City of Carroll Invites Community Input for Downtown Art & Culture Plan
CARROLL, Iowa — What should the future of downtown Carroll look like?
The City of Carroll is inviting residents, business owners, and visitors alike to help answer that question as work begins on a new Downtown Art & Culture Plan.
The plan will identify opportunities, community assets, and resident priorities for public art, cultural programming, placemaking, and creative experiences throughout downtown Carroll. The goal is to strengthen downtown’s identity while supporting local businesses, community life, and future growth.
The planning process officially kicked off in May 2026 and is expected to take approximately nine months to complete. The City is partnering with consultants from Group Creative Services and a steering committee of local residents to guide the effort, helping ensure that the plan reflects the values and aspirations of the Carroll community.
Once complete, the plan will provide prioritized recommendations for arts and culture initiatives, public art opportunities, and policies that help integrate art into city functions and future community development efforts. The final plan will be presented to the Carroll City Council for consideration in early 2027.
Community input will play a critical role in shaping the plan.
“Public art and cultural experiences are most successful when they reflect the people and places they serve,” said Teva Dawson of Group Creative Services. “This planning process is designed to uncover what residents value most about Carroll and identify opportunities to build on those strengths.”
Residents are encouraged to participate through two online engagement opportunities available now.
First, community members are invited to complete a short survey to share their thoughts on arts, culture, public spaces, and what makes Carroll feel like home.
After completing the survey, residents are encouraged to visit the online idea board to share examples and inspiration. Participants can upload photos, links, videos, and other examples of public art, events, gathering spaces, and community experiences they would like to see in Carroll.
The Downtown Art & Culture Plan will be built on feedback gathered from residents, businesses, community organizations, artists, and other stakeholders throughout the planning process.
Take the survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/downtowncarroll
Share ideas and inspiration:
https://bit.ly/4v1E1ef
The survey will remain open through July 19, 2026.
For more information, contact the City of Carroll:
Aaron Kooiker
City of Carroll
712-792-1000
[email protected]