The 2026–27 season celebrates American stories, sounds, and movement through artist residencies in Quad Cities schools and community spaces

As communities across the country mark the 250th anniversary of the United States, Quad City Arts will celebrate the 53rd season of its Visiting Artist Series with an exploration of the stories, sounds and cultural traditions that have taken shape in America.

From Indigenous storytelling traditions that long predate the founding of the United States to blues, jazz, hip-hop and breaking, the 2026–27 season brings together artists working in forms deeply connected to the American experience. Through performances, workshops and conversations in schools and community spaces throughout the Quad Cities, visiting artists will share where these traditions come from, how they have evolved and how artists continue to carry them forward today.

The season also makes room for a distinctly American collision of influences: a punk-rock polka band from Ohio.

“There’s probably nothing more American than a punk-rock polka band out of Ohio,” said Quad City Arts Executive Director Ben Gougeon. “What I love about this season is that students won’t just learn about these traditions in a classroom. They’ll meet the artists, hear the music, see the movement and experience these traditions firsthand. We're also in the process of building some deeper, more impactful residency experiences that will resonate far beyond this season. That kind of connection is what the Visiting Artist Series has been creating in the Quad Cities for 53 seasons”

The Visiting Artist Series is built around bringing professional artists directly to people throughout the Quad Cities. During each residency, artists spend several days performing and engaging with students in schools while also connecting with audiences at community centers, libraries, and senior communities.

These experiences give students opportunities to meet working artists, ask questions, and encounter cultural traditions they may not otherwise experience firsthand. They also demonstrate that the art forms students encounter today have histories — shaped by generations of people, places and communities — and that those traditions continue to change as new artists contribute their own voices.

Community engagements carry those conversations beyond the classroom, creating opportunities for people of different ages and backgrounds to experience professional artists together. By bringing artists into spaces people already know and use, the Visiting Artist Series helps make cultural experiences accessible throughout the region.

2026–27 Visiting Artist Series Lineup

Frank Cesario | Puppetry and Puppet Building | Aug. 14, 2026
The season began with a special partnership with Fresh Films featuring puppeteer, puppet builder, and puppet wrangler Frank Cesario. Cesario led a hands-on workshop with participants in TMBC Lincoln Center’s Camp Amp, sharing the creativity and craftsmanship behind bringing puppet characters to life. His credits include PBS KIDS’ Donkey Hodie, and he served as puppet wrangler and secondary puppeteer for the Fresh Films feature “Groundhog Gary: 6 More Weeks,” which premiered at the Alternating Currents Festival.

Leland Faulkner | Native American Storytelling | Sept. 21–25, 2026
Faulkner brings storytelling rooted in Indigenous traditions to the Quad Cities, using story and performance to explore heritage, imagination, and the ways knowledge and culture are carried across generations. His residency begins the season’s exploration of American traditions with stories connected to the people and cultures whose histories on this continent precede the United States itself.

Faulkner will present a special public performance of his one-man show Dreamcatcher at the Putnam Museum on Friday, Sept. 25. Times and ticket information to be announced, and will be available through www.putnam.org.

Dusky Waters | New Orleans Blues and Roots | Nov. 10–13, 2026
Rooted in the musical heritage of New Orleans and the American South, Dusky Waters connects audiences with blues and roots traditions shaped by Black American history, community, and generations of musicians. The residency explores the relationship between music and place and the lasting influence of these traditions on American music.

Brass Queens | All-Female Jazz Brass Band | Feb. 9–12, 2027
Brass Queens brings the sound and energy of the American brass-band tradition into the present. The all-female ensemble draws on jazz and brass traditions while showing how contemporary musicians continue to reinterpret and expand them.

Brass Queens will also present a public performance to be announced at a later date.

Chardon Polka Band | Punk-Rock Polka | April 13–16, 2027
Ohio’s Chardon Polka Band takes a tradition brought to America by European immigrants and gives it an unmistakably contemporary American twist. By combining polka with the energy of punk rock and influences from across popular music, the group offers a playful example of what can happen when cultural traditions meet, change and take on new identities.

Movement Revolution Dance Crew | Hip-Hop and Breaking | May 10–14, 2027
Movement Revolution Dance Crew closes the season with hip-hop and breaking, art forms born from Black and Latino communities in New York City and now practiced around the world. Through movement and performance, the crew introduces audiences to the creativity, expression and community at the heart of hip-hop culture.

Taken together, the 2026–27 season offers an opportunity to consider America at 250 through the artists, communities and traditions that have shaped its culture. Indigenous storytelling, blues, jazz, immigrant musical traditions, hip-hop and breaking each tell a different part of that story. The Visiting Artist Series brings those traditions into direct conversation with Quad Cities students and residents while celebrating the artists who continue to shape what American culture looks and sounds like today.

Now entering its 53rd season, Quad City Arts’ Visiting Artist Series has a long history of connecting nationally and internationally recognized artists with people throughout the region. By placing artists directly in schools and community settings, the program gives thousands of area residents opportunities to experience professional artists where they learn, work and gather.

Scheduling is now open for the 2026–27 Visiting Artist Series. Teachers, school administrators, and community sites are invited to request performances, workshops, and other artist experiences for their schools. Scheduling requests should be submitted by Sept. 4 to be considered for the 2026–27 season.

For more information about the Visiting Artist Series and the 2026–27 season, visit Quad City Arts at quadcityarts.com.

The 2026–27 season of the Visiting Artist Series is powered by Quad City Arts, and supported by Scott County Regional Authority, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Rock Island Community Foundation.
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​This week, walls across the Quad Cities are becoming canvases as Mural Fest returns as part of Alternating Currents, the annual downtown arts festival bringing music, film, comedy, visual art, and live performances to communities throughout the region.

Quad City Arts is proud to partner with Alternating Currents to bring Mural Fest to life, giving festivalgoers the opportunity to watch professional artists create large-scale murals in real time. Instead of only seeing the finished piece, visitors can stop by throughout the week and watch each mural evolve from a blank wall into a lasting work of public art.

Mural Fest is a collaborative effort that brings together the strengths of Downtown Davenport Partnership and Quad City Arts.

Downtown Davenport Partnership, Downtown Rock Island Association, and the Downtown Bettendorf Organization help to activate downtown spaces, connect businesses, and build the larger festival experience. Quad City Arts leads the artist engagement and public art side of the project—from recruiting muralists and coordinating artist logistics to helping artists navigate the process of creating large-scale work in public spaces.

It's work that builds on decades of Quad City Arts' experience commissioning and managing public art projects throughout the region.

This year's Mural Fest features four artists creating new works throughout the Quad Cities:

• Brando Punk — Bent River Brewing, 512 24th St., Rock Island
• Atlanta Dawn — Klemme's Motorsports, 301 E. 3rd St., Davenport
• Andray Kravtsov — Trash Can Annie / Ragged Records, 311 E. 2nd St., Davenport
• Brian Wentworth — My Crystal Portal, 1737 Grant St., Bettendorf

The mix of local and visiting artists is an important part of Mural Fest. It gives artists opportunities to meet one another, exchange ideas and techniques, build relationships, and learn what's happening in the broader public art community. At the same time, visiting artists bring new styles and perspectives to the Quad Cities and help showcase our region as a place that values creativity and invests in its public spaces.

One of the things we love most about public art is its accessibility. You don't need a ticket, an invitation, or even plans to see it. Public art meets people where they already are.

​Photography courtesy of AJV Original - Wedding & Special Events Photographer - Antonio Varela
www.ajvoriginal.com

​ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — August 10, 2026 -- The Quad City Arts Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Ben Gougeon as the organization’s next Executive Director, effective August 10, 2026.

Gougeon brings more than 30 years of experience working in the arts, both as a theatre and film artist and in leadership and administrative roles with nonprofit organizations in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, and New York. His professional background also includes management roles in the hospitality and retail industries, bringing additional experience in operations, customer service, and team leadership. As Executive Director, he will lead Quad City Arts in advancing its mission to enrich the quality of life in the Quad Cities through the arts by supporting artists, expanding arts education, and creating meaningful public art experiences throughout the region.

The Quad City Arts Board of Directors launched its search for the organization’s next Executive Director on May 21, 2026, beginning a comprehensive process to identify the organization’s next leader. Led by the Board’s Executive Director Search Committee, the search included outreach to qualified candidates, interviews, and thoughtful evaluation to identify a leader with the experience, vision, and collaborative approach needed to guide Quad City Arts into its next chapter.

The Board’s search committee sought a leader who would honor Quad City Arts’ longstanding mission while strengthening the organization’s capacity to serve artists, students, audiences, and communities throughout the Quad Cities. The appointment reflects the Board’s confidence in Gougeon’s ability to lead the organization with integrity, collaboration, and a commitment to our community.

“Throughout this search, our Board remained focused on finding the right leader for Quad City Arts—someone who shares our commitment to artists, education, and community partnerships,” said Jenni Swanson, President of the Quad City Arts Board of Directors. “We are excited to welcome Ben as our next Executive Director and are confident he will build upon the strong foundation created by our staff, volunteers, board members, artists, donors, and community partners. Together, we look forward to expanding opportunities for the arts and continuing to serve the Quad Cities with creativity, collaboration, and excellence.”

Gougeon said he is honored to serve the organization and community in an expanded role.

“Quad City Arts has a remarkable history of connecting people through creativity and strengthening our communities through the arts,” said Gougeon. “In my previous role, I loved being able to serve as a connector and create partnerships with the many organizations doing necessary work throughout our region. I look forward to continuing to work alongside our talented staff, dedicated board members, artists, volunteers, donors, sponsors, and community partners to expand access to the arts and build upon the organization’s strong foundation. Together, we have an exciting opportunity to strengthen the impact of the arts throughout the Quad Cities for years to come.”

Prior to this appointment, Gougeon served as Events Coordinator and Director of Community Engagement at Quad City Arts, where he oversaw the Visiting Artist Series, Chalk Art Fest, Riverssance Festival of Fine Art, Metro Arts Youth Apprenticeship Program, Arts Dollars Grant program, and numerous public art initiatives, including the upcoming Tapestry installation in downtown Moline. He also served as host of Talking Art, a podcast produced in partnership with WVIK, where he helped share the stories of artists, arts organizations, and creative work happening throughout the region. His knowledge of the organization, relationships throughout the community, and commitment to the mission provide a strong foundation for continued growth and innovation.

Each year, Quad City Arts enriches the region through public art, arts education, exhibitions, performances, artist support initiatives, and Festival of Trees—its signature fundraising event that helps make arts programming possible throughout the Quad Cities. Through partnerships with municipalities, schools, businesses, and community organizations, Quad City Arts continues to make the arts accessible and impactful across eastern Iowa and western Illinois.