2024 at PS1
2024 has been a year of bold experimentation, growth, and connection for Public Space One. We are marking 5 years of being “above ground," the time since we've moved from the basement of the Wesley Center to our houses on North Gilbert St (Fall 2019) and into the historic Close House (Fall 2021). That's 5 years of street level doors open to new faces, new ideas, and the creative unknown, inviting our community to engage in the messy, beautiful process of art-making. We provide those rare spaces for the process: development, experimentation, collaboration, and yes—failure. This commitment makes us a crucial part of Iowa City's creative landscape, fostering innovation and celebrating diverse cultural production; critiquing and adjusting our work and activities towards community needs. You can learn more about this year’s impact in the images above.
When I got involved with PS1 in 2009, it was 100% volunteer-run. The efforts of volunteer organizers and collaborators are still key, but we are also actively investing in arts workers, with a belief that they are an essential part of a strong and thriving community. This year we hired an Artist Resource Manager and added health insurance for our 3 full time staff. In 2024, we will have paid $121,288 directly to 108 artists for their work with us. We estimate that local artists earn another $57,200 using our platforms (including art markets and performance and teaching opportunities), in addition to the $125,000 in wages/benefits to our all-artist staff. Our total impact is in excess of $300,000 dollars each year paid to artists, over 50% of our annual budget.
We are not just an arts organization—we are a living, breathing reflection of art in action in Iowa City. Our grassroots nature means we grow and adapt as our community shows up to create and recreate us. Supporting Public Space One is not just an investment in our current programs and endeavors, but an investment in a dynamic, evolving arts ecosystem which is artist-centric and community-forward.
This year, we’ve done more than ever before—expanding our resources, supporting new voices, and reimagining what’s possible in our space (the 6 week art exhibition ALHAMDU: Muslim Futurism, the commission of This Too… public sculpture outside the Close House, and the transformation of the Cloud House into a lively year-round community A/V studio). But we’ve also faced the reality of what this takes; our historic modus operandi hasn't captured the true cost of our work. As a nimble, frugal, and passionate arts organization, we’ve been making do, but have been tapping into our long-term sustainability. We need to be real about our needs and so are writing with an ambitious year-end appeal:
Meeting this goal will put us on solid footing entering 2025, with some exciting space improvements (including revealing and refurbishing the Close House’s wood floor). It will also ensure we can continue offering benefits and a living wage to arts workers while still providing affordable sliding scale access to workshops and community studio space.
Your support isn’t just about funding an organization—it’s about sustaining the process of building something grassroots, authentic, and vital to contemporary art and creative community on a scale uncommon not just in Iowa, but the whole midwest. We’re calling on you to help us continue this work, to keep creating a space where art thrives not in perfection, but in possibility.
Thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we can ensure that Public Space One continues to be a place where art isn’t just shown—it’s made, remade, and brought to life.
John Engelbrecht
Executive Director
Public Space One