The Jeff Chelesvig Fund

After more than 30 years of visionary leadership, President & CEO Jeff Chelesvig is retiring, leaving a legacy that has transformed Des Moines Performing Arts (DMPA) and inspired countless Iowans. Throughout his tenure, Jeff’s vision shaped DMPA into a statewide leader in arts education, community engagement and world-class performance.

When asked about his legacy, Jeff humbly reflected on his role helping to create DMPA’s mission-based efforts and the programs that build and foster community —initiatives that continue to thrive thanks to donor support.

Among many accomplishments during his time with DMPA, Jeff:

• Developed the Applause Series — 960,000 students and teachers have attended 860 Applause Series performances since its inception in 1996 — to give young audiences the experience of live theater, many for the first time.
• Launched summer camps for all ages. Camps have continued to grow with 10 summer camp sessions serving 300 students annually and now sell out the day registration opens.
• Championed the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards, guiding it from its launch fourteen years ago to becoming one of the largest and most respected programs of its kind in the nation.
• Established the Free Outdoor Family Series, bringing high-quality performances to parks and public spaces across central Iowa, meeting families in their own neighborhoods.
• Created the Access Broadway program, enabling high school students statewide to experience the magic of Broadway with tickets priced at just $10.
• Endorsed the Early Access Arts Initiative, which takes age-appropriate arts programming directly to pre-K learning centers, ensuring the youngest Iowans have access to the arts.

To honor these transformative initiatives and more, DMPA proudly establishes the Jeff Chelesvig Fund, an addition to DMPA’s Education Endowment. This fund will sustain and expand the programs Jeff championed, ensuring that arts education and community engagement continue to flourish for generations to come. It stands as a lasting legacy to Jeff’s lifelong commitment to DMPA and to the power of the arts to create a more vibrant, inclusive, and inspired Iowa.

Gifts made to the Jeff Chelesvig Fund before December 31, 2025 will be recognized in the Center Stage program at an upcoming Willis Broadway Series performance.

To make a gift to the Jeff Chelesvig Fund, please visit the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines website. Then find "Des Moines Performing Arts Education Fund" and then click Donate Now.

Or by mail, check made attention to Jeff Chelesvig Fund, to:

Des Moines Performing Arts
Attn: Jeff Chelesvig Fund
221 Walnut Street
Des Moines, IA 50309