Art Center Honors Felicia Mullin on Day of the Dead
The Des Moines Art Center used its annual Día de los Muertos celebration to spotlight the civil rights legacy of Felicia Leon Mullin.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Cultural
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The Des Moines Art Center hosted a panel discussion Sunday honoring civil and human rights advocate Felicia Leon Mullin during its 26th annual Day of the Dead celebration. The event drew nearly 2,000 visitors.
Why it matters
The celebration connects a traditional remembrance holiday to the public memory of a local rights advocate, giving Des Moines residents a community space to reflect on her contributions. It also underscores the Art Center's role as a venue for culturally rooted programming.
The 26th annual Day of the Dead celebration drew nearly 2,000 visitors, a figure the Art Center reported for this year's event. No comparison with prior-year attendance was available.
The players
Des Moines Art Center
A museum in Des Moines, Iowa, known for its modern and contemporary art collection and its public programming.
Felicia Leon Mullin
A civil and human rights advocate whose life and work were the focus of this year's Day of the Dead programming in Des Moines.
Michaela Mullin
An area artist who created the ofrenda honoring her mother, Felicia Leon Mullin.
Vince Valdez
A filmmaker who screened a documentary exploring Felicia Mullin's life and contributions.
The details
Artist Michaela Mullin created the ofrenda, a traditional altar, in honor of her mother, Felicia Leon Mullin. Filmmaker Vince Valdez screened a documentary exploring Mullin's life, featuring accounts from people who knew her, and the ofrenda remained in the Art Center lobby through Sunday.
Timeline
Sunday: panel discussion and documentary screening honoring Felicia Mullin.
Through Sunday: ofrenda displayed in the Art Center lobby.
Cultural Context
The ofrenda is a long-standing Día de los Muertos practice of building altars to remember the dead, and this year's installation applies that tradition to honor a civil rights advocate in a Des Moines museum.
Residents who missed the Sunday panel and documentary screening can see the ofrenda only while it remains in the Art Center lobby, which was scheduled through Sunday. The event schedule did not indicate any further public showings.
The takeaway
Traditions like the ofrenda can carry personal and civic memory into public spaces, offering a way for communities to recognize advocates whose work shaped their city.
Further reading
Explore more cultural coverage in Des Moines and beyond.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Who13.
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