Virtual Iowa City Jazz Festival to showcase local and national performers
Jenna Post, Arts Reporter
July 2, 2020
For its 29th year, the Iowa City Jazz Festival — organized by the Summer of the Arts — will be held in a virtual format because of the COVID-19 pandemic, from July 3-5. The switch to online includes some aspects of the classic version and some new inclusions. “It’s kind of a combination of th...
Protest signs: the messages of the movement
Megan Conroy, Arts Reporter
July 2, 2020
While wearing a mask that read, “I can’t breathe” written in black lettering, Jo Allen, an Iowa State senior, attended the first of weeks of protests in downtown Des Moines on May 29. Even amid a global pandemic, the protest was a part of history that Allen wanted to see for herself. Allen is a ...
New mural in Iowa City’s Northside celebrates Black life
Kathryn Raver, Arts Reporter
July 2, 2020
Within one week, self-taught Iowa-based artist Robert Moore and his partner Dana Harrison conceived, began, and completed Iowa City’s newest mural, ‘Reciprocal of Humanity.’ The project will be officially unveiled to the public on July 4. The mural can be found at 202 N. Linn St. on Marke...
New public art installation introduced in Creekside Park
Madison Lotenschtein, Arts Editor
July 1, 2020
Two stainless-steel mandala flowers perch over a recently planted orchard in Iowa City’s Creekside Park. Sprouting from the ground are two tall stands of silver grasses that mimic prairie grass. This latest sculptural art piece, titled, ‘Emergence,’ was installed on June 16. The name of th...
Owners, artists discuss The Mill’s past, present, and future
Jenna Post, Arts Reporter
June 30, 2020
Another blow to Iowa City’s downtown music scene came with the announcement that The Mill’s owners, Dan Ouverson and Marty Christensen, will be stepping down after 17 years. The restaurant and music venue indefinitely closed on May 2, with no word on future plans. Until then, the restaurant offer...
Review | Dead to Me is a chaotic but poignant examination of trauma and healing
Kathryn Raver, Arts Reporter
June 29, 2020
When Netflix’s original series, Dead to Me, premiered in May 2019, the reviews were mixed. The general consensus seemed to be that the acting and chemistry were great, but the story got lost along the way. A year later season two has arrived, and in terms of both story and acting, the second sea...
Summer Partnership in the Arts to give unique virtual performance
Madison Lotenschtein and Peter Anders
June 25, 2020
Beginning in 2018, the Summer Partnership in the Arts initiative gave the University of Iowa Theater Arts students and performers the opportunity to work with guest artists. This summer’s play, titled Breath Behind the Mask, will be performed not on a stage, but on a virtual platform: YouTube. St...
Englert Theater undergoes restoration while maintaining its historic character
Megan Conroy, Arts Reporter
June 24, 2020
For pedestrians on Washington Street, the absence of Englert Theater’s marquee — the vintage sign that protrudes at the front of the building and spells out the theater’s name — is the most noticeable part of the theater’s current reconstruction. The Englert Theater has played a rol...
Howling: A way of showing solidarity in Iowa City’s Northside
Madison Lotenschtein, Arts Editor
June 22, 2020
It’s 7:55 p.m. A golden sunset cascades through the trees while some Northside residents on North Johnson Street emerge from their homes and step onto their porches. Among the residents is Kristine Djerf, her mother, Pam, and Kristine’s children, Sylvia and Oscar. “Are you ready to howl?...
A Crown of Candy proves to be a sweet treat for fantasy fans
Jenna Post, Arts Reporter
June 22, 2020
After Game of Thrones took a nosedive in quality, I found myself craving a different high-stakes fantasy series to invest in. A Crown of Candy, the newest season of Dropout.tv’s actual play anthology — where players play Dungeons & Dragons— satisfied that craving with a food-themed world. The ...
CARES Act funding distributed to Iowa arts and culture groups
Kathryn Raver, Arts Reporter
June 17, 2020
In March, theaters, museums, and festivals across the state of Iowa were forced to temporarily close as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Months have passed, and with revenue from ticket sales and daily visits still lacking, these organizations are beginning to feel financial pressure. To help ...
Artists, residents create new Iowa City mural aimed at changing a community’s narrative
Madison Lotenschtein, Arts Editor
June 16, 2020
In the summer of 2018, the South District Neighborhood Association hosted its first community cleanup along Broadway Street in Iowa City. During the cleanup, volunteers found a long, white wall on 1030 Cross Park Ave, hidden by shrubbery. Their discovery is now home to a 4,400 square foot mural. Set to be...