“The Right Side of the Highway”, photographs & drawings by Randy Tracy, will be on display from September 17 through October 2 at Sunrise Galleries located at 114 E 2nd Street in Downtown Muscatine.  A reception to meet the artists will be held Friday, September 17 from 5:30 to 8:00PM. Tracy’s interest and love for art helped him to find opportunities to work in the art world. Through Crossroads, Inc (crossroadsmuscatine.org), he works as a gallery assistant at Sunrise Galleries helping to prepare art shows, finish framing projects, and maintain the gallery’s online retail website. “... Read More

In celebration of the Bettendorf Public Library’s Global Gathering 2021 World Tour, the Figge Art Museum will offer a presentation on the art of Haiti on Wednesday, September 29th at 7:00 PM. No registration is required to attend this free event, which will take place at the Bettendorf Public Library located at 2950 Learning Campus Dr. in Bettendorf. The 2021 Global Gathering World Tour series is sponsored by The Bettendorf Public Library Foundation, Quad City Bank & Trust, Morgan Stanley, HNI Corporation, Bettendorf Rotary, and Twin State. The Figge Art Museum houses one of the world’s... Read More

Bereskin Gallery & Art Academy is presenting the 5th-annual “Plein Air Paint Out” along the Mississippi River on Saturday, Sept. 25, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Artists may paint along the Mississippi from the I-80 Bridge to the Centennial Bridge on either side of the river. All mediums are acceptable. From the entrants of the day, up to 30 artists will be selected to exhibit their work in a fall exhibition, Oct. 1 – 30, at the Bereskin gallery, 2967 State St., Bettendorf. The opening reception is Friday, Oct. 1, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Selected work will appear, following the exhibit, in the... Read More

Bereskin Gallery & Art Academy is presenting the 5th-annual “Plein Air Paint Out” along the Mississippi River on Saturday, Sept. 25, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Artists may paint along the Mississippi from the I-80 Bridge to the Centennial Bridge on either side of the river. All mediums are acceptable. From the entrants of the day, up to 30 artists will be selected to exhibit their work in a fall exhibition, Oct. 1 – 30, at the Bereskin gallery, 2967 State St., Bettendorf. The opening reception is Friday, Oct. 1, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Selected work will appear, following the exhibit, in the... Read More

Riverssance Festival of Fine Art came back strong in 2021! In its 33rd year, this outdoor event featured over 70 quality visual artists drawn from a national call for entries, live local music, food vendors, wine tasting, and a children’s art activity tent. The event took place in scenic Lindsay Park in the Village of East Davenport (Davenport, Iowa). As one of the premier arts festivals in Iowa, Riverssance is designed to showcase and support visual artists in our region while enhancing the cultural vibrancy of our community.  Sherry Case Maurer is the recipient of the 2021 Harley Award for... Read More

Chicago artist Toby Zallman will have her solo exhibition, “Our Plastic Trash,” on display through Friday, Sept. 24 at the Western Illinois University Art Gallery. Zallman is a Chicago artist whose art practice focuses on sculpture and drawing. In 2004, after becoming aware of how damaging our plastic and e-waste is to the environment, she changed her materials to both incorporate recycled/re-purposed materials in her sculpture, as well as a source of visual inspiration for both the sculptures and drawings. She has used computer detritus, plastic bags, plastic bottles and solid plastic... Read More

Quad City Arts’ premier performing arts subscription series, featuring select artists from the Visiting Artist Series, will return to in-person events for the 2021-22 season. The Performing Arts Signature Series consists of six events held each season from September – April that correspond with the artist residency and outreach performances in area schools. Subscribers can enjoy an evening of cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a spotlight performance by incredible artists from different artistic and cultural backgrounds. This unique format provides guests with the opportunity for Q&A and up-close... Read More

After a three year hiatus, Lowland Block Party returns for its fourth edition 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 3 at the Laborspace, 311 21st St., Rock Island. Organizer Jon Burns posted the following about the event: We’ve carved out a nice lil block over the last decade on the east-side of the downtown, which we’ve self-identified as the Lowland area. Our block party not only brings awareness to our neighbors, but also to our creative and entrepreneurial friends that are scattered throughout the QC area, whom we’ve worked with and been inspired by over the years. FOOD: Roosters... Read More

Riverssance Festival of Fine Art is back September 18 and 19th, after a year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In its 33rd year, this outdoor event features over 70 quality visual artists drawn from a national call for entries, live local music, food vendors, wine tasting, and a children’s art activity tent. The event takes place in scenic Lindsay Park in the Village of East Davenport (Davenport, Iowa).  Hours are Saturday, September 18, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, September 19, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. General admission to Riverssance is $4 for the day or $6 for a weekend pass. Free entry for... Read More

Sherry Case Maurer is the recipient of the 2021 Harley Award for Outstanding Community Art Support. This is an annual award bestowed during the Riverssance Festival of Fine Art that will be given at a 5:30 p.m. reception on Saturday, September 18 in Lindsay Park, Davenport. For more info on Riverssance, CLICK HERE.  Read More