About IIMA

Starting every year in July, thousands of young performers throughout Iowa begin participating in marching band programs. These programs range in size from 10-member ensembles in rural communities, up to 400-member ensembles at the collegiate level. Within each of these ensembles, there are three common “subsections” of specialty performers: winds, percussion, and color guard. Throughout their seasons, ensembles will rehearse for months, perfecting their programs for competition until the season culminates in adjudicated competitions in October.

Well, many participate in other music ensembles, such as jazz bands, concert bands, or show choirs. However, many of these young performers (color guard and percussion specialists, especially) do not have a creative outlet for the remaining 8 months of the calendar year. Circa 1980, an organization called Winter Guard International (WGI) began organizing and providing performance opportunities and competitions for these performers throughout the winter and spring months.

WGI is a nationally governing body under which hundreds of competitive ensembles compete. However, many groups with less resources and funding cannot make it to the competitive Events hosted by WGI, and thus introduces competitive circuits at the state-level. Iowa Indoor Marching Arts (IIMA) is an Iowa non-profit corporation which operates as a WGI circuit partner to provide adjudicated clinics and competitions to hundreds of Iowa performers every spring – Performers that otherwise would have an 8-month gap in training and performance opportunity.

Iowa Indoor Marching Arts was founded for the 2022 competitive season.

Although the indoor marching activity in Iowa is growing rapidly, there needed to be an organized competitive outlet for local ensembles. IIMA is an effort to provide performance opportunities to ensembles and performers without traveling across state lines multiple times per season.

For the 2022 season, IIMA is working to establish professional and high-quality norms for the activity in Iowa. In future years, IIMA has a vision to provide 5+ adjudicated performance opportunities across Iowa per season, plus a State Championships Event in Central Iowa.

For the 2022 season, IIMA is a branch of the Crossroads Indoor organization, an Iowa 504 non-profit corporation, and an IRS-designated 501(c)(3) charitable organization.