Mainframe Studios

10/14/2026

Meet the Artist!

Charles Borowicz is an interdisciplinary artist working in photography, video, and installation since 2002. His practice explores ideas of perception, modern myth, and the precarious balance between the spectacle and the mundane.

He finds deep satisfaction exploring chance, the beautiful awkwardness of our shared reality, and the power of the simple while incorporating unique technical and creative methods to achieve ambitious work.

Charlie is also a 2026-2027 Iowa Artist Fellow! Keep an eye out for his upcoming video art "Garage Piece" in Des Moines.

To read more about the Iowa Artist Fellowship check out the Iowa Economic Development Authority: https://opportunityiowa.gov/community/arts-culture/grants-programs/artist-fellowship-program.

Charlie's Info
on instagram
Studio #324 @ Mainframe Studios
Website: https://cbruv.com/

10/12/2026

10/09/2026

Call for Exhibition Proposals!

Mainframe Studios invites artists to submit proposals for solo, duo, and small group exhibitions in our gallery spaces for 2027-2028. We are interested in exhibitions that bring fresh perspectives to our community, introduce audiences to new ideas and creative practices, and showcase a diverse range of artists and artistic approaches.

Available exhibition spaces are located in the 2nd and 3rd floor galleries.

Proposals will be reviewed on a quarterly basis on the following dates: January 15, April 15, July 15, October 15.

All submissions are due by 11:59 PM (CST) on the dates listed.

More info & access to application is linked in the comments.

10/08/2026

Join us at Mainframe Studios' First Friday on Friday, November 2nd from 5-8pm! Explore five floors of open artist studios, discover new exhibitions, enjoy live music, interactive art activities, local food and drinks, and experience one of Des Moines' favorite monthly arts events.

Featured this month is WE ANSWER TO EACH OTHER, juried by: Abena Imhotep and Dr. Negus Rudison-Imhotep. Celebrating Black artistic practice as an evolving conversation across the African diaspora, We Answer to Each Other explores cultural inheritance, identity, community, migration, spirituality, liberation, and political imagination. Welcoming diverse perspectives rooted in both lived experience and creative vision, the exhibition highlights the many ways Black artists preserve history, shape culture, and imagine new futures - from joy and ritual to resistance and resilience.

Guests can also visit hundreds of open art studios, enjoy live entertainment, and participate in interactive art activities. First Friday events at Mainframe Studios are family-friendly, free, and open to the public.

Expanded overflow parking at 8th & Center St. and a complimentary shuttle make getting here easy!

We look forward to welcoming you to Mainframe Studios for an evening of art, creativity, and community.



Graphic designed by a human artist Jami Milne.
Abena Sankofa Imhotep - Author

10/06/2026

Mark your calendar for Small Business Saturday!

Join us Saturday, November 28 from 11 AM–3 PM for Small Business Saturday at Mainframe Studios.

-Explore 60+ open studios packed with art, handmade gifts, and holiday cheer.
-Find something special for your loved ones—or treat yourself (you deserve it!)

Shop small, shop local, shop joyfully. Let’s celebrate creativity, community together this season!

Small Business Saturday Holiday Art Market
Saturday, November 28 from 11 AM–3 PM
Mainframe Studios 900 Keo Way, Des Moines, IA

Stayed tuned for a sneak peak of what you will find at Small Business Saturday and at Last Call on Saturday, December 12 from 11am-3pm!

Designed by a human artist Rich Michels. Mainframe Studios #247

10/01/2026

Meet the Artist Cassandra Tant!

Cassandra Tant is a painter, printmaker, & naturalist based in Des Moines, Iowa. Her work celebrates first-hand observations of the natural world & explores the link between curiosity, recognition, appreciation, & conservation. She is inspired by what can be witnessed in parks, gardens, prairies, & forests, both locally & globally. She invites the viewer to consider what may be transpiring in their environment & better connect with the organic world around us.

Check out Cassandra's new installation "Data Center".

Did you know? Mainframe’s building was originally built in the 1970s to house mainframe computers, literally a center to house data. Today Mainframe Studios is a nonprofit creative workspace for over 200 artists.

Cassandra's installation in the 1st Floor Elevator Lobby offers a new take & invites us to slow down & consider our relationships to technology, our environment, & each other.

Her cabinet of curiosities holds a mix of fact & fiction making it a direct reference to the credibility of information that we receive from AI sources. Ponder these objects & connect it back to our space where over 200 artists observe, process, & reflect the world around us on a human level.

Cassandra's Info
Instagram: .Tant
Studio 337
Website: https://www.cassandratant.com/

09/30/2026

Check out Kunst & Wonder by Jillian Moore this Friday on display in the 2nd floor gallery!

This solo exhibition of abstract work by the artist Jillian Moore is inspired by the kunstkammer and wunderkammer, both referring to the fantastical collections amassed during the Renaissance period in Europe that laid the groundwork for modern museums as we know them.

A kunstkammer would focus on exceptional creations by skilled artisans while a wunderkammer focused on objects of fascination from the natural world, but in truth, these two "types" of objects would have been blended together as a display of worldliness and sophistication.

"As an artist, I would like to create a similar experience for a visitor and recharge their curiosity with my work."

We have some close-ups of her work let us know when you spot the full piece!

First Friday is on October 2 5-8pm at 900 Keosauqua Way.

09/29/2026

Join us at Mainframe Studios' First Friday on Friday, October 2nd, from 5-8pm! Explore five floors of open artist studios, discover new exhibitions, enjoy live music, interactive art activities, local food and drinks, and experience one of Des Moines' favorite monthly arts events.

Featured this month is STEAM juried by Emmett Phillips Jr. a special exhibition exploring the intersection of Art with STEM fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. This exhibition seeks to highlight work that demonstrates how art can complement, interpret, and expand our understanding of science and technology.

In addition to the main exhibition, guests can explore hundreds of open artist studios, view Kunst & Wunder, a solo exhibition by Jillian Moore, and a special exhibition from Iowa State University, and participate in free, hands-on STEAM activities with Iowa PBS Education and Iowa State University Museums.

Also featured will be live music by The Night Lights, an Iowa women's folk trio made up of lifelong friends Abbie Sawyer, Katharine Ruestow, and Sarah Cram. Together, they deliver heartfelt songs about motherhood, growth, and friendship through an introspective, folk-inspired sound rooted in storytelling and rich harmonies.

Expanded overflow parking at 8th & Center St. and a complimentary shuttle make getting here easy!

First Friday events at Mainframe Studios are family-friendly, free, and open to the public.

09/24/2026

Meet the Artist Emmett Phillips Jr.!

Emmett Phillips Jr. is a dynamic artist, educator, and community leader based in Des Moines, Iowa. A poet, hip-hop artist, actor, and teaching artist, he harnesses art and culture as tools for empowerment and education.

As the Career Pathways Program Facilitator for Oak Studio Teen Tech Center, he helps young people explore creative and technical career opportunities. A National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant recipient, Phillips has developed impactful arts education curricula, incorporating hip-hop and poetry to make learning engaging and accessible. Emmett is also a proud Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute alum, and sits on several boards and committees in the city.

Emmet is also the juror of STEAM, a special exhibition exploring the intersection of Art with STEM fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.

STEAM opens on Friday, October 2nd from 5-8pm!

Emmett's info
-Instagram
-Studio LL01 / Oak Studio Teen Tech Center

You can also check out the Teen Tech Center's website with this link: https://oakridgeneighborhood.org/oak-studio/.

09/22/2026

Congratulations to all the artists who participated in Fashion Forward!

Juror Nekia Whitfield (Nik Star Designs) had the opportunity to recognize standout works that exemplified creativity and craft, while our community also shared their voices by voting in the People’s Choice Award. Congratulations to all of our recipients!

Best of Show: Trinity LaKose, Adhel 1-3
First Place: Patrick Lose, Ozmopolitan
Second Place: Kate Tracy, Razorkin Needlehead
Third Place: Sara Markham, The Pearl Veil Hat

Honorable Mentions:
-Kate Tracy, Pride 2026
-Lauren Hansen, Golden Brown Pageant Gown
-Alex Wang, Fanaticism

People's Choice: Jaylena Phothiboupha, Pop Off