It’s Festival of Trees time again! The 2018 KWIK STAR FESTIVAL OF TREES, benefiting Quad City Arts, is sprouting up November 15-25, 2018. General Admission opens Saturday, November 17 at the River Center, 136 E. 3rd St. Davenport. This year’s theme is Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree for the 33rd annual gig featuring a spectacular display of over 150 designer trees, rooms, wreaths, fireplace mantles, gingerbread creations and other holiday gift shop items that are all sold to raise money for Quad City Arts, a local non-profit arts organization dedicated to enriching the quality of life in... Read More

In 1974, pianist Barbara Nissman visited Quad City area schools, beginning a tradition that later became Quad City Arts’ Visiting Artist Series. The 2018-2019 Visiting Artist Series brings ten artists and ensembles to visit the Quad Cities region from September 2018 through March 2019.  These artists will perform over 200 engagements to audiences in local K-12 schools, colleges, and a variety of community sites, including local libraries, churches, senior centers and public concert venues across six counties and two states. The season begins with a collaborative program by hip-hop artist Christylez... Read More

Quad City Arts will present its 2nd annual Chalk Art FEST in downtown Davenport, Saturday, August 25, and Sunday, August 26.  Artists will take to the streets transforming the plain cement pavement into magnificent works of art.  Part of downtown Davenport’s Alternating Currents Festival, https://www.alternatingcurrentsqc.com/, this event will feature live music, food vendors, film screenings, comedians, as well as the opportunity to shop for some unique vintage and hand-made goods at the OMG BeckyFest, taking place across the street in the RiverCenter park.   The Chalk Art FEST is a... Read More

The 2018 Metro Arts Improv Group will be performing at the Moline Public Library (3210 41st Street Moline) this Wednesday Jul 11 at 11:30. This performance is free and open to the public. Spend your lunch hour at the library watching talented Quad City Metro Arts students performing improv comedy.   See what these artistically talented young adults have been working on this summer! The Metro Improv group is part of the Quad City Arts Metro Arts Youth Apprenticeship Program. This year, the improv group worked out of The Establishment, home of Comedy Sportz, and were lead by Patrick Adamson. For... Read More

Quad City Arts is now presenting the 41st Annual High School Art Invitational! The 41st Annual High School Art Invitational is happening at the QC Arts Gallery, located at 1715 2nd Avenue Rock Island, from Mar 30 through May 3. The exhibition is open to the public, and includes a reception and award ceremony on Thursday, Apr 5 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. This exhibition features exemplary works of art selected by each high school art teacher in the region. On the average, 15 schools, 28 teachers and over 170 students are provide d the opportunity to show their artwork in a commercial art gallery and compete... Read More

Storyteller and librettist Charlotte Blake Alston will be in residence through Feb. 23, thanks to Quad City Arts’ Visiting Artist Series. Charlotte Blake Alston is a nationally acclaimed storyteller, narrator, instrumentalist, librettist and singer who performs in venues throughout North America and abroad. She is the host of “Sound All Around,” the Philadelphia Orchestra’s Preschool concert series, and has appeared as host or narrator on the orchestra’s school and family concerts since 1991. She has been a featured host, storyteller and narrator on the Carnegie Hall Family and School... Read More

Paintings by Holly Kimball & Brad Bisbey, with wood sculptures by Jay Stratton will be exhibited at Quad City Arts Gallery, Rock Island Feb. 2-March 23. There’s an opening reception from 7 to 9 p.m. Feb. 2 at the gallery, in the District, Rock Island. The event is free. In our fast paced world, it’s important to take time to appreciate the simple beauty of locally created art. On exhibit from February 2nd through March 23rd, 2017, will be simplistic and calming paintings by Holly Kimball of Galesburg, IL and Brad Bisbey of Moline, IL, with awe inspiring wood sculptures and furniture by... Read More

Storyteller and librettist Charlotte Blake Alston will be in residence Feb. 12-23, thanks to Quad City Arts’ Visiting Artist Series. Charlotte Blake Alston is a nationally acclaimed storyteller, narrator, instrumentalist, librettist and singer who performs in venues throughout North America and abroad. She is the host of “Sound All Around,” the Philadelphia Orchestra’s Preschool concert series, and has appeared as host or narrator on the orchestra’s school and family concerts since 1991. She has been a featured host, storyteller and narrator on the Carnegie Hall Family and School Concert... Read More

“Con/In-Fluence,” works by Steve Banks and Philip Laber, both of Davenport, IA, will be on exhibit from December 8th through January 26th 2018 at Quad City Arts Gallery in Rock Island, IL. Steve Banks is most well-known for his extravagant use of mixed media.  Banks creates mixed media painted constructions (primarily on canvas) utilizing oil paint, cardboard, fabric and carved wood. Philip Laber creates traditional intaglio prints with a digital component (primarily the colored areas) along with large pastels and paintings. Both artists explore popular culture with juxtapositions of classical... Read More

On Saturday, February 25 at 1:00 pm Quad City Arts will sponsor a Regional Poetry Out Loud Contest at Annawan High School. Students from Annawan, Cambridge, and Wethersfield High Schools will be competing to advance to the State Contest in March. Attendance at both events is free and open to the public and refreshments will be served. The winner of the Regional Contest will advance to the Illinois State Competition being held Friday, March 10, 2017 at the Hoogland Center for the Arts in Springfield. The state champion will advance to the Poetry Out Loud National Finals in Washington, DC, where... Read More