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Calling All Visual Artists for “Quarantine Art Exhibition”

4/27/2020

 
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​The title, “Quarantine Art Exhibition,” should not be considered the theme that drives your art. It only should identify when the art was created or completed. Quad City Arts would like to encourage artists to use this time to create new art and provide an opportunity to showcase it.

Whatever artwork you have felt compelled to create during this time of uncertainty, Quad City Arts wants to share it with the public at a time when we hope to be able to gather socially again to celebrate the power of creativity. All artists residing within a 250-mile radius of the Quad Cities are invited to submit up to two artworks of any medium created during the Quarantine period which began in March 2020, for a juried, group exhibition in Quad City Arts’ Rock Island Gallery from January 29-March 19, 2021. There is NO entry fee.

Timeline:
  • Friday, January 1, 2021: Entries for “Quarantine Art Exhibition” due by midnight using Quad City Art’s website: Quadcityarts.com (SUBMISSION LINK COMING SOON)
  • January 13, 2021: Artists will be notified of acceptance status
  • January 23, 2021: Accepted artists deliver artwork to Quad City Arts between 10-5 (mailed art must arrive by Jan. 23rd)
  • March 19, 2012: “Quarantine Art Exhibition” closes at Quad City Arts
  • March 20, 2021: Artists pick up work at Quad City Arts between 10-5 pm

Quad City Arts is a non-profit arts organization dedicated to enriching the quality of life in the Quad City region through the arts. Support for art exhibitions is provided by the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, the Illinois Arts Council Agency, a state agency, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Quad Cities Cultural Trust.

Quad City Arts Gallery is located at 1715 Second Avenue in the Arts and Entertainment District of Rock Island. For more information, contact Dawn Wohlford-Metallo 309-793-1213 X108, or by email.

2020 Arts Dollars Program ReachED 24 Recipients In the Quad City Area

4/23/2020

 

​Arts Dollars has been granting funds to artists and nonprofits in the Quad Cities region since 1979 thanks to our generous funding partners, who believe in the power of the arts to enrich our communities. Thanks to our 2020 Arts Dollars funding partners, The Illinois Arts Council Agency, a state agency and The Hubbell-Waterman Foundation. The vision that Quad City Arts has in facilitating these grants is that individual artists and nonprofits of all sizes would be able to accomplish projects in the Quad Cities and surrounding communities, that those communities would see a long-lasting benefit from the completed projects, and that artists would be paid for their work in the process. Each year, artists and nonprofits apply for grants in one of three categories: Projects, Education, and Capacity-Building. Keep an eye out for our 2021 grant round opening in December!

The funds awarded in the Project and Education categories are an investment in the arts across the six-county region served by Quad City Arts, activating nonprofits and artists who are engaging their community through projects in visual arts, theatre, music, film and more. Our records show that since 1990 alone, Arts Dollars has funded $1.3 million in projects in our region. What an amazing legacy!

Capacity-Building grants are highly competitive and specially designed for arts-centered nonprofit organizations that are seeking support to expand their reach and impact through the arts in their community. This category was added in 2016 as Quad City Arts saw a need for small organizations to have access to funds to increase their capacity. Arts Dollars has funded important organizational infrastructure support like strategic planning, database solutions, temporary staff, and more.

Our 2020 grant awards were recommended by a panel of community members who sifted through the nearly $160,000 in requests from across the region and approved by the Quad City Arts Board of Directors. Please join us in celebrating these individuals and organizations! We are excited about the impact each one will make on our community as they advance their mission and the mission of Quad City Arts: to enrich the quality of life in the Quad City region through the arts.

Capacity-Building
  • Quad Cities Woodturners Association – Funds will cover fees to attend shows and fairs to increase membership

Education
  • Hot Glass, Inc – HS field trips to hot glass to learn glassblowing
  • McKinley Elementary School – Students will be researching life in Davenport in 1940 and creating a mural depicting the future of Davenport
  • Muscatine Art Center – Summer Visiting Artist Workshops
  • QC United (Pete the Purple Bull) – LIFT Program in schools, engaging students through hip-hop music, dance, and drama
  • River Action – Arts Along the River, including a public play, painting watercolor, videos, writing, and participating in a drum circle led by the Native American Coalition of the Quad Cities
  • Steam on Wheels – Bringing STEAM curriculum into schools

Project
  • Azubuike African American Council for the Arts – Acting for film workshop
  • Central DeWitt Performing Arts Center – Production of Cinderella, the musical
  • Countryside Community Theatre – Paying professional pit musicians
  • Galva Arts Council – Summer Concert Series
  • Good News Singers Chorale – sheet music
  • Hand in Hand – Inspiration Studio works with participants with disabilities
  • Handicapped Development Center – 9 integrated arts classes
  • Genesius Theatre Foundation – Summer performance series
  • German American Heritage Center – Power Frauen history and art exhibit
  • Martin Luther King Jr Center – Multicultural Dance Day
  • Moline Community Development Corporation – 5 neighborhood beautification projects
  • Moline Public Library – Universal Language project, working with young adult immigrants in piano music instruction and collaborative mural
  • Opera Quad Cities – Production of Madame Butterfly
  • WVIK – Rock Island Lines commemorative book
  • Youth Hope QC – Creative Arts Enrichment Programs

Individual Artist
  • 1V on the Track – Music Video production, working with at-risk youths
  • Aubs. – Collaborative poetry project

Providing grant funding for local projects like this allows us to move our mission forward. Quad City Arts is a nonprofit local arts agency dedicated to enriching the quality of life in the Quad City region through the arts. The Art Dollars 2021 application opens December 15 and is open through January 31, 2021. For more information and guidelines, please reference our Art Dollars program page.


This program partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, and a grant from the Hubbell-Waterman Foundation.

The Visiting Artist Series encourages a brain for the arts

4/16/2020

 
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Every year, teachers and program directors bring a world-class performing arts resource into their buildings by simply opening their doors.

The artists and ensembles who walk through the door are more traditional than technological; they aren’t trained in robotics, webcasting, or video editing. They aren’t equipped with motion cameras or 3-D printing. But they are priceless in the expertise that they bring into every gym, auditorium, and classroom.

The artists and ensembles who are selected for a residency in the Visiting Artist Series are highly accomplished and frequently recognized or awarded at a national and international level. They are selected for both their artistic talents and their ability to engage public audiences, particularly students.

Each season of the Visiting Artist Series presents high-quality examples of music, dance, and theater. The purpose of each school or community site visit isn’t solely performance; it’s about modeling the hard work, dedication, and proficiency mindset that allowed them to become top-tier professional artists. These artists have an ear for music, feet made for dancing, and a voice made to carry through an auditorium. Despite the differences in their genres and their art forms, they all have a brain for the arts.

The outreaches given by each visiting artist during a week-long residency provide an experience that builds on classroom discussion, enhances school curriculum, adds to students’ knowledge of the performing arts from around the world, and develops future audience members.

This spring, the series was forced to cancel two residencies — one planned for steel drum player John Patti in March and another in May for multi-genre quintet Jarabe Mexicano. These two artists were part of the 46th season that featured a dozen other artists and ensembles for outreach performances in the Quad City region.

John Patti’s performance moves jazz and blues to a new level by adding the unique island flare of the steel drum. Patti is well versed in various genres of music, from sophisticated jazz to island jazz and the reggae sounds of the steel pan, R&B, Motown, and blues gives his performance some groove and soul.
​

Jarabe Mexicano takes audiences on a joyride through a versatile songbook of Mexican Folk as well as Rock & Roll, Tex-Mex, Latin Rock, and Reggae-Cumbia. Performing on stringed folk instruments accompanied by lively percussion, Jarabe’s dramatic, harmonized vocals in Spanish and English have gained them the admiration of many audiences.


The series is all about increasing the public’s access to the performing arts. It provides low-cost opportunities for Quad City area residents to see performances that would otherwise be out of reach. It brings the same distinguished, professional artists to schools for a nominal fee, regardless of their size, location, or academic level. As a result, this access to live and engaging performances improve our schools and our residents’ lives through the arts.  


To find out more about the Visiting Artist Series visit our lineup.

If you would like to attend a Visiting Artist school outreach performance, contact us via e-mail or call (309) 793-1213.

The Visiting Artist Series is able to be produced by area grants and supporters of the arts. If you would like to support programs like this, consider becoming a Quad City Arts Partner.

43rd Annual High School Art Invitational

4/7/2020

 
There are many questions and concerns about graduation and other requirements for the Class of 2020 during this extended school closure. Seniors have spent their high school years preparing for their senior year. Many of them have been anticipating this year since elementary school. The Class of 2020 has brought a new experience in learning and preparation for their generation. Seniors are looking at the world around them, analyzing and coming up with creative solutions to problems like never before. It is safe to say, this year's senior class will be known for the most adaptable generation we know. With that in mind, we dedicate our first virtual gallery show to them. Hats off to an incredible generation of creatives!


​The 43rd Annual High School Art Invitational would not have been possible without the incredible commitment from the instructors in our area. In a normal year, it is a lot of work to select artwork from students and deliver it to the gallery ready to be hung. This year, we had to change how the show would function four times, ultimately adapting to a digital gallery. These instructors worked with us at every turn. It highlights their incredible passion for their students. Thank you for all that you do. 

The art instructors in our region were invited to choose works by their top five students, plus one film project and one using recycled materials. This year, we have submissions from 12 schools, 97 students, and 13 teachers. Today we have the privilege of presenting over $5000 in awards to art students who have worked hard to develop their techniques while at the same time expressing their unique voice. This ability is important because businesses list creativity as a top three trait for new hires. The students and teachers represented here have much to offer the world and we would like to share it with you.


These awards come from 24 different sponsors and are chosen by twelve artists in our community. We begin by recognizing all the great instructors who dedicate their careers to nurturing young artists. This exhibit gives them a chance to display their own talents.

Instructor Awards:

First Place Teacher Award: Lisa Stisser from Kewanee High School
Second Place Teacher Award: Holly Secker-Brosman from Assumption High School
Third Place Teacher Award: Pat Bereskin from Bereskin Gallery & Art Academy

Rock Island Fine Art Guild Awards:
1. Maggie Borota from Central DeWitt
2. Laila Haley from Sherrard HS
3. Ethan Kopplin from Rock Island HS
4. Daityn Duffy from Moline HS

The Left Bank Art League Awards:
1. Lauryn Ginter from Central Dewitt HS
2. Jacqualyn Richardson from Mercer County HS
3. Schroeder from Davenport Central/Creative Art Academy

Working Artist Awards:
1. Excellence in Clay Award goes to Kyle Knedler from Pleasant Valley High School
2. Cutting Edge Award goes to Laylon Baucom from Pleasant Valley High School
3. Deborah Doehler Studio Award goes to Kade Green from Pleasant Valley High School
4. Excellence in Photography goes to Cameron White from Davenport West High School
5. The Creativity Award goes to LaDella Gallagher from Davenport Central High School / Creative Arts Academy
6. The Award for Whimsey goes to Xu Yeuming from Assumption High School
7. Don Heggen Memorial Award for painting goes to Kailyn Scott from Kewanee High School
8. The Essence of Water Award goes to Noah Eis from Davenport West High School
9. The Life at Night Award goes to Nick Hendley from Davenport West High School
10. “The Natural World Award” goes to Daityn Duffy from Moline High School
11. “The Imagination Award” goes to Austin Hall from Kewanee High School

Hilltop Campus Village Award:

Aenish Porte from Central High School

Our friends at Living Lands & Waters sponsor an award each year for the student who can make the most interesting creation out of recycled materials: Laylon Baucom from Pleasant Valley HS

Dphilms is a full-service video production & photography boutique just down the street from Quad City Arts. Their crew reviewed the student film submissions and awarded: Lucas Teasdale from Bereskin Gallery & Art Academy. 
In addition to prize money, Lucas will receive a guided tour of Dpilms’ studio.

Juror’s Choice Awards for Exemplary Work:
1. Olivia Hucke from Mercer County High School
2. Thomas Johnson from Bereskin Gallery & Art Academy
3. Maggie Pope from Sherrard High School
4. Emma Hubbard from Bettendorf High School
5. Abigail Butcher from Kewanee High School

Best of Show Award: 
Michael PK from Central DeWitt High School

Senior Scholarships:

$1500 goes to Liam Haskill from Rock Island High School 2. $1000 goes to Lydia Bloome from Bettendorf High School

Our second scholarship winner, Lydia Bloome from Bettendorf High School received the Best of Show ribbon for our Festival of Trees High School Exhibit last fall. You can see more of Lydia’s work in our storefront window on our Rock Island Gallery Location on 2nd Avenue. Festival of Trees is our largest fundraiser and the proceeds make it possible for Quad City Arts to continue making the arts accessible to everyone in our community. That includes our Visiting Artist program which brings performing artists into the local schools.

Quad City Arts’ Staff Award:
Zakiya Bolar from Bettendorf High School

This concludes our awards. Please check out all of the outstanding artwork in the Virtual Gallery. Quad City Arts where our mission is to improve the quality of life in the Quad Cities region through the arts. We work towards that mission through programs like the Visiting Artist Series, Metro Arts Youth Apprenticeship, public sculpture, Chalk Art Fest, and our gallery spaces. Thank you to everyone who supports the arts!

COVID-19 Resources for artists

4/3/2020

 
UPDATED 4/8/2020

As the global response to COVID-19 intensifies and our world is turned upside down, many workers in the creative sector are finding it harder and harder to get by. Many are scrambling to balance their health and safety with paying the bills. Creatives are often hit hardest during uncertain times, and the recent pandemic is no exception. Thankfully, the financial difficulties artists are facing have been recognized. A rapidly growing group of organizations is mobilizing resources for artists affected by COVID-19.

Quad City Arts is dedicated to enriching the quality of life in the Quad City region through the arts. We have been putting together a list of resources for regional artists.

  • Americans for the Arts COVID-19 Resource Center
  • COVID-19 & Freelance Artists
  • The Writer's Emergency Fund
  • Creative Capital: List of Arts Resources During the COVID-19 Outbreak
  • Nonprofit Quarterly:  How Nonprofits Can Utilize the New Federal Laws Dealing with COVID-19
  • Quad Cities Chamber COVID-19 Resources and Updates
  • Artist Relief:  Today, a consortium of funders announced the creation of the Artist Relief Fund, a $10 million national emergency relief fund for artists and creative workers that will provide $5,000 no-strings-attached grants. It is intended for anyone who earns income from their creative or artistic practice and who has also been affected by COVID-19.

Unemployment: The CARES Act has expanded unemployment eligibility. 
  • Iowa
  • Illinois

Illinois Artist Relief Grant:
Illinois Artist Relief: Grants for Illinois Artists for $1,500. The application portal will close on Wednesday, April 8 at 5:00pm CST.

​
If you would like to add more resources to our listing, please email our staff.

This post contains information and links to resources for artists impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. If you have questions, please contact a professional, whether that be an attorney, banker, or someone with these organizations. We at Quad City Arts are not legal experts therefore none of this should be taken as legal advice. 

Creative Solutions

4/1/2020

 
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As the Executive Director of Quad City Arts, this probably does not come as a surprise, but in times of uncertainty, I look towards the art sector. It always reminds me of why I love the creative community.

We adapt.

Within 24 hours of large gatherings being cancelled putting the performing arts industry on hold, we had Broadways stars, touring musicians, and more taking to social media to provide an outlet so the show could go on or so the music didn’t die. As more time passed, we saw comprehensive lists of where we could see free concerts, free operas, art demonstrations, etc. As I said, we adapt. 

This isn’t to say that industries outside of the arts are not adapting. It does however help highlight why studies done by Americans for the Arts shows that businesses list creativity as a top three trait for new hires. In these times we are seeing those creative types put forth some of their best work. Often for little more than to entertain people and help them pass some time or to teach them something new. It is truly inspiring. 

So how is Quad City Arts adapting? We are using this time to tell our story like we never have before, and we are adapting our programs to fit the “new norm” whenever possible. At a time when we are asked to shelter-in-place to help flatten the curve, we are launching more digital content, like this new blog. We are also adapting our annual high school art show. In past years, we packed close to 300 people into our gallery to recognize young artists in the Quad Cities Area. This year, we are recording it for your viewing pleasure and launching the 43rd Annual High School Art Invitational entirely online.

We are also using this time to help support and enhance our arts community. By sharing the great things local artists are doing, and by encouraging everyone to use this time to create, we are helping to keep the arts alive, while maintaining appropriate social distance. To further encourage the creation of new art, we will be hosting a group show to highlight new works created during this time sometime in the future. We plan to present the show after this is all over. Stay tuned.

Adapting isn’t always easy, but we know it is necessary. I’m excited to see what other adaptations are ahead both for Quad City Arts and the arts sector as we whole.

Thank you for supporting us, supporting our team, and supporting the arts through these challenging times.

Kevin L. Maynard
Executive Director Quad City Arts

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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
    • Metro Arts Youth Apprenticeship Program
    • Arts Dollars Grant Program
  • Events
    • All Events
    • Annual High School Art Invitational
    • Chalk Art Fest
    • Riverssance Festival
    • Performing Arts Signature Series (PASS)
    • Annual Celebration & Lloyd Awards
    • Festival of Trees
  • Galleries
    • Rock Island Gallery
    • Airport Gallery
    • Second Avenue Window
    • Past Exhibits >
      • Tanya Rastogi | Second Avenue Window
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