We’re in a pandemic, in case you haven’t noticed. And in a pandemic, especially as the parent of a toddler, time (to put a fine point on it) gets a bit — slippery. So on this past rather innocuous Tuesday night, when Ghost Creek premiered, I accessed the website at “about 7” rather than at […]
Art in the time of COVID-19
Theatre Cedar Rapids uses shut down to create positive, lasting change

Live performance venues were the first businesses to close when the coronavirus arrived in the United States, and they will likely be the last to reopen. Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be a clear path to a scenario where these important cultural spaces can reopen in the near future. As Broadway announced its theaters will […]
Jordan Sellergren on balancing music, motherhood and magazines in a pandemic

Writing and recording music as a mother with a full-time job has been a balancing act for Jordan Sellergren, even before COVID-19 arrived in Iowa. “On a typical day, I would get the kids to school and head to the Little Village office first thing,” said Sellergren, art director at Little Village, of her pre-pandemic […]
FilmScene launches new app-based program to watch curated films at home

To many Iowans, fall is movie season. From Halloween slashers to the Oscar contenders released just before the holidays, a dark movie theater offers respite from the oncoming cold and a momentary trip to another (perhaps warmer) world. Given 2020’s constant apocalyptic newsfeed and a life-or-death election on the near horizon, there has never been […]
CSPS uses the pandemic as an opportunity to focus on better serving artists and the community

The decision to use a space as an incubator for the arts and as a cultural gathering place for a community is often difficult, especially in a trendy neighborhood. Despite the fact that it is exactly these kinds of spaces that make neighborhoods attractive to restaurants, shops and other businesses, they frequently deal with razor-thin […]
Public Space One gets flexible with its new spaces and online programming

Public Space One, over a variety of forms and spaces, has provided a home for art and artists in Iowa City for almost two decades. The newest chapter for the organization was just beginning as the COVID-19 pandemic reached Iowa and made in-person events and shared workspaces unsafe. Last year, PS1 purchased two houses at […]
Riverside Theatre takes the virtual stage in its busiest season ever
Englert makes the best of the pandemic, presenting and fostering engagement with the arts digitally

Throughout its 108-year history, the Englert Theatre in Iowa City has always changed with the times. From its origins as a vaudeville theater, to a movie theater and now a revered space for performing arts, the Englert has grown into its role as a cornerstone in Iowa City’s art scene. Through its regular programming as […]
Record Collector adapts to the new normal, prepares for three Record Store Days

Since 1982 Record Collector has been a hub for Iowa City’s music-loving community. When founder and original owner Kirk Walther passed away back in 2017, many vinyl enthusiasts worried whether Iowa City would lose this sacred place where they could dig through crates of old jazz records, pick up the newest release of their favorite […]
Artist profile: QC lamp lover Mike Steele

With his recent multimedia avant-garde ode to light fixtures, experimental artist Mike Steele demonstrates the potential of creative constraints and a renaissance of absurdism. Eastern Iowa and other QC live music fans already know Steele as the human giant who has introduced bands at Codfish Hollow, the Rust Belt, RIBCo and other staples of the […]
Art in the time of COVID-19: Anthony Worden

This series, Art in the time of COVID-19, highlights musicians and artists in eastern Iowa whose life and work have been upended by the spread of the novel coronavirus in the state. If you would like to recommend someone to be featured in this space, please reach out to Little Village. Anthony Worden, Guitarist Anthony […]
Art in the time of COVID-19: Miss Christine

This series, Art in the time of COVID-19, highlights musicians and artists in eastern Iowa whose life and work have been upended by the spread of the novel coronavirus in the state. If you would like to recommend someone to be featured in this space, please reach out to Little Village. Christine Moad, Singer/Songwriter The […]