Beginning in 2003 and for several years after, artists from all over the United States were drawn to the small midwestern town of Newton, Iowa to showcase their talents and celebrate the art form of sculpture.

Donald C. Byers (1925-2010)
Founder, Chairman and Board
Member of the Iowa Sculpture
Festival (ISF) was an enthusiastic
member of the Jasper County,
Iowa art scene. Later he helped
found the Centre for Arts &
Artists but first things first...

While Vice President of the Jasper County Arts Connection, Byers founded the ISF to increase the visibility and appreciation of sculpture and the positive impact it can make in our lives.

The impetus for this idea came from Byers and his wife, Dori, who often vacationed in Colorado and there, they were exposed to a local sculpture festival. Don felt that all the attributes for that successful event could be replicated in his adopted hometown of Newton, Iowa.

So he began to think more about it, talk about it and eventually gathered a team of four sculptors along with many interested friends and colleagues, all with wide-ranging areas of expertise — and in 2003, the first annual Iowa Sculpture Festival was born.

After four rewarding years establishing and growing the festival, Byers was coming to the realization that art had to be about more than just accumulation. Now he was thinking about the creation of art. And a place to make it. An arts community...

And so, this is how the Centre for Arts & Artists came into existence.
Find out more..

The Iowa Sculpture Festival held its final event in 2017. But their work did not stop. Not even close!

The ISF Committee continues to:

• ACQUIRE and site new sculptures

• SURVEY existing sites to evaluate condition

• ORGANIZE and schedule needed repairs

• MAINTAIN a record of regular cleaning and waxing

The Centre for Arts & Artists was initially established as festival headquarters, but was also meant to be a year round educational center ­— a place to learn about sculpture and other forms of visual art. In fulfilling this directive, the ISF is also focused on artist residencies in local schools in an effort to develop experiences for children of all ages.

Looking to the future, the ISF expects their focus to one day include the creation of a fully conditioned gallery at the Centre. Having a dedicated space with proper lighting, temperature and humidity would allow for the solicitation of prestigious traveling exhibitions, as well as displaying short-term local art exhibits.