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Experience “Classic Meets Cool” with Pianist Barron Ryan

1/16/2026

 
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Tickets are on sale now for an exclusive evening performance by Visiting Artist Barron Ryan, featuring There Arises Light in the Darkness, a moving work for piano, violin, and cello that brings hope to the memory of the Tulsa Race Massacre. The performance will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, February 27, 2026, in the newly renovated auditorium at the TMBC Lincoln Resource Center.

EVENT DETAILS:
📅 Date and Time: Friday, February 27, 2026, at 7 p.m.
📍 Location: TMBC Lincoln Resource Center, Davenport, IA

🎟 Ticket Price: Starting at $10 (Tiered Ticketing)

Ryan will be in residence in the Quad Cities February 23–27 through Quad City Arts’ Visiting Artist Series. During his weeklong residency, he will visit nine local schools across five school districts, as well as several community sites, including the Butterworth Center and Wesley United Methodist Church in Muscatine, Iowa.
Buy Your Tickets Today
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Raised in a musical household in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Barron Ryan grew up immersed in a wide range of musical influences—from Chopin to Michael Jackson. Blending classical training with a love of jazz, pop, and funk, Ryan has developed a style that feels both timeless and contemporary. His performances combine technical mastery with engaging storytelling, leaving audiences inspired and entertained.

In 2021, Ryan added “commissioned composer” to his growing list of accomplishments when Chamber Music Tulsa invited him to create a work commemorating the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. There Arises Light in the Darkness is a three-movement work that seeks to honor memory while offering hope.

​Quad City Arts is committed to making live performances accessible through tiered ticket pricing that helps reduce financial barriers and welcomes community members of all backgrounds.

🎟 Patrons may choose from four ticket levels:
  • Angel Tickets ($60), which help support subsidized access
  • True Cost Tickets ($40), reflecting the actual cost of producing the performance
  • General Admission ($20), a reduced-price option made possible through community support
  • Subsidized Tickets ($10), offered on a trust-based, no-questions-asked basis to support broader access to the arts.
Buy Your Tickets Today

The Full Roster of Visiting Artists

From hip-hop to folklórico dance, the 52nd season of the Visiting Artist Series offers students meaningful opportunities to connect with artists as cultural practitioners, mentors, and role models. Each residency includes educational activities designed to complement school curricula while supporting student engagement and community connection.

Artists in residence during the 52nd season include:
  • Sons of Mystro, hip-hop violin duo, visited Sept. 22–26, 2025
  • Alaina Celeste & Mi Amigo Hamlet, Being Bilingual Rocks!, Oct. 11, 2025 (as part of Imagination Station in partnership with WQPT)
  • Nobuntu, Zimbabwean female a cappella quartet, visited Nov. 12–14, 2025
  • Barron Ryan, “Classic Meets Cool” pianist, Feb. 23–27
  • Ballet Folklórico del Rio Grande, in residence May 10–15, with a public performance at United Township High School in collaboration with Glenview Middle School, UT Mariachi Bands, and Quad Cities Ballet Folklórico
  • Katie Bush, 3-D chalk artist, in residence May 29–31 as part of Quad City Arts’ 10th Annual Chalk Art Fest
Continuing a Legacy of Artistic Engagement

Since 1974, the Visiting Artist Series has connected Quad City residents of all ages with high-quality arts experiences led by professional performing artists. Through demonstrations, workshops, and master classes at early childhood sites, schools, colleges, and community organizations, Quad City Arts continues its commitment to enriching lives and expanding access to the arts.

The Visiting Artist Series is made possible with support from Illinois Arts Council, Modern Woodmen of America, the National Endowment for the Arts, Rock Island Community Foundation, Scott County Regional Authority, and Quad City Arts donors.
​
Learn More about The Visiting Artist Series
Contact
Ben Gougeon, Director of Community Engagement
309.793.1213 ext.100 | [email protected]

Quad City Arts Announces Leadership Transition

1/14/2026

 
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​Quad City Arts announces that Brian Allen is no longer serving as Executive Director of the organization. The Board of Directors thanks Brian for his service and contributions during his time with Quad City Arts and wishes him well in his future endeavors.

Brian Allen brought experience in arts administration, education, and community engagement to Quad City Arts. During his time, he worked alongside staff and community partners to support the organization’s core programs and community projects, helping sustain Quad City Arts’ ongoing work across education, public art, and programming. The Board thanks Brian for his service and for the time and energy he dedicated to advancing the organization’s mission.

The Board of Directors is committed to ensuring continuity and stability for the organization, its staff, artists, partners, and community. Information regarding interim leadership and the process for selecting the organization’s next Executive Director will be shared in the coming days.

Quad City Arts remains focused on its mission to enrich the quality of life in the Quad Cities through the arts and looks forward to continuing its programs, partnerships, and services during this transition.

For questions, please contact:
Sam McCullum, Board President
Quad City Arts
[email protected]
708-527-8994

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Quad City Arts is dedicated to enriching the quality of life in the Quad City region through the arts. The organization’s dual role of presenting the arts and humanities, as well as serving as an arts resource, allows us to serve more than 350,000 people annually in the Arts Center in Rock Island and at over 200 rural and urban community sites.​

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  • About
  • Programs
    • Art Services
    • Visiting Artist Series
    • Public Sculpture Program
    • Murals
    • Metro Arts Youth Apprenticeship Program
    • Arts Dollars Grant Program
  • Events
    • All Events
    • VAS Public Performances
    • Chalk Art Fest
    • Riverssance Festival
    • 2025 High School Art Invitational
    • Celebration of the Arts & Lloyd Awards
    • Festival of Trees
  • Galleries
    • Rock Island Gallery
    • Airport Gallery
    • Second Avenue Window
  • Resources
    • Opportunities
  • Artist Index
  • Blog
  • Store
  • Donate