23
Aug
2005
As we compiled the calendar listings and stories relating to what lies ahead this fall for the arts in our communities, we couldn't help but pause to comment on how stellar the summer has been for the arts in the Quad Cities.
Consider some of the milestones for the Quad Cities arts world in the past three months:
• The River Music Experience's inaugural River Roots Live festival last weekend featured topnotch production and spotlighted stellar national music acts such as Little Feat, the BoDeans, and Edgar Winter. Band members commented on how inspiring and enjoyable it was to play a stage overlooking the Mississippi River.
The festival got other things right: It offered a campground near the music site and made the event a bi-state affair by using venues on both sides of the river for after-hours shows. A four-camera setup captured the sets from nearly every angle; a one-hour highlights show will air on Iowa Public Television, and a three-hour version will be broadcast on Mediacom's "connections" channel.
Although attendance was lower than expectations - River Music Experience President and CEO Lon Bozarth estimated 7,500 people came to River Roots Live, but final numbers won't be available until later this week - it was certainly impressive for a first-year event. "We were a bit ambitious," Bozarth said. Still, "we certainly more than broke even."
Preparations are already underway for next year's River Roots Live, and Bozarth said he wouldn't be surprised to see Wilco headlining.
• MidCoast Fine Arts' Bucktown Center for the Arts opened in the former Petersen Hagge Furniture building in downtown Davenport. More than $2 million of renovation has resulted in a vibrant and bustling new center for art studios and arts retail in the Quad Cities. Bucktown opened July 22 with more than 1,500 people paying $5 over five hours to get a peek inside the rehabbed warehouse, where more than 16 artists, from traditional to cutting edge, ply their trades over two stories. This project could be the poster child for arts and urban renewal in the Quad Cities' downtowns. Early reports suggest that foot traffic to even the second-floor retail galleries is a steady 30-people-plus per day with at least one sale of locally created art each day. An arts organization from Chicago is bringing its board and staff to consult with MidCoast later this month. And even some of our top local employers are inquiring about meeting space in the decidedly high energy, creative space.
• The Figge Art Museum opened its doors on Saturday, August 6. Granted, staff and volunteers are still fine-tuning the operations and flow of the $49-million building. It's not easy going from less than 200 visitors per week (an average for the old Davenport Museum of Art) to more than 250 visitors per day. And these numbers are forecasted to pick up considerably with the museum's first national exhibit, The Great American Thing (opening September 17), and its first regional contemporary show, 41°/90° (opening September 3). The slogan "It will change your view" couldn't ring truer with regards to portions of the permanent collection. Check out the Medieval/Renaissance gallery, where a dozen or so small to medium religious paintings take on a new vibrancy - not unlike stained glass - with the darkened space and high-tech lighting. Mid-week visitors can be seen soaking in the view from Restaurant 225, sipping wine at lunch - a true sign of a tourist destination. While some local media are focused on finding any flaws in the project, the building and museum are garnering attention from national publications such as the New York Times and Metropolitan Home.
• The District of Rock Island bolstered its status as a Quad Cities' cultural center. The Rocket cinema opened in May and provided an emergency home for Circa '21's children's production. Although the Brew & View is closing this week (see page 16), the Rocket offers co-owner Devin Hansen more flexibility, both in terms of movies and special events such as live music and theatre.
And speaking of Circa, a little blaze couldn't stop it. A June 22 fire closed the venue for only a month, interrupting the run of Oh Mama! No Papa! and forcing the relocation of Winnie the Pooh to the Rocket.
The Left Bank Art League found a permanent gallery home in The District, replacing ArtFX in the space shared with MidCoast Gallery West. Quad City Arts' Metro Arts program gave new meaning to the phrase "public art" with vibrant billboards that can now be seen around town.
• New Ground Theatre, a relative youngster on the local theatre scene, has joined with the half-century-old Junior Theatre, pumping new life and energy into the venerable education organization. (See page 7.)
• Ghostlight Theatre finished its first professional season, while My Verona Productions put on a three-show summer schedule that ranged from the sublime (Closer) to the ridiculous (Dingo Boogaloo 2: Taco's Revenge).
Inside this issue you will find more than 700 listings of music, theatre, art, and cultural events available to all this fall. The arts are a primary force that continue to raise the bar for contemporary culture in the Quad Cities, providing more and more reasons for new audiences to visit, live, and work here.
Consider some of the milestones for the Quad Cities arts world in the past three months:
• The River Music Experience's inaugural River Roots Live festival last weekend featured topnotch production and spotlighted stellar national music acts such as Little Feat, the BoDeans, and Edgar Winter. Band members commented on how inspiring and enjoyable it was to play a stage overlooking the Mississippi River.
The festival got other things right: It offered a campground near the music site and made the event a bi-state affair by using venues on both sides of the river for after-hours shows. A four-camera setup captured the sets from nearly every angle; a one-hour highlights show will air on Iowa Public Television, and a three-hour version will be broadcast on Mediacom's "connections" channel.
Although attendance was lower than expectations - River Music Experience President and CEO Lon Bozarth estimated 7,500 people came to River Roots Live, but final numbers won't be available until later this week - it was certainly impressive for a first-year event. "We were a bit ambitious," Bozarth said. Still, "we certainly more than broke even."
Preparations are already underway for next year's River Roots Live, and Bozarth said he wouldn't be surprised to see Wilco headlining.
• MidCoast Fine Arts' Bucktown Center for the Arts opened in the former Petersen Hagge Furniture building in downtown Davenport. More than $2 million of renovation has resulted in a vibrant and bustling new center for art studios and arts retail in the Quad Cities. Bucktown opened July 22 with more than 1,500 people paying $5 over five hours to get a peek inside the rehabbed warehouse, where more than 16 artists, from traditional to cutting edge, ply their trades over two stories. This project could be the poster child for arts and urban renewal in the Quad Cities' downtowns. Early reports suggest that foot traffic to even the second-floor retail galleries is a steady 30-people-plus per day with at least one sale of locally created art each day. An arts organization from Chicago is bringing its board and staff to consult with MidCoast later this month. And even some of our top local employers are inquiring about meeting space in the decidedly high energy, creative space.
• The Figge Art Museum opened its doors on Saturday, August 6. Granted, staff and volunteers are still fine-tuning the operations and flow of the $49-million building. It's not easy going from less than 200 visitors per week (an average for the old Davenport Museum of Art) to more than 250 visitors per day. And these numbers are forecasted to pick up considerably with the museum's first national exhibit, The Great American Thing (opening September 17), and its first regional contemporary show, 41°/90° (opening September 3). The slogan "It will change your view" couldn't ring truer with regards to portions of the permanent collection. Check out the Medieval/Renaissance gallery, where a dozen or so small to medium religious paintings take on a new vibrancy - not unlike stained glass - with the darkened space and high-tech lighting. Mid-week visitors can be seen soaking in the view from Restaurant 225, sipping wine at lunch - a true sign of a tourist destination. While some local media are focused on finding any flaws in the project, the building and museum are garnering attention from national publications such as the New York Times and Metropolitan Home.
• The District of Rock Island bolstered its status as a Quad Cities' cultural center. The Rocket cinema opened in May and provided an emergency home for Circa '21's children's production. Although the Brew & View is closing this week (see page 16), the Rocket offers co-owner Devin Hansen more flexibility, both in terms of movies and special events such as live music and theatre.
And speaking of Circa, a little blaze couldn't stop it. A June 22 fire closed the venue for only a month, interrupting the run of Oh Mama! No Papa! and forcing the relocation of Winnie the Pooh to the Rocket.
The Left Bank Art League found a permanent gallery home in The District, replacing ArtFX in the space shared with MidCoast Gallery West. Quad City Arts' Metro Arts program gave new meaning to the phrase "public art" with vibrant billboards that can now be seen around town.
• New Ground Theatre, a relative youngster on the local theatre scene, has joined with the half-century-old Junior Theatre, pumping new life and energy into the venerable education organization. (See page 7.)
• Ghostlight Theatre finished its first professional season, while My Verona Productions put on a three-show summer schedule that ranged from the sublime (Closer) to the ridiculous (Dingo Boogaloo 2: Taco's Revenge).
Inside this issue you will find more than 700 listings of music, theatre, art, and cultural events available to all this fall. The arts are a primary force that continue to raise the bar for contemporary culture in the Quad Cities, providing more and more reasons for new audiences to visit, live, and work here.
