Arts & Entertainment

Within the two districts are 18 auditoriums, six theatres, five outdoor performance areas, seven historic conservation neighborhoods and the home of 20 performance groups. The districts are also home to four museums, three public art venues, five art galleries, eight bookstores and numerous businesses that have art displays. Thirteen venues offering live music are located in the cultural districts, and each year they are the sites of five musical and cultural festivals and 14 special events.

A distinctive public venue in the cultural districts is the Iowa Avenue Literary Walk. The avenue links the University's Pentacrest and historic Old Capitol areas with parts of downtown and the city's northside community is a must-see area for residents and visitors. Along the three-blocks between Clinton and Gilbert streets are tributes to some of America’s literary giants who have ties to the University and the state of Iowa.

The University of Iowa Museum of Art houses one of the nation's largest collections of African art and more than 12,000 works including paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, photographs and decorative art from renowned artists as Picasso, Matisse, Chagall, Pollock, Rembrandt and Grant Wood.

Iowa history is on display in the Old Capitol Museum on the University of Iowa campus. Thousands of Iowans and visitors view artifacts and memorabilia detailing the history of the territory and state.

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The Englert Theatre is a testament and historic home for the arts in the heart of downtown Iowa City. The theater that opened in 1912 as a community arts center and performance space rivaling the finest stage and movie houses in the Midwest, closed in 1999 and reopened in 2004 to fulfill the community's dream for a live performance venue for the arts. The theater has attracted nationally-known performers including Second City, Greg Brown, the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, Eric Johnson, Leo Kottke, Neko Case and others to its stage.

The Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance represents more than 120 arts/culture organizations and hosts a Web site www.CulturalCorridor.org that features events, activities and attractions that range from what's happening tomorrow to activities six months from now. The site is a one-stop, comprehensive listing of all upcoming events and activities throughout the region.

Iowa City offers www.SummeroftheArts.org to offer information about four great area traditions: The Iowa Arts Festival, the Iowa City Jazz Festival, Friday Night Concert Series, and Saturday Night Free Movie Series. All offer free, family-friendly fun events.

The annual Iowa City Jazz Festival attracts 20,000 visitors to downtown Iowa City the first weekend in July. Attendees can listen to numerous bands on multiple stages, featuring nationally known musicians as well as performers from local colleges and high schools. The Iowa City Arts Festival is traditionally held the first weekend in June. The 25-year festival connects artists from around the community as they display their wares and talent. Free activities include artist showcases, recitals, musical performances and hands-on, interactive art sessions. A special children's day offers activities to intrigue children of all ages.

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Local Farmers Markets are held throughout the season.