51st Season of the Visiting Artist Series starts with “aloha”

Quad City Arts is proud to announce the 2024-2025 Visiting Artist Series, bringing a diverse roster of world-class artists to engage with students throughout the Quad Cities area.
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This 51st season’s lineup includes a wide range of artists from various disciplines, including music, dance, and theater. Through in-school residencies and community outreach activities, these artists will provide educational and inspirational experiences for K-12 and college students.
From traditional Hawaiian music and dance to contemporary jazz, hip-hop, and children’s theater, this season offers students the unique opportunity to connect with cultural practitioners, mentors, and role models in a meaningful way. The Visiting Artist Series continues to enrich local schools by supporting their curriculum, student engagement, and wider community outreach efforts.

A COMMUNITY- DRIVEN SELECTION PROCESS
The season, which runs from Sept. 30 through May 9, 2025, will bring cultural practitioners, mentors, and role models to Quad City area schools for engagements with K-12 and college students. This season’s artists were chosen for the Visiting Artist Series roster with input from area school administrators and teachers, alongside an advisory committee review. To ensure that the artists align with the educational goals of the schools, Quad City Arts staff conducted a "listening tour" with eight local districts. During these conversations, they gathered feedback on how artist engagements could best support the curriculum, address student needs, and benefit the schools' wider communities. Each residency in the 2024-2025 Visiting Artist Series is a direct result of these thoughtful discussions.

RETURNING ARTISTS & NEW EXPERIENCES
Among the returning favorites is the Fabulous Equinox Orchestra, which will be in residence in November. Following their highly successful visit last fall, the orchestra will visit five schools, presenting on professional performing, touring, and technical skills. Teachers who hosted the band in November 2023 appreciated the musicians’ reinforcement of key skills and their encouragement to students to persevere in their music practice.
Another highlight is Twin Flames, a Northern Canadian duo visiting in March 2025. Their residency will include music influenced by their cultural background, as well as presentations on their children's book Maakusie Loves Music. This residency, developed in collaboration with Arts Basics in Davenport, aims to provide all kindergarten students in the Davenport Community School District with a shared arts experience.

THE FULL ROSTER OF ARTISTS
This season includes a wide variety of professional performing artists, each providing educational activities that complement local school curriculums. Students will learn about the native culture of Hawaii through a performance with soaring vocals, breathtaking island harmonies, and a folk vibe, as the 51st season of Quad City Arts Visiting Artist Series residencies begins Sept. 30 with a weeklong visit from Hawaiian dance and music ensemble Kulāiwi.

Kulāiwi brings together three of Hawai‘i’s most talented and revered musicians — Lehua Kalima, Shawn Pimental, and Kawika Kahiapo — alongside hula dancer Pono Fernandez. With a blend of soaring vocals, rich island harmonies, and folk-inspired guitar, they create a deeply engaging atmosphere rooted in the heart of Hawaiian culture.

Their debut collaboration earned them 4 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards, including the prestigious Group of the Year. Known for their captivating performances, Kulāiwi effortlessly weaves traditional Hawaiian storytelling through their music, which is as warm and welcoming as the islands themselves.

The name "Kulāiwi" translates to "land of my ancestors," and this connection to ancestry is central to their performances. While they sing the stories of Hawai‘i, their music also resonates with Indigenous communities worldwide, celebrating both cultural diversity and unity.
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​THE FULL LIST OF ARTISTS IS AS FOLLOWS:

• Kulāiwi, Indigenous Hawaiian performance, in residence Sept. 30 to Oct. 5
• Luciane Dom, Afro-Brazilian music, in residence Oct. 7-10
• WÖR, Belgian 18th-century folk crossover band, in residence Oct. 28 to Nov. 1
• Robin Spielberg, Concert pianist and speaker on music and health, in residence Nov. 4-8
• Fabulous Equinox Orchestra, Soulful Southern Big Band, in residence Nov. 20-22
• Sunny Jain, Indian/jazz fusion, in residence Dec. 2-6
• Chicago Dance Crash, street dance fusion company, in residence Jan. 13-17
• “Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch”, children’s puppet theater, in residence Jan. 27-31
• Goitse, traditional Irish music, in residence Feb. 18-21
• Darrah Carr Dance, Irish step dance, in residence March 10-14
• Twin Flames, Canadian Indigenous Folk, in residence March 24-28
• Jarabe Mexicano, Mexican folk-rock, in residence May 5-9

For more information on this residency program, visit www.quadcityarts.com/vas.  
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​PUBLIC PERFORMANCES
While not every artist will host a public performance as part of their residency, the "Quad City Arts Presents" series offers the community an opportunity to experience the artists who are bringing impactful arts experiences to local schools. Kulaiwi’s public performance will kick off the “Quad City Arts Presents” series on Thursday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m. at the Sound Conservatory in Moline. This season, patrons can select a ticket price ranging from $10 to $60, allowing more flexibility for attendees while supporting the production costs of each performance. Kulāiwi’s performances seek to inspire audiences to connect with their heritage, creating an unforgettable experience that honors the past while looking toward the future. Six artists will provide public performances in this roster, to learn more visit: quadcityarts.com/performances
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Quad City Arts: Continuing a Legacy of Artistic Engagement
Since 1974, the Visiting Artists Series has engaged Quad City residents of all ages in quality arts experiences with professional performing artists. Artists of various disciplines present demonstrations, workshops, and masterclasses at pre-K sites, elementary, intermediate, and high schools as well as college campuses and community organizations. For more information about the Visiting Artists Series residency program, visit www.quadcityarts.com/vas.

Contact: Margot Day, performing arts director at Quad City Arts, [email protected] or 309-793-1213, ext. 106.  




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