Flags for Iowa City
What is it?
Flags for Iowa City is a participatory flag project that engaged residents in making flags that represent them and what they find important about Iowa City. All the flags will flew over Black Hawk Mini Plaza in Fall 2021 to be decoded and enjoyed by the whole city.
What happened?
A series of public flag making workshops were planned for Spring 2020. In the planning phase, I met with multiple community and city stakeholders around Iowa City to research what residents felt was important about Iowa City to be reflected in the flag symbols. Then Covid.
When project was unable to take place in person, I created a Shopify site that allowed participants to select flag blanks, up to 3 symbols and related supplies mailed as free flag kits to at home. Many participants sent pictures and although the project was lacking planned opportunities for in-person conversation and connection I had envisioned, there were ways to continue online conversations with participants and share bits of that. Some participants welcomed the change in participation for reasons of access and time.
Who is doing this?
Flags for Iowa City is a project by Minneapolis based artist Peter Haakon Thompson in collaboration with Iowa City Downtown District.
