GALLERY MISSION
The mission of the Polk County Heritage Gallery is to provide a multi-use exhibition space for artistic and historical exhibits; to provide a unique facility contributing to the cultural development of Des Moines and Polk County; and to complement existing educational and cultural institutions.

HISTORY

The Gallery represents a commitment by the people of Polk County to preserve a beautiful example of historic federal architecture, in the Beaux Arts classical style, giving it a new purpose. The building which houses the Polk County Heritage Gallery at 111 Court Avenue was built in 1908 and served as the main post office for the citizens of Des Moines.

In 1975, the building was placed on the National Register of Historical Places; and later that year, Polk County bought the building to use for the county's offices. The north lobby of the building was restored and turned into The Heritage Gallery, an exhibition space for the visual arts. The Gallery's advisory board was formed in 1979 and the first show at the Gallery was held in 1980.

THE GALLERY TODAY

The Gallery is a 501c3 organization and is funded solely through entry fees received from gallery-sponsored competitions, exhibitions, private donations, and contributions made by individuals visiting the gallery.

Funding is provided in part by Bravo of Greater Des Moines and the Polk County Board of Supervisors. 

Board of Directors

The Polk County Heritage Gallery Board members are:

• John Morrissey, President

• Paige Knotts, Vice President + Exhibits Committee Chair

• Renee McPhee, Treasurer

• Madison Bishop, Secretary

• Wendy DeVries, Operations Committee

• Zac Lane, Marketing + Communications Chair

Polk County Heritage Gallery is committed to modeling diversity, equity and inclusion for the nonprofit sector of the arts community in our area and to maintaining an inclusive environment with equitable treatment for all.

We are a diverse, equitable and inclusive organization, in which all stakeholders, whatever their gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation or identity, education or disability, feel valued and respected. We are committed to a nondiscriminatory approach and equal access.  We respect and value diverse life experiences and heritages and will ensure that all voices are valued and heard.

To provide informed, authentic leadership for cultural equity,
the Polk County Heritage Gallery strives to:

• See diversity, equity and inclusion as connected to our mission and critical to ensure the well-being of our stakeholders and the arts communities we serve.

• Acknowledge and dismantle any inequities within our policies, systems programs and services, and continually update and document organizational progress.

• Explore potential underlying, unquestioned assumptions that interfere with inclusiveness.

• Advocate for and support board and committee level thinking about how systemic inequalities impact our organization’s work and how best to address that in a way that is consistent with our mission.

• Practice and encourage open communication in all interactions and communications.

• Actively listen for suggestions and criticisms of our policies and practices disadvantage others.

• Commit time and resources to expand more diverse leadership within our board and committees.

• Lead with respect and tolerance.  We expect all stakeholders to embrace this idea and to model it in interactions and practices.

Volunteer board member - Board members get a say in the selection and evolution of exhibits, and represent our work in the community. We’re a worker board — managing juried and private exhibits, and all the promotional aspects that go along with it. Everyone on the board serves a crucial role. We meet monthly on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. CST and ask board members for a commitment of at least two years. 

Volunteer - Volunteers may support many of the same functions, but don’t have the monthly responsibility to attend board meetings. Much of this work can be done on your own time and is very high impact!