In this episode, we sit down with the talented Sabrina Tabby, a violinist of the dynamic string quartet ATLYS.Ben Gougeon

Tune in for an enriching discussion that dives deep into the heart of community art and the exciting future ahead for Kevin Maynard and the Quad Cities.Ben Gougeon

In this episode of Talking Art, Kevin Maynard sits down with Pono Fernandez and Shawn Pimentel, two dynamic members of the acclaimed Hawaiian music group Kulaiwi.Kevin Maynard

Ben Gougeon sits down with two exceptional artists, ceramicist Jim Cronk and jeweler Ann Hartley, as they prepare for their upcoming exhibition at the highly anticipated Riverssance Festival of Fine Art.Ben Gougeon

In this episode of Talking Art, hosts Dawn Wohlford-Metallo and Ben Gougeon from Quad City Arts, sit down with the talented mixed media artist and sculptor, Dean Kugler.Ben Gougeon

Join us for an inspiring episode featuring a discussion with Courtney Lyon, the Artistic Director of Ballet Quad Cities, as we delve into the exciting launch of their 28th season.Kevin Maynard

Join us for a conversation with Isaac Flynn and Alexander Ward, from the indie rock band Hembree.Kevin Maynard

Tune in to discover how the Bill Bell Jazz and Heritage Festival brings the Quad Cities community together through music, education, and a shared passion for preserving the region's vibrant cultural heritage.Ben Gougeon

In this engaging podcast episode, muralists Nicole Salgar and Atlanta Dawn take listeners on a journey through their creative process and artistic inspirations as they discuss their work on two large-scale murals in downtown Rock Island, Illinois.Kevin Maynard

Ben Gougeon talks with local muralist Sarah Robb about her work with the Quad City Arts Metro Arts program, the upcoming Chalk Art Fest at Schwiebert Park, and her life as an artist.Ben Gougeon

Quad City Arts Executive Director Kevin Maynard sits down with VP of Research at Americans for the ArtsKevin Maynard

In this episode of "Talking Art," Kevin Maynard from Quad City Arts sits down with Marc Zyla, principal horn of the Quad City Symphony Orchestra (QCSO).Kevin Maynard

Listen to the conversation here with artist Cory Christiansen and with Muscatine Art Center Director Melanie Alexander, about the legacy that Jon Fasanelli-Cawelti left behind, the deep personal friendships that developed between the local artists, and the transformative effect a creative mentor can have.…

Listen to the conversation here with Quad City native Steve Banks about how humor can be used to effectively deliver a message about culture and identity; the creation of multi-panel pieces for this exhibition which he likens to a symphonic suite with different movements; and the studio space and artistic community that he has developed in Davenpor…

Listen to the conversation here with Brian Baxter, Executive Director of the Quad City Symphony Orchestra, about the tremendous versatility of the QCSO’s musicians, the important ways in which the orchestra is diversifying their community outreach and programming, and why the Riverfront Pops is widely considered to be the Quad Cities’ “party of the…

Listen to the conversation here with Executive Director Kevin Maynard about how Quad City Arts has intentionally been building their role as an arts advocate, connector, and resource hub; about their commitment to creative placemaking; and how they beautify our community in ways less commonly known to the public, such as through their public sculpt…

Listen to the conversation here with Brian Nikulski and Pat Beréskin about the thematic approach they used to create this collection, the importance of businesses investing in local artists, and the sense of well-being that beautiful art creates.Carolyn Martin

Owner and Director Andrzej Kozlowski is an accomplished Juilliard-trained classical pianist. Listen to the conversation here about his reverence for the Polish pianists and composers Fryderyk Chopin and Ignacy Paderewski, his passion for historic renovation and restoration, and his belief in providing financially feasible musical training.…

Listen to the conversation here with Jaren Michelle (Callie) and McKenna Coskie (Sara) about how they have come to understand and connect with their individual characters, the joy of acting in a debut stage work production in the Quad Cities, and the essential role that community theatre plays within a vibrant society.…

Listen to the conversation here with composer, arranger, producer, Yamaha artist, and piano virtuoso Laurence Hobgood about his initial emergence onto the jazz scene in Chicago years ago, the inspiration behind his album Honor Thy Fathers, and about his current work teaching at the New School in NYC.…

Martha Redbone, a Native & African American vocalist, songwriter, composer, and educator, will be performing in numerous venues from May 8-13, 2023, as a Quad City Arts’ Visiting Artist.Combining elements of folk, soul, Appalachian, and Native tradition, her music is uniquely Influenced by her upbringing in both urban Brooklyn, NY as well as rural …

Listen to the conversation here with composer William Campbell about the catalyst behind this concept album of contemporary classical music, the art of composition, and his future plans as he transitions away from his long-time position as Professor of Music at St. Ambrose University to concentrate on composing film scores and concert music.…

Courtney Lyon, the Artistic Director of Ballet Quad Cities, has reinterpreted these classic works with her own abstract choreography. Listen to our conversation here about the process she uses when choreographing a work; the various ways in which dance with its myriad, intricate steps can be preserved for future performances; and the important role…

Listen to the conversation here with artist Heidi Draley McFall about the process behind her latest work; her experimentation with the visual effects afforded by the application of resin, a new interest which has surpassed her interest in realism; and the various individual interpretations that viewers have ascribed to her work.…

The major exhibition Sporting Fashion: Outdoor Girls 1800-1960 is currently on display at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport. Featuring sixty-four fully accessorized ensembles accompanied by photographs, video, and text, the show examines the material history of women in sport as they lived their individual self-determined lives.A detailed and highl…

Listen to the conversation here with Dania Green about the creation of these two works of art, the intimacy inherent in self-portraiture, and the important role that mentoring has had in her life. You can follow Dania on Instagram.Carolyn Martin

Listen to the conversation here with Dr. Gale Bell about the legacy of her late husband, the support and nourishment he received while growing up in Watertown, and about his album “The Jazz Professor,” which he dedicated to his family members and on which his original compositions reflected in various styles the personalities of those he loved.…

Listen to the conversation here with Jackie Dempsey, co-Artistic Director of Squonk, about the “community of the imagination” they hope to inspire, the joy she feels watching people experience their shows for their first time, and the thirty-year journey Squonk has taken from their origins in Pittsburgh to performing for audiences around the world.…

Listen to the conversation here with Director Ray Terronez, Jr. and student performer Yanel Alaniz-Macias about how dance and costuming uniquely vary from one region to the next, the personal lessons learned from participating in a rigorous dance program such as this, and the importance of maintaining our traditional art forms.…

Listen to the conversation here with Director Gaye Shannon-Burnett about her lifelong love of theatre, the impact this play has had as the first Broadway production written by a Black woman, and the ongoing resonance that the Harlem Renaissance continues to have in our culture today.Carolyn Martin

Listen to the conversation here with Pat Beréskin about the excitement she feels about her future, the legacy she has created as a long-time champion of the arts, and the unique position that the Quad Cities finds itself in with these new creative partnerships.Carolyn Martin

Listen to the conversation here with artist and educator Latoya M. Hobbs about her belief that Black women are preservers of their families and communities, the importance of accurate representation in art, and her prestigious mixed-media practice which includes printmaking and woodcutting.Carolyn Martin

Listen to the conversation here with Shelley Cooper, Director of The Threepenny Opera and Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts at Augustana College, about the underlying themes of this production, the playwright Bertolt Brecht’s conception of epic theatre, and the important lessons that students learn from immersing themselves in musical theatre.…

Listen to the conversation here with Little Women Director and St. Ambrose Theatre Professor Dr. Corinne Johnson about the intentional choice of this production prior to her upcoming retirement this summer, the valuable lessons that students learn from a communal experience like theatre, and the many leaders working here in the Quad Cities – both i…

Listen to the conversation here with creative Aaron Dworkin about the integration of literary content with music which he has coined “musetry,” the complexity of the life of George Washington which he evokes in this work, and some unexpected parallels between his own personal life and that of the composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.…

Listen to the conversation here with Guillermo Galindo about the sacred objects from the Border he has worked with and his belief in the spiritual essence of an object’s past; the unique structure of his soundtrack which was built around the numerical makeup of the Mesoamerican Venus calendar; and his joy in observing visitors – particular the youn…

Listen to the conversation with Lily Arbisser and Thomas Sauer about the inspiration for this literary and musical event, the community collaboration that this represents, and the unique privilege they feel being citizen artists.Carolyn Martin

Listen to the conversation here with artist Philip Laber about his delight in discovering unexpected interconnectedness with ancient cultures and their art, the process by which he created this collection of paintings, and his decision to use acrylic as an artistic medium. Prior to his retirement in 2016, he was a Professor Emeritus of Art at North…

Listen to the conversation here with Barron Ryan about the feeling of awe he hopes people experience when listening to music, the new opportunities for personal growth that often arise following rejection, and the importance of daring to reach beyond our own perceived limitations.Carolyn Martin

Listen to the conversation here with Dr. Jacob Bancks, composer and Associate Professor of Music at Augustana College, about the numerous and deeply meaningful conversations he had with cancer survivors and their families that inspired him to create this work, the challenge inherent in writing a libretto in addition to the musical composition, and …

Listen to the conversation here with co-directors Karen Roebuck and Joseph Obleton about the ongoing impact Black Nativity has had on their lives after initially seeing it decades ago, why this play continues to resonate in our current era, and the importance of oral storytelling traditions.Carolyn Martin

Listen to our conversation here about how his experience working in Guatemala as a Peace Corps volunteer affected his poetry and world view; his concern for the environment and the love of nature that his subsequent career as an agronomist instilled; and the writing community he has discovered in the Quad Cities within the Midwest Writing Center.…

Listen to the conversation here with Bassel Almadani about the deeply meaningful contributions that immigrants make within their adoptive countries; how he creatively connects a difficult and often dark subject matter with music that is inherently light and upbeat; and the empathy and understanding that he hopes to inspire through his music.…

Listen to the conversation here with Ariel Arbisser about the joys of songwriting, the unique training that a cappella groups provided her both collegiately and professionally, and her work as a performance coach in Ithaca, NY.Carolyn Martin

The pianist Byron (B.K.) Davis is the first Black Steinway International Artist from Iowa, and Polyrhythms’ Third Sunday Jazz series is welcoming him to the stage this Sunday, October 17, 2021 at the Redstone Room.Carolyn Martin

Listen to our conversation here about her introduction to gospel music through her church in the Quad Cities, the necessary musical skills she learned while subsequently living in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina with her family, and the sense of freedom and limitless expression she has experienced with the act of re-naming herself.…

Listen to the conversation here with educator Dan Christian about some of the unique structural elements of the Divine Comedy, how Dante’s use of the vernacular language helped set the stage for higher levels of future literacy, and why it has remained relevant for readers throughout the centuries.Carolyn Martin

Listen to our conversation here about the duality between his professional and musical careers, the innate ability of music and dance to facilitate communication, and the evolution of Latin Jazz from both African and Cuban rhythms and percussion instruments.Carolyn Martin

Listen to the conversation here with Elizabeth Moen about her emergence within the musical scene while completing her undergraduate degree at the University of Iowa, the transition to writing her own songs and lyrics, and how intimate and locally owned music venues are essential to newly developing artists.…

Listen to the conversation here with guitarist, composer, and educator Steve Grismore about his 50-year career in music, his role as an educator at the University of Iowa as well as numerous other academic institutions (including both Augustana College and Black Hawk College in the Quad Cities), and his hopes for the Iowa City Jazz Festival which h…