their ideas, perspectives, and aspirations for the future of arts and culture initiatives within Burlington and West Burlington.
The survey can be accessed at https://bit.ly/surveyBWB
This project aims to celebrate and build upon the connection between the two communities while also fostering social pride and encouraging sustainable population growth.
Over the course of the 2024-2025 school year, the students will identify ways to:
• Highlight the unique cultural assets of the communities.
• Generate cultural events, shared spaces, and vibrant art initiatives.
• Respect both the heritage and future development of the communities.
“Our project envisions: Two cities, one community, working together to improve the quality of life of its residents by fostering a vibrant, inclusive arts and culture ecosystem,” project coordinators said on a social media post.
“We believe that by weaving arts and culture into the fabric of the two communities, we can create a more vibrant, connected, and thriving place for everyone,” they added.
Project updates will be posted on the Burlington & West Burlington Arts and Culture Facebook page.
From May 2022 to June 2023, “Iowa non-profit arts and culture organizations employed more than 12,400 Iowans and accounted for more than $750 million in economic activity in Iowa,” says the Iowa Arts Council.
Through IISC, more than 100 University of Iowa students are working with community leaders and residents on a wide variety of projects over the course of the academic year.
The project list includes a prairie installation in West Burlington, public art, stormwater engineering, and many more.