ASAP, the After School Arts Program

The After School Arts Program (ASAP) has been working since 2007 to improve equity of access to the arts for youth in greater Des Moines, Iowa. ASAP’s mission is to affirm young people through the arts by providing access to quality, engaging arts experiences, for lifelong impact. 

ASAP’s core belief is that the arts are essential for the development of the whole child. All children, regardless of circumstance or abilities, should have opportunities for artistic exploration and creative self-expression. The benefits of arts participation, especially for low-income children, are well researched and documented. But access to the arts is not equitable, and many in our community do not participate because of barriers such as cost, transportation, language, and perceived non-belonging. ASAP eliminates those barriers by bringing the arts to these kids where they already are in out-of-school times. ASAP forges cross-sector collaborations with a variety of organizational and governmental partners, and involves them in establishing ASAP priorities, with the goal of most effectively meeting kids’ needs.

ASAP is the only organization of its kind in greater Des Moines, providing year-round, no-cost, multidisciplinary arts enrichment (studio classes, camps, piano labs, drama clubs, and outreach programs) for young people, led by paid Teaching Artists, in dozens of locations all over the city: schools, libraries, parks, and within other youth-focused organizations.

ASAP was founded in 2007 as an urban church outreach ministry to serve kids who lacked opportunities to explore the arts on their own. ASAP became a 501c3 nonprofit (Arts for the City, Inc.) in 2009 and has since grown to serve roughly 6,000 student enrollments annually with a staff of three employees, a deep roster of paid contract Teaching Artists, a volunteer board of directors, and about 175 volunteers annually. Well-defined policies and procedures ground ASAP’s reliability and consistency, while a strong yet scalable network structure enables innovative, dynamic programs tailored to meet specific needs.

ASAP has been honored with the Governor’s Arts Award for Impact and Accessibility in the Arts (2014) and with special recognition in the area of Arts Learning (2023); and with Bravo Greater Des Moines’ Spotlight Award (2020).

ASAP brings the arts to kids, in the places where they already are in out-of-school times—their schools, parks, libraries, community centers, and even their own homes via ASAP’s virtual programs. ASAP provides quality arts instruction and all supplies, thus removing as many barriers as possible for children to fully engage with the arts. Thousands of kids each year stretch their creativity and self-expression, build confidence trying new things, make new friends with similar interests, and explore techniques in printmaking, painting, sculpture, ceramic tile mosaics, embroidery, culinary arts, clay, mixed media collage, drumming, dance, and so much more—opportunities they may not have ever had without ASAP.

ASAP programs take place year-round for children in grades K–8, with occasional programs for grades 9–12. Through multi-week hands-on studio classes held after school during the school year, children practice persistence and critical thinking and grow in their compassion and cooperation as they build and strengthen skills at ASAP. They develop trust and take creative risks in the safety of the ASAP studio. Full school-year ASAP programs include ASAP Piano Labs and middle-school Drama Clubs. ASAP spring break and summer camps and summer school arts enrichment programs keep kids engaged and exploring their world at times when they may otherwise be vulnerable to learning loss. Outreach events allow ASAP to offer make-and-take art projects or collaborative experiences for all ages while partnering with other organizations in the community. ASAP programming in public libraries opens the arts to all ages and abilities, through engaging, free drop-in classes.