Community stakeholders and cultural arts professionals to meet June 6

(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds were joined by cultural arts leaders at their weekly press conference today to preview the upcoming Iowa Arts Summit on Friday, June 6, 2014. The Summit will bring together community stakeholders, cultural organizations and arts professionals from across the state for a day-long discussion about arts and culture in Iowa.

"The cultural arts continue to transform our communities by elevating our quality of life, generating economic growth and creating job opportunities not only for Iowans directly involved in the arts, but also for the skilled trades and the hospitality industry," said Branstad. "This Summit will be a terrific opportunity for Iowans to learn and share ideas about the arts and the economy and discuss the best options for investing in rural and community development through the arts."

"This important day will foster a greater sense of connectivity across Iowa's cultural landscape and remind us that we all have a stake in ensuring the vitality of Iowa's quality of life," said Reynolds. "We invite and encourage Iowans from all across the state to participate in this important discussion by attending the Iowa Arts Summit on June 6 in Des Moines."

The schedule features dynamic learning sessions with local, regional and national presenters; panel discussions; and presentation of the Governor's Arts Awards. Discussion topics will include the intersection of arts and economy, building public support for the arts, and arts-based rural development as well as contemporary audience marketing strategies, building organizational capacity, and encouraging successful community collaborations. Professional development and networking opportunities will be available as well as featured performances by Iowa City's Working Group Theatre, Ballet Quad Cities and Parranderos Latin Combo of Des Moines.

"We're very excited to bring arts professionals, community leaders and advocates together to discuss arts and culture and the impact they have on Iowa," Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs Director Mary Cownie said. "Iowa has an incredible arts story to tell and we want to empower Iowans with the tools they need to better tell that story."

The Iowa Arts Summit will be 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday, June 6, 2014, at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center, part of the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. Registration is open now through May 23, 2014 for $45 per person at www.iowaartssummit.com. Discounted rates for students and a limited number of registration scholarships are available.

The Iowa Arts Summit is presented by the Iowa Arts Council with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. IAC is a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. Visit www.iowaartscouncil.org or call 515-281-5111 for more information.

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The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs is responsible for developing the state's interest in the areas of the arts, history and other cultural matters with the advice and assistance from its three divisions: the State Historical Society of Iowa; the Iowa Arts Council; and Produce Iowa, the film, television and digital media office that supports media production in Iowa. DCA preserves, researches, interprets and promotes an awareness and understanding of local, state and regional history and stimulates and encourages the study and presentation of the performing and fine arts and public interest and participation in them. It implements tourism-related art and history projects as directed by the General Assembly and designs a comprehensive, statewide, long-range plan with the assistance of the Iowa Arts Council to develop the arts in Iowa. More information about DCA is available at www.culturalaffairs.org.

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Coal Valley, IL - May 16, 2014 - Niabi Zoo has announced the name for theirfemale baby black and white Colobus monkey which was born on December 12th, 2013.

After hosting a naming contest for the month of April, the name Keeya emerged as the winner. Keeya was originally suggested as a finalist choice by one of Niabi Zoo's zookeepers. Keeya is an African name which means "resembling a flower."

Three finalist names were chosen by zoo staff, and then voted on by zoo guests with their pocket change. The name which collected the greatest dollar amount was declared the winner.

The other two finalist name choices and their meanings were Mapenzi (one who is dearly loved) and Hazina (one who is treasured). Mapenzi finished in second place and Hazina came in third place.

Princess and Pirate Day

Bettendorf ? Get ready to explore with Dora and Diego at the Family Museum in the new exhibit Dora and Diego?Let's Explore! The exhibit features beloved characters Dora and Diego from Nickelodeon's hit preschool series Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego, Go!, along with their friends Boots, Map, Backpack, Isa, Tico, and of course Swiper, now in their own exhibit for your preschooler to explore as they learn and play along.

This new, interactive traveling exhibition was created by The Children's Museum of Indianapolis in partnership with Nickelodeon, presented by the WellPoint Foundation, and made possible locally by DHCU Credit Union, Scott County Regional Authority, The Family Museum Foundation, and Ann E. Whitman. The exhibit will be open Saturday, May 24 through Sunday, September 14, 2014.

Media and their families are invited to the ribbon cutting and member-only opening on Friday, May 23 from 5:30 - 7:30 pm. The QC Chamber will cut the ribbon at 5:30 pm.

Dora the Explorer follows the adventures of the 7-year-old Latina heroine Dora and her friends in an imaginative, tropical world. Go, Diego, Go! stars Dora's 8-year-old cousin Diego, a bilingual animal rescuer who protects animals and their environment. The exhibit gives children and their families the opportunity to go into the worlds of Dora and Diego to engage in problem-solving and active play. Young children play along as they join an adventure and learn how to solve problems, be a good friend, and care for animals and the environment. Spanish vocabulary is incorporated throughout the exhibit to introduce Spanish-speaking skills to preschool children.

Dora the Explorer is a ground-breaking children's series that draws kids into an interactive quest using a variety of learning techniques in every episode. Dora and Diego?Let's Explore! carries the play-along theme throughout the exhibit as children are encouraged to actively play while they solve problems, share and learn about the natural world.

Favorite friends and places from episodes of Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego, Do! are incorporated in the exhibit including:

The Purple Planet

Visit the Purple Planet with Dora and Boots! A Purple Planet home invites young visitors to climb inside and slide down on the surface of the Purple Planet.

Rocket Ship

Dora's outer-space friends want to go back to the Purple Planet and need help getting there. Aboard the Rocket Ship, preschoolers are invited to put on a spacesuit, pilot the ship, and test their memory with images of colorful planets as they help Dora and Boots take their outer-space friends home.

Constellations

On the way to the Purple Planet, Dora and Boots encounter some interesting star groupings. Children and their families are invited to help identify the patterns made out of stars by inserting star shapes to light-up a constellation.

Isa's Flowery Garden

Dora's friend Isa the Iguana demonstrates how to take care of flowers, plants, and animals. Preschool visitors can tour Isa's Garden to pick flowers, interact with bird, butterfly, and insect puppets, and pretend-fly with toddler-sized bird and butterfly wings. Even the littlest visitors will enjoy smelling the flowery scents and picking soft-fabric posies.

Tico's Tree and Car

Dora is a good friend to Tico the squirrel and young visitors are invited to be a good friend to Tico too. Tico needs help picking nuts from the tree for a family picnic. Children can play along with Swiper to swipe the nuts and watch as they shoot up and over to fill Tico's basket. Tico's car is in need of fuel! Visitors can help Tico fill up his car with nuts so he can begin his journey.

Pirate Ship

In the Pirate Ship, preschoolers can join the Pirate Piggies crew and dress like a pirate to pretend-play along sailing the ship and divvying up the treasure. Visitors can raise and lower the Pirate Piggies' flag, look through the telescopes to spot the treasure chest and then divvy up the coins into the Pirate Piggies' banks and help them share the treasure.

Animal Rescue Center

Young children can practice caring and helping rainforest animals in Diego's Animal Rescue Center. Preschoolers can be an animal rescuer, like Diego, as they diagnose and address an animal's problem from the 'Scanner' bed, bandage and apply cold packs at the 'First-Aid Station,' and bathe stuffed animals at the 'Care Station.'

Rainforest Maze

Preschoolers will explore a rainforest to locate rainforest animals. Active play is encouraged as children swing across the Bobo Brothers' monkey bars, crawl through a fallen tree, climb across Jaguar Mountain, and jump or hop across the River Rocks.