Public Space One

Iowa City, Iowa

Public Space One (PS1) is an artist-led, community-driven contemporary art center based in Iowa City, Iowa. Founded in 2002, PS1 has evolved from a DIY performance space into a hub for interdisciplinary visual art, artist residencies, and collaborative public programs. Occupying three historic homes in the city’s core, PS1 supports experimental and socially engaged art practices through year-round exhibitions, a cooperative printmaking studio, a media arts lab, and the nationally recognized Center for Afrofuturist Studies. The organization plays a critical role in sustaining a vibrant artistic ecosystem in the Midwest while advocating for the role of art in civic life.

With support from a FCI Catalyst Grant, PS1 will implement targeted energy efficiency upgrades by sealing air gaps and restoring six historic exterior doors and vestibule windows across its facilities. This work will reduce energy loss by an estimated 10 percent annually, improve building envelope stability, and protect PS1’s zine library and archival collections from humidity and temperature swings. In keeping with its community-centered ethos, PS1 will also host a public workshop highlighting the repair process and the artistry of sustainable building restoration. The project reinforces PS1’s long-term commitment to climate action and adaptive reuse in the arts.

Milestones

• Replace missing spring bronze weatherstripping on six exterior doors

• Repair historic wood doors, frames, and skirting to eliminate air gaps

• Rebuild cracked door base and casework on Media Arts Studio entrance

• Fabricate and install storm windows for vestibule at Press Co-op entry

• Reduce snow and wind exposure at high-traffic entrance points

• Host public workshop on climate-conscious building restoration