The latest Metro Arts program through Quad City Arts is wrapping up and you can see the fruits of their month-long labors at a free program Thursday night.
This year’s program – that gave over 40 area youth ages 15-21 a five-week paid summer apprenticeship — started on June 5 and will be completed on July 7.
Metro Arts will end with a final showcase held at the Rock Island Public Library Watts-Midtown Branch Community Room (2715 30th St.) from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 6th. The evening will include performances from the improv and poetry groups, as well as presentations from the mural teams.
The apprentices spent four days a week (four hours per day) creating art that positively impacts our community including projects in mural painting, improv, and poetry.
These projects are made possible through support from Modern Woodmen of America, Downtown Davenport Partnership, Davenport Noon Optimists, City of Rock Island and the Rock Island Arts Commission, Nahant Marsh Education Center, Partners of the Scott County Watersheds, Iowa Arts Council, and the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
Two new murals have been created in Davenport at the intersection of 3rd and Iowa streets, helmed by lead artist Sarah Robb. The first project, on the northwest corner of the train bridge, gives a nod to longtime Quad City Times columnist Bill Wundram, who “crossed the river” in February of 2023, and to the iconic TV campaign, “Hello, Quad Cities.”
The second, on the east-facing wall of the Sergeant Peppers Auto Shop building, highlights Davenport’s Motor Row and Industrial Historic District. In Rock Island, Robb has led a team to create murals on the Centennial Bridge Building, honoring the Fox Tribe and the area’s indigenous roots, and at NEST Café.
Also in Davenport, lead artist Heidi Sallows and her team are producing the first two of an eventual five-mural series along the Duck Creek Parkway. The murals will highlight watershed education and are being produced in cooperation with the Nahant Marsh Education Center and the Partners of Scott County Watersheds.
The poetry program is led by Rock Island emcee, poet, author, and educator, Aubrey “Aubs.” Barnes. Apprentices learned how to write poetry and the many mechanisms used to do so, as well as poetry’s intersection with music and culture.
The poetry and improv comedy presented combined performances on June 22 at The Coffee House in the Village of East Davenport, and on June 29 at the Rock Island Public Library—Watts-Midtown Branch.
The improv group was headed by Erin Mahr, an educator and long-time improviser with ComedySportz. The group learned and honed basic improv comedy skills, with a focus on collaboration, problem-solving, and unscripted storytelling.
Since the summer of 2000, Metro Arts has provided area youth 15-21 years old with paid summer apprenticeships in various arts disciplines.
The students work together in groups to complete projects that enhance the community through the arts. Participants learn the artistic techniques and applications of their genre while developing personally and professionally.
This program allows young adults to build career and artistic skills, as they work under the supervision and mentorship of professional artists. Their mentors are accomplished, local artists who are passionate about teaching and encouraging creativity, according to Quad City Arts.
Apprentices receive a stipend of $500, and project leaders receive a stipend of $750.
