BETTENDORF, IOWA (June 25, 2026) — Think of it as Alternating Currents' afterglow.
The Cultural Trust and its six Legacy Partners invite the region to experience the inaugural Culture Bright Summer Series, an eight-day celebration designed to establish the Quad Cities as the most inclusive creative capital in the Midwest.
The Cultural Trust has announced the launch of the inaugural Culture Bright Summer Series, an eight-day celebration of music, art, storytelling, accessibility, and community taking place August 16-23, 2026.
Strategically positioned immediately following Alternating Currents, the Culture Bright Summer Series extends one of the region's most beloved festivals into an eleven-day season of arts and culture across the Quad Cities.
What begins as three days of discovery becomes eleven days of experiences designed to connect residents and visitors to the cultural institutions that shape our region every day.
The series is a collaboration between The Cultural Trust and its six Legacy Partners: the Figge Art Museum, Quad City Botanical Center, Common Chord, Putnam Museum and Science Center, Quad City Symphony Orchestra, and Quad City Arts.
Together, these organizations are creating something larger than a traditional festival.
They are creating a cultural ecosystem.
Momentum is already building. Bluegrass on the Grass, the opening event at the Quad City Botanical Center featuring Railroad Earth and Yonder Mountain String Band, is officially sold out weeks before the inaugural series begins.
"Culture Bright is the next evolution of nearly two decades of investment in our cultural ecosystem," said Jen Lewis-Snyder, President and CEO of The Cultural Trust.
"This series is what happens when six Legacy Partners and The Cultural Trust decide that one event isn't enough, one audience isn't enough, and one neighborhood isn't enough. We want people moving throughout the Quad Cities, discovering extraordinary experiences, and recognizing that nationally recognized arts and culture already exist right here at home."
"It's time for our region to be recognized as the epicenter of arts and culture, not for the bragging rights but for a boost in our economy and as a way of enhancing our civic pride. We know that every dollar we spend on the arts, our great community gets $20 in return. That's an incredible boost!" said Linda Bowers, Board Chair of The Cultural Trust.
FEATURED EVENTS BLUEGRASS ON THE GRASS | SOLD OUT
Sunday, August 16 | Quad City Botanical Center
Featuring Railroad Earth and Yonder Mountain String Band.
Kick off the Culture Bright Summer Series among the gardens as nationally recognized bluegrass artists transform the Quad City Botanical Center into an immersive outdoor music destination.
INCLUSION IN THE ARTS: KEYNOTE AND FILM SCREENING
Wednesday, August 19 | Putnam Museum and Science Center
Featuring Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin and the Fresh Films documentary I am disABLEd. Explore stories of accessibility, belonging, and representation while experiencing the Putnam's new Capption accessibility features. Additional screenings will continue August 20-23.
About The Cultural Trust:
The Cultural Trust is a regional endowment created to ensure the Quad Cities' most vital cultural institutions are sustained and thriving for generations to come. Through unrestricted annual support, strategic grantmaking, and collaborative initiatives like Culture Bright, The Cultural Trust invests in a thriving cultural ecosystem that elevates the Quad Cities as a destination for arts and culture.
