The Iowa Idea Podcast Explores Creativity, Craft, and Collaboration

Industry: Entertainment & Games

The new podcast examines stories of creativity, collaboration, innovation and persistence through interviews with modern creatives, craftspeople, and community leaders.

Iowa City, IA (PRUnderground) May 20th, 2020

The Iowa Idea Podcast, produced by Spark Consulting Group, explores modern extensions of the original “Iowa Idea.” This project is rooted in the concept originally conceived at The University of Iowa by University President, Walter Jessup, and Graduate Dean,Carl Seashore in the 1920s. The innovative Iowa Idea brought together practicing artists and scholars, creating a new form of collaboration. With the help of Iowa’s School of Art and Art History, Jessup and Seashore’s idea blossomed. The Iowa Idea led to many innovations, including the creation of the Master of Fine Arts degree.  With persistence, creativity, and a strong commitment to collaboration, the idea was extended to create the world-renowned Iowa Writers’ Workshop. The foundation and legacy of the Iowa Idea can be seen in Iowa City’s designation as a UNESCO City of Literature. 

Examining the core tenets of The Iowa Idea, this podcast tells the stories of Iowa natives, transplants, and friends who demonstrate the Idea in the 21st Century. With interviews that typically range from 45-60 minutes, the in-depth conversations guests explore how they approach their craft.

Creator, Matt Arnold, says “the concepts that brought forth the original Iowa Idea are critically important today. As the world is growing ever more complex, we need to cultivate and celebrate creativity, collaboration, innovation, and persistence.” By using longer-form interviews afforded by the podcast medium, Arnold hopes that others can learn from modern practitioners to extend the Iowa Idea in their own lives. “It’s hard to imagine a world without the Writers’ Workshop or MFA programs, but those things didn’t happen overnight or by themselves,” said Arnold. He hopes these stories can help provide “innovative forms of creativity and collaboration that make our communities more interesting and resilient.” 

Preliminary episodes include interviews with musicians, songwriters, design leaders, artists, educators, film makers, and civic leaders. An early review on Apple Podcast says “Matt has wide-ranging curiosity. That shows in the variety of guests on the show so far. It’s fantastic to hear how people approach what they do with such depth.”

The Iowa Idea: Stories of Craft, Creativity, Collaboration, and Persistence from the Heartland can be found online at https://www.theiowaidea.com/ and through most podcast services.

About The Iowa Idea Podcast

This podcast is rooted in the concept of the Iowa Idea, which was originally conceived at The University of Iowa by Walter Jessup and Carl Seashore in the 1920s. The Iowa Idea originally brought together practicing artists and scholars for a new form of collaboration. Jessup and Seashore’s idea blossomed, to bring forth the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, and the Master of Fine Arts degree, by mixing theory and practice to advance both. Nearly a century later, The Iowa Idea podcast explores modern collaboration, craft, and persistence. This podcast tells the stories of Iowa natives, transplants, and friends who demonstrate The Iowa Idea in the 21st Century. Join us for in-depth conversations with artists, designers, entrepreneurs, and civic leaders, to learn how they approach their craft and represent a modern version of the Iowa Idea. The Iowa Idea is produced in Iowa City by Spark Consulting Group.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Become a Fan

Press Contact

Name
Matt Arnold
Phone
319-322-8737
Email
Contact Us
Website
https://www.theiowaidea.com/

Image Gallery