Less than a week after it was posted on Change.org, roughly 2,500 people have a signed a petition protesting potential removal of the theater major at St. Ambrose University, Davenport. The petition to the Board of Trustees says that due to economic concerns, the private SAU is considering eliminating the theater major and converting it to a minor. “Removing the theatre major will rob many students of opportunities to take classes that will help them to develop and hone essential skills within and outside of the theatre world,” says the page, started Aug. 28 by SAU student Erika Seabloom. Ambrose... Read More

Ballet Quad Cities’ Ballet on the Lawn was so nice, they’ve decided to do it twice. The latest show, with all new choreography, will take place at 1, 3 and 5 p.m. Sept. 20 at the Outing Club, 2109 Brady St., Davenport. Enjoy the atmosphere of the 125 year old, member–owned, private club for a unique and beautiful dance production by Ballet Quad Cities. Professional dancers will transform the lawn at The Outing Club into a magical setting! Find your picnic spot with friends and family and connect through the arts. Bring your chairs and blankets – there is plenty of room to spread... Read More

HEY LOCAL WRITERS!  QuadCities.com is starting up the QuadCities.com Virtual Writers Gallery, featuring local authors and their works! If you’re interested in being a part of it, email Sean@QuadCities.com with up to three .jpgs of your book covers and 1-2 paragraph descriptions of the books, a picture of you, a short 3-4 sentence bio of yourself and your website, facebook page or patreon link ASAP! Also, if you’re interested in doing a podcast reading of up to five minutes of your work, let us know, because we’re going to include those as well in a NEW podcast called As Read... Read More

How do you spell an upcoming film blockbuster? Add star Adam Driver to a sci-fi thriller written and directed by Bettendorf natives Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, co-produced by the legendary Sam Raimi. “We’re still pinching ourselves with this news,” Beck and Woods tweeted on Tuesday of the planned pic “65.” “Adam Driver will be the star of the next film we’re directing for Sony. He’s one of our favorite artists on the planet. Can’t wait to share this special movie with all of you.” In May, Variety reported a reunion for Beck and Woods (both 35-year-old Bettendorf... Read More

The TaxSlayer Center in Moline will join with live-music venues across the U.S. Tuesday to literally or virtually light their facilities in red to promote passage of more federal financial assistance, covering lost income due to the pandemic. Spearheaded by the #WeMakeEvents coalition, the #RedAlertRESTART campaign seeks to bring awareness to the dire situation live music faces if Capitol Hill does not supply support for venues that have been shuttered since mid-March to slow the spread of Covid, according to a recent piece in Billboard. On Tuesday night, the venues are encouraged to be lit red... Read More

Got a perfect pupper? A great good boi? A darn awesome doggo? QuadCities.com wants to feature your dog in our new Pupper Of The Week feature! Just send a picture of your pet with their name, your name, and a sentence or two about them and we’ll post their pic and story on QuadCities.com. Message your doggo pics and info to Sean@QuadCities.com. And get ready to check out some cool doggos on your site for fun, free, local entertainment and features, QuadCities.com! Today’s doggo is the buddy of Kate Price. She writes, “My Baya…..a few sentences just isn’t enough room to describe... Read More

More than 170 fans of independent film converged on the Midway Drive-In Theatre in Sterling, Ill., for the first-annual Northwest Illinois Film Festival on Aug. 26. Most came from the Northwest Illinois region, some from Chicagoland, and one flew in from Los Angeles, according to the festival organizer, the Northwest Illinois Film Office (NIFO). The event was a celebration of Illinois indie filmmakers, featuring 11 short films — the night’s theme was “Shorts-A-Palooza.” “The feedback from both the audience and the filmmakers was very positive,” NIFO executive director Gary Camarano... Read More

Kick off the week with some live outdoor music! Join the Plus 60 Club this Monday Aug 31 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. for some live music at Veterans Memorial Park (1645 23rd Street Bettendorf). Pack your favorite beverages, lunch and/or snack and head on over to the Bill Bowe Bandshell – where Dave Ellis will be gracing the stage with his classic rock and feel-good tunes. Attendees can choose to use a picnic table under the nearby shelter, reserved by the Plus 60 Club. Or you can bring a blanket and/or lawn chairs to take advantage of the open lawn. For more about this event, please visit https://qctplus60.com/event/live-music-at-veterans-memorial-park/. The... Read More

Saturday In The Arts is a weekly feature looking at a person, topic, or trend of interest in the Quad-Cities and nationwide.   “Hope” is the thing with feathers – That perches in the soul – And sings the tune without the words – And never stops – at all True to Emily Dickinson’s 1861 poem, Living Proof Exhibit (LPE) offers that most priceless, transcendent thing – hope – through free programs that provide arts opportunities to cancer patients, survivors, family members and caregivers. The Moline-based nonprofit is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this year... Read More

A prestigious national arts award is back under the baton of a Quad-Cities conductor. Nicolas Propes of LeClaire, who leads the Big River Brass Band, was announced this week as winner of the American Prize in conducting band/wind ensemble, community/schools division for 2019-20. “I was very honored to be selected,” Propes, a 40-year-old native of Ames, Iowa, said Friday. He applied last summer with a resume and videos of him leading the band. A whole host of judges from across the country review the applications and narrow them down to semi-finalists and finalists, he said. “It’s actually... Read More