Mission

MidCoast Fine Arts is a non-profit, community development arts agency, founded by artists, that creates and promotes innovative models which embrace regional artists and cultural organizations in advancing the quality of life and marketability of our community.

Partnerships

MidCoast is a regional leader with multi-level civic, tourism, development and educational initiatives that intertwine community programming and deliverables through partnerships, if seen outside our community, worthy of national recognition.

History

1991     Organization formed as a not-for-profit

                Art Works Window Walk in Rock Island program premiere. Partnerships: City of Rock Island and Development Association of Rock Island (DARI). 

1994     Organization incorporated as MidCoast Fine Arts.

                Great Mask Auction event premiere. Partnerships: Regional artists and arts patrons.

1995     Pastel Exhibition Competition educational event premiere.  Partnerships: Area high school art   departments ($2,000 in annual awards for schools).

1996     MidCoast Fine Arts Gallery at the Mississippi Valley Welcome Center program premiere. Partnership: Quad Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau

                Art Under Glass program premiere.  Partnerships: DavenportOne and the City of Davenport

1998     MidCoast at Centre Station program premiere. Partnerships: MetroLink, John Deere Commons and City of Moline.

                MidCoast at the RiverCenter program premiere. Partnerships: Civic Center and City of Davenport.

                Nu Visions printed visual arts quarterly premieres. Mass mailed and distributed arts publication.

                Gallery HOP! event premiere with MidCoast. Partnership: Rock Island’s Arts and Entertainment District.

                Great Mask event expanded to Great Mask Auction and Halloween BASH!

                State Tourism & Arts Award to MidCoast Fine Arts Gallery, LeClaire, Iowa.

1999     Art ‘n Alley public art program premiere.   Partnerships: City of Rock Island and DARI.

               MidCoast receives preservation award from Rock Island Historical Society.

2000     MidCoast at The MARK program premiere. Partnerships: City of Moline and The MARK of the Quad Cities Civic Center.

                Art-o-mobile, traveling youth art center educational program premiere. Partnership: Regional elementary schools.

                ArtStroll event premiere with MidCoast. Partnership: In service to all area artists and cultural organizations.

                MidCoast named “Arts Organization of the Year” by the Iowa Arts Council.

2001     Kaleidoscope public art program premiere. Partnerships: Vision Iowa and its supporters.

                Midwest Arts Mecca community marketing campaign launch.  Riverfront arts brochure called Art For Everyone and MeccaTV, promoting the arts of the region at the Quad City International Airport.  Partnerships: In service to all area artists and cultural organizations.

                Art at the Airport Gallery MidCoast program premiere. Partnership: Quad City International Airport Authority and regional arts council.

2002     MidCoast Gallery West program premiere. Partnership: Left Bank Art League, City of Rock Island and DARI

                BASH! Event celebration of arts in urban renewal premiere. Partnerships: Five regional mayors and their downtown development associations.

                MidCoast receives “Excellence in Tourism Award” from Quad Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau.

2003     MidCoast adopts orchestration of Riverssance Festival of Fine Arts, held annually since 1987. Partnerships: City of Davenport, Village of East Davenport and most recently River Music Experience.

2004     Expanded Pastel Competition into Art Works Expo educational event premiere.

                MFA Arts Today monthly publication premieres.

                MidCoast receives Development Award from Quad City Development Group.

2005     Bucktown Center for the Arts $2.4 million development opens. The region’s premier arts warehouse, a 32,000 sq. ft. live, work, play urban revitalization model and new cultural tourism destination. Partnerships: United civic, tourism, granting authorities and a growing arts community.

                Final Fridays monthly arts party event premiere. Partnerships: Bucktown artists, studios and galleries, QCCVB and DavenportOne.

2006     MidCoast receives Historic Preservation Award from Scott County Preservation Society.

                MidCoast receives Excellence in Tourism award from QCCVB.

                MidCoast hosts the Lincoln Summer Arts Academy at Bucktown Center for the Arts: educational program premiere. Partnerships: Davenport Community Schools and Lincoln Academy of Integrated Arts.

Now       Over two million viewers will see art in our region this year as part of their everyday lives in presentations orchestrated by MidCoast Fine Arts.  MidCoast operates six galleries in four cities and orchestrates or partners in nearly two dozen events annually.