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.

Talking Art

Talking Art with Bassel Almadani

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.

Talking Art with Ariel Arbisser

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.

Talking Art with B.K. Davis

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.

Talking Art with BN WhoIAm

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.

Talking Art with Dan Christian

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.

Talking Art with James Culver

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.

Talking Art with Elizabeth Moen

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 he co-founded in the early 1990’s.

Talking Art with Steve Grismore

Listen to the conversation here with contemporary art collector Jordan D. Schnitzer about the importance of stewardship in the arts, the philosophy behind his extensive exhibition and lending program, and the impact he feels art has on the quality of people’s lives.

Talking Art with Jordan D. Schnitzer

Listen to the conversation here with activist Moselle Singh about the impetus behind the formation of the Solidarity Collaboration, her belief that all people should be able to listen to music safely, and how as a community we can strive to make our entertainment spaces safer.

Talking Art with Moselle Singh

Carolyn Martin talks art with Satomi Kawai and Vero Rose Smith

Talking Art with Satomi Kawai and Vero Rose Smith

Talking Even More Art with Erika Holshoe

The dynamic show Tubbs & Moss: A Vintage Jazz Experience will be held on select Saturday evenings throughout the summer. Performing in the new Blueprint Bar & Lounge within the iconic Spotlight Event Center in Moline, pianist Mason Moss and vocalist Sara Tubbs highlight songs from the Great American Songbook in an endearing and high energy performance that is a joy to experience after a long pandemic year. Sara Tubbs is the co-owner of The Spotlight Theatre and will direct their production of The Sound of Music in December, as well their summer pop-up play, Pinocchio. Mason Moss is an accomplished music director and musician who was part of the national touring show of The Book of Mormon in 2019 and 2020. He will music direct the upcoming main stage performance of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown in June at The Spotlight Theatre. Listen to our conversation here about their training in vocal performance and theatre, why this type of music resonates so deeply with them, and the

Talking Art with Tubbs and Moss

The Kinogarten film series is a collaboration between the German American Heritage Center (GAHC) in Davenport and Rozz-Tox in Rock Island. Free of charge, all six films will be shown on the first Friday of each month from April through September of 2021 in the intriguing outdoor garden space at Rozz-Tox. Did you know? The German word for cinema is kino while garten translates to garden. The remaining films are: May 7: The Tin Drum June 4: Free Fall July 2: Mephisto Aug 6: Transit Sept 3: Ali: Fear Eats the Soul Listen to the conversation here with Erika Holshoe, the Assistant Director of the German American Heritage Center , about why viewing foreign language films is important, the historical differences between American and German approaches to cinema, and the latest exhibition which recently opened at the GAHC. Rozz-Tox is located at 2108 3 rd Ave in Rock Island. The films begin at 8PM or at sundown. A walk-up window is available for your food and drink orders and Rozz-Tox sells a

Talking Art with Erika Holshoe

The exhibition “Construct/Destruct” by artist Steve Banks is on display through April 30, 2021 at the Beréskin Gallery & Art Academy in Bettendorf. Featuring large-scale mixed media works or “painted constructions” as well as smaller ceramic sculptures, the artist weaves together architectural, industrial, and road trip images in an homage to our past – what once was, and what has been repurposed. Examining the leaning, tilting towers of his ceramic works or carefully inspecting the layered images on his paintings, the viewer is forced to examine the transient nature of our current existence and to acknowledge the physical spaces of the past which we continue to inhabit.

Talking Art with Steve Banks

WVIK interviews artists from all different genres and all over the Quad Cities about their work.

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Talking Art

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