Metro Arts Enhances the Quad Cities

The 2024 Quad City Arts Metro Arts Youth Apprenticeship Program is underway, providing over thirty area youth ages 15-21 with a five-week paid summer apprenticeship. Since 2000, Metro Arts apprentices have been creating art that positively impacts our community, with both mural and film projects this year. This year’s program started on June 10 and will be completed on July 11, ending with a final showcase held at the Rock Island Public Library Watts-Midtown Branch Community Room from 6:00-7:00PM on Thursday, July 11th. The evening will include screenings of the films, as well as presentations from the mural teams. This event is free and open to all.  
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Both Davenport and Rock Island will be getting new murals. In Rock Island, the group will be creating a mural on the east side of Quality Control Restoration, the former Goodyear Building, centering on themes of agricultural labor and the armed services, while in Davenport, the south side of the Putnam Museum’s rotunda will be getting a mural focused on the link between pollinators and the world at large. The apprentices develop and present multiple designs to their clients, and then take client feedback to create these stunning, large-scale pieces. Kelly Lao, the Putnam’s Vice President of Museum Experiences and Interim CEO, says, “The Metro Arts program is such a wonderful opportunity both for the students and for [the] area businesses, non-profits, and community spaces they adorn with their art. We are very excited to be the next site for a mural showcasing the incredible talent of local artists and students.” 

Both mural groups are helmed by local artist Sarah Robb. Raised in Davenport, IA, Robb received her BFA in Illustration with a minor in Graphic Design from Laguna College of Art & Design in Laguna Beach, CA. Since returning to the QCA in 2006, she has been the Lead Artist for Mural Design with the QC Arts Metro Arts Summer Youth Program. Her love for large scale public art murals and working with the community has led to commissioned projects with The City of Moline, Rock Island, and Davenport, Palmer College of Chiropractic, Child Abuse Council, Augustana College, Dress for Success, Boys & Girls Club of the Mississippi Valley, Schuetzen Park with German Heritage, and many more. 
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The Film program, in conjunction with Augustana College, has begun shooting two short films, mainly on the college’s campus.  Led by Stacy Barton, Associate Professor and Film Program Director at Augustana College, the group will learn the filmmaking process from writing to post-production, getting hands-on experience in all aspects of filmmaking.  

In her role as associate professor and film program director at Augustana College, Barton's spent the last two years designing new facilities and crafting a film production degree that's just now seeing its first students win awards at film festivals. Past experiences with youth filmmaking include mentoring at Street Level Youth Media in Chicago, Strive Media Institute in Milwaukee, and running filmmaking summer camps at John Wood Community College and the University of Colorado Denver. 

These projects were made possible through support from Augustana College, City of Rock Island, Davenport Noon Optimists, Modern Woodmen of America, the Putnam Museum and Science Center, Quality Control Restoration, Iowa Arts Council, and the Illinois Arts Council Agency. 
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About the Metro Arts Program

Since the summer of 2000, Metro Arts has provided area youth 15-21 years old with paid summer apprenticeships in various arts disciplines.  
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For five weeks, area youth work together in groups to complete projects that enhance the community through the arts. Participants learn the artistic techniques and applications of their genre while developing personally and professionally. 

This program allows young adults to build career and artistic skills, as they work under the supervision and mentorship of professional artists. Their mentors are accomplished, local artists who are passionate about teaching and encouraging creativity.  
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If you would like to interview the Lead Artists or the Apprentices please contact Ben Gougeon ([email protected] or 309.793.1213x100) for scheduling.

Learn More About The metro Arts Program

The arts make a difference

Summer programs like the Metro Arts Apprenticeship Program helps improve academic performance, not just through creativity, but it improves learning in areas like math and science as well as the literary field. Art education fosters collaboration, group learning, and most importantly creative problem-solving. For five weeks, area youth work together in groups to complete art projects under the supervision and mentorship of professional artists. Participants learn their particular genre's artistic techniques and applications while developing personally and professionally. Murals and street paintings throughout the Quad Cities are the lasting legacy of programs past.



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