You can help honor and support Iowa arts and culture this Friday, Dec. 11, as the 9th-annual Celebrate Iowa Gala will be hosted virtually from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The state’s premier cultural celebration, presented by the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs (IDCA), will offer guests once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to meet notable Iowans, watch an Iowa movie star add his handprints to the Wall of Fame at the State Historical Museum of Iowa, and enjoy musical performances at iconic Iowa venues, including the American Gothic House in Eldon and the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake. The virtual event also... Read More

Saturday In The Arts is a weekly look at a personality, place, trend or topic of interest to the Quad-Cities. It runs every Saturday morning on your site for fun, free, local entertainment and features, QuadCities.com. Samantha Pauly, a 2008 graduate of Pleasant Valley High School in Bettendorf, was set to co-star in one of this year’s most anticipated new musicals on Broadway, “Six.” A flashy, feminist retelling of the lives of the six wives of Henry VIII (as a high-tech pop concert), the show played a month of previews in New York City and was to open March 12 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.... Read More

Quad City Arts’ plan to help regional artists stay motivated by creating artwork throughout the quarantine — which began in March 2020 — will continue into 2021 with the culminating exhibition of chosen works postponed to October 2021. The plan is to share the artwork with the public when we can safely gather socially, said Dawn Wohlford-Metallo, visual arts director at Quad City Arts. “As the pandemic wears on, it is more important than ever for people to express themselves creatively,” she said. All artists residing within a 250-mile radius of the Quad-Cities are invited to... Read More

Visit Quad Cities and local tourism leaders are mourning the loss of a Q-C champion and cheerleader. Joe Taylor, 65, of Hampton, Ill., died Thursday, Dec. 3 in a Cedar Rapids hospital. He was the longtime former president and CEO of Visit Quad Cities, then-Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau (QCCVB). “On behalf of our Board of Directors and team, we are incredibly saddened by the news of Joe Taylor’s passing,” Dave Herrell, current president/CEO of Visit Quad Cities, said Friday. “A leader and accomplished veteran of our industry, Joe’s love, passion, and contributions to the... Read More

There are just 28 days left in this nightmare of a year. But will 2021 really be much better? Yes, but we’ll need to be patient, according to an economic forecast Thursday presented by the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce. “Pivot and acceleration are two new favorite words in our dictionary,” Paul Rumler, chamber president/CEO, said before the formal virtual presentation, done online. “The Quad Cities Chamber has pivoted very aggressively this year to meet the increased demand,” he said. “We are so gratified to hear about your resiliency and determination to fight through 2020, and be... Read More

Pianist Marian Lee – head of the keyboard area at St. Ambrose University, Davenport – has found silver linings in the dark cloud of Covid. For just the second time since she’s been in the Quad-Cities, over the past eight years, Lee will be featured soloist with the Quad City Symphony Orchestra this weekend, performing J.S. Bach’s Keyboard Concerto No. 5 in F Minor (BWV 1056). That wasn’t the original plan. “Because of Covid, I lucked out. The original pianist who was scheduled to perform was a Chinese pianist from Curtis and she was still unable to get back into the United States from... Read More

Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs today announced the launch of an Iowa Arts & Cultural Recovery Program, with the help of $7 million in federal Covid relief funding. The new statewide grant program will provide short-term relief to arts venues, cultural organizations and creative workers who have lost significant business or income due to the pandemic. “Art, history, culture and creativity are vital to Iowa communities and further promote our overall quality of life,” said Gov. Reynolds. “Right now, many cultural venues are financially at risk, for no other... Read More

Jason Platt, an author/illustrator from Davenport, has once again made the Texas Library Association’s 2021 Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List for his “Middle School Misadventures: Operation Hat Heist.” The TLA is the country’s largest state library association and Platt’s 2019 debut graphic novel, “Middle School Misadventures,” was named to the 2020 list as well. Released on Dec. 1, the list is a recommended reading list of 83 graphic novels nationwide designed for children in grades K-5. The books were selected by public and school librarians who are members of the Texas... Read More

If there’s something we all could use in 2020, it’s a miracle – and a stupendous cocktail. You can find both at the festive holiday pop-up bar, Miracle at the Freight House, 421 W. River Drive, Suite 2, Davenport. Part of a worldwide franchise, the first Miracle location in Iowa is in the 2,400-square-foot space next to the Front Street Taproom, formerly occupied by Fresh Deli, which closed in late October 2019. Miracle at the Freight House is a new partnership between Lars Rehnberg of Rock Island, with his wife Karah, and Ethan Bailey of Davenport, national sales director for Cocktail Kingdom,... Read More

Starting a new business is always a risky, challenging proposition. Starting one during a pandemic and a holiday season adds another level of worry. But best friends Steph DeLacy and Megan Warren are fearless and super enthused. Seven months after launching their weekly “Double Threat” podcast about musical theater, DeLacy (a 33-year-old choreographer/dance teacher) and Warren (a 26-year-old music director/vocal coach) are extending their brand to the new Double Threat Studios. The performing arts studio at 882 Middle Rd., Duck Creek Plaza, in Bettendorf, will open in early January, aiming... Read More