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The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

Partons stand outside of The Englert before a performance by North Carolina based singer-songwriter Indigo De Souza during the second day of the Mission Creek Festival in Iowa City on Friday, April 5, 2024.

Torrey Peters reads from her new novel ‘Stag Dance’ at Mission Creek 2025

Lily Kopp, Arts Reporter April 6, 2025

On Saturday afternoon, Prairie Lights Bookstore was packed as people patiently awaited Torrey Peters, a New York Times bestselling author. The second level of the small bookstore in downtown Iowa City...

Photos contributed by Tom and Adey Wassink's publicist Susan Stitt.

Ask the Author | ‘Sanctuary’ recounts local church’s journey toward LGBTQ+ inclusion

Emma Isenhart, Arts Reporter January 21, 2025

Queering a Church in the Heartland is a moving story about how one Iowan church found its way from exclusion to inclusion and ultimately grew deeper in its faith. Documenting their transformation and...

The Porch Light Literary Arts Centre is seen in Iowa City on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2025. The house offers free public readings, community salons, writer support groups, classes, critique groups and one-on-one writing services.

Q&A | Porch Light director Jennifer Colville expanding arts community

Isabelle Lubguban, Arts Reporter December 4, 2024

Jennifer Colville is a community arts organizer and writer. She is the director of the Porch Light Literary Arts Centre, which provides a space for artists and writers to harness their crafts and find...

Attendees dance to a jazz band during the Roaring ‘20s Gala benefit for the Friends of the Animal Center Foundation in Iowa City on Nov. 16. Bread Garden Events hosted the meal and charity auction to help shelter dogs and cats in Johnson County.

Friends of the Animal Center glitters at 25th-anniversary gala

Emma Isenhart, Arts Reporter December 3, 2024

Walking into the ballroom felt like being transported back in time. Sequins, feathers, and pearls covered the tables with candles supplying the lighting. Guests adorned themselves with spats, glitter,...

Attendees browse during the 31st Annual Book Gala at Prairie Lights Books and Cafe in Iowa City on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. Prairie Lights partnered with the Iowa City Public Library and opened their bookstore after hours for attendees.

ICPL held their 31st Annual Book Gala at Prairie Lights to raise money for the ICPL Friends Foundation

Hannah Childers, Arts Reporter November 19, 2024

The soft strains of classical music wove through the air as customers mingled and shopped for books at Prairie Lights. This after-hours sale was part of the Iowa City Public Library’s 31st Annual...

The weaving table is seen during the Weaving Connections event through the UI Weaving Our Community Network at the Stanley Museum of Art on Nov. 7 in Iowa City. The event consisted of a tour of the art museum, followed by a group weaving activity.

The University of Iowa’s Weaving Our Community Network promotes culture and diversity in Stanley Museum event

Kayla Person, Arts Reporter November 10, 2024

On November 7, the University of Iowa Weaving Our Community Network partnered with the Pentacrest Museums and the Stanley Museum of Art to create an event centered around artistic culture and community...

Gina Welch, television writer and show runner, teaches a class at the Art Building West on Oct. 24. Welch screened her miniseries ‘Clipped’ and discussed building a television series with the students.

Ask the Author | Welch discusses transitions between literary genres and artistic mediums

Stella Shipman, Managing Editor November 5, 2024

Gina Welch is a screenwriter, producer, and author who graduated from Yale University in 2001. She currently teaches English at George Washington University. She is a producer of “Castle Rock,”...

Portrait of Charles Baxter.

Ask the Author | Charles Baxter returns to Iowa City with a new novel

Charlotte Ericson, Arts Reporter October 28, 2024

Charles Baxter, a renowned author and multiple-time award-winner read from his new book “Blood Test” at Prairie Lights this past Thursday. His work has been included several times in The Best American...

Photo illustration by Avi Lapchick.

Review | Can romantic comedies really be ‘Nothing Like the Movies’?

Kyrsten White, Arts Reporter October 24, 2024

Walking down the aisles of a bookstore, smelling all the pages of fresh books is the best way to start the day. Especially when what you have been waiting for has finally hit the shelves. Fans of...

Photo contributed from Mahvish Farid

Poetry Column | Absurdism meets personhood in ‘Brick Bang’

Haya Hussain, Arts Reporter October 22, 2024

Father of the Funk Art movement, Robert Arneson, mastered the art of appropriating everyday items into objects of sardonic humor. In ‘Brick Bang’ from 1976, he incorporates his self-portrait with...

The Iowa City Public Library is seen before an International Writer Program panel held in the Iowa City Public Library on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024.

Iowa City Book Fair shows off community talent

Kyrsten White, Arts Reporter October 21, 2024

As the doors of one of the Iowa City Book Festival’s final events opened, literary fans were eager to file in. The Local Author Book Fair took place at MERGE on Sunday afternoon, allowing writers from...

The crowd listens to Hannah Bonner’s reading during the Refocus Film Festival Poetry reading at FilmScene at the Chauncey Hotel in Iowa City on Oct. 19, 2024. Following the readings there was a Q&A and book signing.

Ask the Author | Intersecting film and literature with Hannah Bonner, Julia Anna Morrison, and Perry Janes

Olin Myhre, Arts Reporter October 20, 2024

Author and University of Iowa educator Hanna Bonner, Iowa Writers’ Workshop alum and film professor Julia Anna Morrison, and poet and filmmaker Perry Janes spoke on a panel during the Refocus Film...