Alternating Currents Mural Fest Grows Beyond Davenport for First Time
While this year’s Alternating Currents was a four-day, free fever dream of music, film, comedy and art, the festival’s third-annual Mural Fest expanded beyond downtown Davenport for the first time, creating beautiful, indelible and permanent public murals.
With more than 200 performances and events across music, film, comedy and visual art, Alternating Currents (2025’s schedule was Aug. 14-17 in downtown Davenport, Bettendorf and Rock Island) transforms downtown spaces into stages, galleries and gathering places. Nearly all programming is open to the public with no ticket required, inviting audiences to discover a wide range of creative experiences throughout the weekend.
Mural Fest has now activated four downtown Davenport sites with 10 pieces of artwork, created by eight local and regional muralists, including two lead artists who helped guide first projects while also contributing their own artistic elements. Building on that foundation, this year AC expanded with two sites in Rock Island and one in Bettendorf, and welcomed its first national and international guests, said Alisha Espey, Downtown Davenport Partnership (DDP) senior program and events director.
A new mural by Matthew Mederer of Chicago on the 3rd Avenue side of the WHBF-TV building, 231 18th St., Rock Island.
She said recently that DDP began sponsoring murals for the fest in 2023, making this the third year of the program. And this year Downtown Bettendorf Organization and Rock Island Downtown Alliance wanted to get involved.
“The mural initiative is still growing and evolving. With more walls in more locations this year, we invited in Quad City Arts to help co-produce this aspect of the festival and were excited to bring their expertise to table,” she said. Though the Mural Fest began with artists painting their works just during the four days, many of this year’s artists actually started painting the weekend before the festival.
“We wanted to start early for two reasons, one being logistical in case weather conditions impacted their ability to work – we wanted to make sure they had ample time to complete the project during the festival,” Espey said of murals in all three cities. “And the other is we hoped their work early in the week sparked excitement and awareness for the festival weekend.”
This year, DDP worked with Quad City Arts to issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ), which drew submissions from national and international artists. “The response exceeded our expectations, both in the number and quality of submissions,” she said. A panel made up of downtown representatives and participating property owners reviewed the pool of applications. Artists were evaluated on their experience, the originality of their style and their distinctive fit for the mural sites.
A new mural by Tomás Richter of Lisbon, Portugal is at Marigold Resources, 308 E. River Dr., Davenport.
Espey noted the chosen artists (from around the world) each received a $5,000 stipend and provided their own paint and materials, while local partners supplied equipment such as lifts.
Additionally, Davenport muralist Sarah Robb helped conduct a community mural on boards during the AC Block Party at Common Chord – “that was super cool and we will do a separate plug once she wraps up work on the piece,” Espey said.
Finding the right walls for new murals is one of the most challenging parts of the process. “We look for property owners who are not only willing to donate their space but who also support giving artists true creative freedom, that’s part of what makes mural festivals like this so special,” she added. “We also consider factors like visibility, the condition of the wall surface and how the artwork will interact with the surrounding environment. Each wall that becomes a mural represents collaboration between artists, property owners and the community.”
The completed murals, and artists this year were:
- Title:“Time”
Artist: Lorenzo Fontanella of Los Angeles, Calif.
Location: Skellington Manor Event Center, 420 18th St., Rock Island.
Instagram: @speker_1 | Website: speker1.com
- “A young woman holds an empty ceramic bowl, inscribed with the word time. From it spills long white ribbons, fragile yet flowing, like ties that both connect and slip away. Is she offering time, asking for more, or struggling to hold on as it leaps away? The surrounding floral forms evoke cycles of growth and decay, while her steady presence suggests resilience in the face of passing moments. This mural invites viewers to reflect on their own relationship with time, how it can feel abundant and scarce, still and fleeting, a gift we offer and a force beyond our control.” – Lorenzo Fontanella.
A new mural by Lorenzo Fontanella of Los Angeles, at Skellington Manor Event Center, 420 18th St., Rock Island.
2) Title: “Protect the Seed, Protect the Flow”
Artist: Tomás Richter of Lisbon, Portugal
Location: Marigold Resources, 308 E. River Dr., Davenport
Instagram: @o.senhor | Website: estudiodosenhor.com
- “‘Protect the Seed, Protect the Flow,’ is a surreal, symbolic mural depicting organic forms, flowers and planta, shielding a single seed as it begins its journey. A river flows beside them, representing the continuous movement of life, while a central sequence shows the seed evolving into a mighty oak tree. The mural is a visual reminder that protecting what is small and essential is the key to sustaining growth, flow, and future resilience.” –Tomas Richter.
A new mural by Tomás Richter of Lisbon, Portugal is at Marigold Resources, 308 E. River Dr., Davenport.
3) Title: “Parking in Technicolor”
Artist: Molly Keen of Williams, Ariz.
Location: RiverCenter Parking Ramp’s pedestrian walkway (2nd floor), 102 E. 2nd St., Davenport.
Instagram: @mollykeenart | Website: mollykeenart.com
- “‘Parking in Technicolor’ turns an everyday parking space into a burst of energy and play. Bright colors, bold patterns and flowing shapes come together to create a lively rhythm that transforms the structure into something joyful and unexpected. The mural invites people to see ordinary spaces in a new, vibrant light.” – Molly Keen.
A new mural by Molly Keen at the RiverCenter Parking Ramp’s pedestrian walkway (2nd floor), 102 E. 2nd St., Davenport.
4) Title: “On the Air”
Artist: Matthew Mederer (Cool Disco Rich) of Chicago, Ill.
Location: WHBF-TV building, 231 18th St., Rock Island
Instagram: @cooldiscorich | Website: cooldiscorich.com
- “A human presence is uplifted by the unseen breath of airwaves, forever connecting us through light, sound and motion.” – Matthew Mederer.
A new mural by Matthew Mederer of Chicago on the 3rd Avenue side of the WHBF-TV building, 231 18th St., Rock Island.
5) Title: “Lost Frequencies”
Artist: Dominic Laporte of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Location: Bulldog Arms, 2211 Grant St., Bettendorf
Instagram: @domlasoul / @driftmuralco | Website: driftmurals.com
- “This mural portrays a woman meeting your gaze, with florals seamlessly layered across her skin and into the space around her—like a living tattoo—blurring the line between body and bloom. It speaks to the truth that nature is not separate from us; it is embedded in our identity, though sometimes forgotten in the city, like a lost frequency. The piece is a reminder that our connection to the natural world is both intimate and inescapable.” – Dominic Laporte.
A bird’s-eye of the new mural on the side of Bulldog Arms, 2211 Grant St., Bettendorf, done by Dominic Laporte of Ottawa, Ontario.
“It’s been amazing to see how this program is evolving,” Espey of DDP said. “In the first two years, we only had local talent submit and this year we broadened the call which allowed us to bring in new styles and voices while showing the strength of our regional scene. Watching artists create in real time and then seeing the murals transform into landmarks, is one of the most rewarding parts of the festival. Public art like this is such an important tool to showcase the creative energy of the Quad Cities and spark conversations about the quality of place here. Looking ahead, we’re excited to keep building a mix of both local and visiting artists, making sure our own creative community has a platform while also introducing new perspectives to the region.”
Quad City Arts executive director Brian Allen said recently that his nonprofit’s role was more as consultant, primarily behind the scenes, helping to bring all the moving parts together. In this case, Quad City Arts partnered with Alternating Currents, which includes the Downtown DDP, Downtown Bettendorf Organization, and Downtown Rock Island Alliance, to define the scope of the project.
A close-up of the new 50-foot-long and 18-foot tall mural at downtown Bettendorf’s Bulldog Arms, painted with spray by Dominic Laporte of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
“Our team managed communications and contracts with the selected artists and helped coordinate material orders, especially since many of the artists were traveling from out of town,” Allen said. “We coordinated wall prep and priming and handled various logistical needs, from airport pickups to practical touches like umbrellas for shade.
“This was truly a collaborative effort,” he noted. “The Downtown Davenport Partnership, Downtown Bettendorf Organization, and Downtown Rock Island Alliance were instrumental in identifying and securing mural sites, communicating with artists, arranging lodging and meals, and providing equipment like lifts.”
“I like to think of the murals as a slow-burn impact,” Allen said. “While many people come to Alternating Currents for live music and comedy, the murals will remain in our communities for years to come. They enhance public space, build community pride, and contribute to local economic vitality. These are stunning works of art, conceived and executed by some of the world’s top muralists.
“Quad City Arts is honored to be part of this project, and we’re excited to support Mural Fest again next year,” he added.
The DDP will be posting another call for walls to build an inventory of property owners who are interested in participating in AC 2026, Espey said. “This will help us continue growing the program while giving artists more opportunities to transform downtown spaces.”
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