Midcoast Fine Arts and Bucktown might be closing up shop in March of this year, but they’re going out with some awesome events and leaving behind a tremendous legacy. You can check out some art exhibits by a variety of talented creators, arts events and more at Bucktown over the next couple of months. Here’s the schedule of events at Bucktown and the other Midcoast venues: Ringing in the ‘20s Final Friday January 31, 6-9 p.m. Bucktown Center for the Arts   Experience a speakeasy created by Bucktown Artists, closing reception for Tony Seabolt, live music by Anthony Catalfano,... Read More

From January 30 through March 20, 2020, see works of art by regional artists who are best known as tattoo artists. Fine art and tattooing go hand in hand. Both utilize skills such as ability to draw and an eye for color. Although not required for a license to tattoo, many tattoo artists have degrees in fine art, studied art, or at the very least, have a lifelong passion for drawing or cartooning. Good people skills and the ability to interpret a client’s idea visually are other essential skills for tattooing, but “The Artist Behind the Tattoo” provides an opportunity to see the fine art of... Read More

Beginning this week, the Figge Art Museum’s second-floor Mary Waterman Gildehaus Community Gallery will feature the artwork of local elementary art students (K-5) for the annual Young Artists at the Figge exhibition. The exhibition will kick-off with works by elementary art students from Geneseo Schools. For the 2020 installment of Young Artists at the Figge, eight area school districts will be represented throughout the winter/spring including Geneseo Schools, Bettendorf Schools, North Scott Schools, Pleasant Valley Schools, Moline Schools, Muscatine Schools, Davenport Schools and ending... Read More

The Rock Island Art Guild, a volunteer-run organization founded in 1955, promotes and fosters the appreciation of the visual arts in the Quad Cities. Beginning Saturday, the Guild’s 41st juried exhibition will be installed in the Figge Art Museum’s fourth-floor gallery. Sponsored by IHMVCU and the Rock Island Art Guild, the 41st Rock Island Art Guild Fine Arts Exhibition is open to artists within a 150-mile radius of Rock Island working in a variety of mediums, and is juried from online submissions. Candace Moeller, independent curator and associate director of Cristin Tierney Gallery,... Read More

Kids ages 5 and up are invited to come to the Figge studios for some creative clay time! Clay for Kids, offered every second Tuesday of them month, will begin this Tuesday Jan 14 from 6 – 8 p.m. and will continue at the Figge Art Museum (225 W 2nd Street Davenport) through May. This class, which focuses on the exploration of basic hand techniques, is only $20 per class (for members and non-members both). Registration is required. This one of a kind class for your young artist will be instructed by Carolyn Krueger. For more information, please visit https://figgeartmuseum.org/learn/classes/view/clay-for-kids/64.  Read More

Midcoast Fine Arts, one of the most impactful grassroots organizations and arts groups in the region over the past three decades, will close up shop in March 2020, a Midcoast official confirmed today. The demise of the group also means that Bucktown, 225 E. 2nd Street, and all its galleries, will be shuttered. Financial reasons were cited as the main impetus for the shutdown. Bucktown was struck incredibly hard by the flooding of early 2019, and was shut down for several weeks, thus negatively impacting its business and causing it thousands in extra expenses due to damages. There’s no word on... Read More

Quad City Arts has a new pair of artists exhibiting from October 18th through December 6th — the gallery will be hosting drawings by Emily Newman of DesMoines, and photographs by Randy Richmond of Muscatine. Emily Newman presents “Sky Weave” Newman’s work deals with time and space. She makes contrasts in her art between small woven landscapes and outer space. The artist choses to explore pictorial space and actual space, through various fiber compositions.  She uses the compositions as a metaphor to connect people to a place.   Randy Richmond presents “The Set Table:... Read More

Monsters are invading the Family Museum! Enjoy favorite activities like pumpkin painting, glow room activities, PLUS new activities: Mini Monster Mittens, FrankenScience, a monster zoo, Monsters Inc. inspired performances by the Family Museum Dance Company, and much more! Sunday, October 20, 2019, 12:00 – 5:00 pm. $9 for general admission; Family Museum members are free. First Floor Activities: • Haunted Hopscotch (Outside-Front): Make your feet match the monster’s tracks by jumping, twisting, and hopping your way into the Museum. • Floating Monsters (Great Hall) See for yourself…you’ll... Read More

Meet local artists in Quad City Arts’ Art @ the Airport Gallery from 5-7 pm on Wednesday, October 16. Light snacks and a cash bar will be available. Free parking vouchers will be available for this event. See collages by Amber Williams, painting by Carla Markwart and artistic birdhouses by 20 Quad City Artists, through October 28, 2019.   Amber Williams creates fascinating collages out of repurposed magazines and paper. She uses many themes in her work including aquatic, landscapes and animals. Her compositions have an incredible amount of detail and her color palette is stunning, filled... Read More

Two Downtown Davenport, Second Street businesses will be holding a joint ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, October 11 at 4 PM. Newly opened Theo & Co. is a contemporary men’s boutique, locally-owned and operated by Annie Stopulos. Customers can come in, have a drink, relax, and shop the area’s best menswear. They are a lifestyle driven menswear specialty store featuring premium denim, basics, custom garments, dress shoes, leather goods, and great gift items. Located in downtown Davenport, Theo & Co offers a thoughtfully curated, sophisticated yet casual, men’s apparel collection... Read More