What’s yours is ours

When I first arrived in Iowa City to pursue graduate studies, I felt apart, disconnected, isolated, and separate. It was an intense summer. The University of Iowa campus was deserted. I did not own a car or an air conditioner, and — save my prescient recruiter — I didn’t know a single soul. Bereft of a true sense of community, I strongly questioned my decision to come to the Midwest. I felt beyond alone.

Alone, that is, until I became aware of the rich cultural experiences available through the newly expanded Iowa City Jazz Festival. Enveloped in music and the magic of a moving crowd, I quickly connected to the pulse of our city and began to form friendships that I am certain will be lifelong.

More than 20 years later, Summer of the Arts continues to flower and fruit into a cornucopia of fun events and outdoor activities alluring audience members of all ages, abilities, and interests. Each season harvests thousands of participants across generations, genders, geographic regions, beliefs, social networks, and groups. In doing so, advocates for inclusion that comprises and spans beyond definitions of diversity. The Summer of the Arts schedule so routinely surpasses expectations that I sometimes catch myself taking it for granted. And then I wake up to the fact that it is free.

The hugeness of our Jazz Fest alone is reason enough to celebrate Summer of the Arts as a success. Internationally known musical artists respect our festival in Iowa City as a seminal summer stop. Yet, there is still so much more to enjoy.

How many of you have been awed and inspired to creativity by the Iowa Arts Festival? Who here remembers swaying and bopping to tunes from the Friday Night Concert Series? At sundown, have your eyes teared or your heart raced while watching a film from the Free Movie Series? Were you there during the amalgam of unforgettable performances, readings, roundtable reflections, and tantalization of all senses otherwise known as the Iowa Soul Festival? Or did a little in your life ever squeal with glee in a FUN Zone booth? If you said yes to one or more of my questions — we share a common bond and you, too, have been touched by Summer of the Arts.

Our wide-ranging community of students, instructors, family managers, professionals, organizers, business owners, activists, retirees, and more also includes those brand-new to Iowa with real decisions to make about where on Earth they wish to spread roots and call home. Summer of the Arts festivals, each year, are often the first impression that Iowa City makes on newcomers. Each experience creates shared memories which bring us closer to one another and offer our current and potential community members dependable alternatives to feeling alone.

As entrancing and effortless as Summer of the Arts appears, year after year we owe a tremendous debt to the commitment, care, and efforts of those who quietly and consistently give back. These champions hunker down together all year long to plan, meet, organize, promote, plead, contact, juggle, sacrifice, conjure and selflessly give however they can so that we may freely celebrate the wonder. Still, these dedicated staff, enthusiastic volunteers, repeat donors, and generous sponsors cannot do it alone.

Entering the fall equinox, we each have an opportunity to support an eternal summer. To actively start giving back to future summer festivities, you can choose to share the gift of your time, your talents, your treasure, and tales of your own trip down memory lane and how Summer of the Arts matters to you.

— SHANTI ROUNDTREE