Dubuque Arts Council

2827 Asbury Road

Dubuque, IA 52001

563-556-7748

Please "like" us on Facebook

It is the mission of the Dubuque Arts Council, Inc. to present multi-cultural and diverse artistic and educational opportunities that expand cultural horizons and improve the quality of life within our community, with school and community based performances including, but not limited to, the Artist in Residence programming, Music in the Gardens, and the Winter Jazz and Blues Festival. The mission includes increasing the community’s appreciation and knowledge related to music, performance art, the world and other cultures, and the differences between themselves and others in the greater Dubuque community.

Music in the Gardens

In the 1980s when the Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens constructed the Packard Pavilion as a venue for outdoor concert events the Dubuque Arts Council began sponsoring and scheduling a regular series of summer evening events held on Sunday evenings at 6:30pm. For seven weeks from mid-June to late July thousands of Tri-state residents gather on the lawn in front of the pavilion to enjoy a wide variety of popular musical attractions ranging from swing to country, jazz to blues and everything in between. Local, regional and national acts have played the Arboretum. Admission is free but free will offerings are taken to help support the mission of the Dubuque Arts Council.

Summer of 2012 Sunday evenings at 6:30

Click on the link's to preview each performer

June 17 – Larry Busch Orchestra (big band)

Sponsor: Dupaco & Dubuque Internal Medicine

June 24 – Fast Eddie & the Corvettes (50’s/60’s)

Sponsors: Floor Show Furniture & Flooring & Parco Ltd

July 1 – Peter Oprisko Trio (American Standards)

Sponsor: Conlon Construction

July 8 – The Dang-Its (Country Swing)

Sponsors: Burkart Brothers Flooring & United Floor Installers

July 15 – Modern Sounds (Jazz/Blues/Rockabilly)

Sponsors: Premier Bank & Parco Ltd

July 22 – Switchback (Celtic/Soul)

Sponsor: DuTrac & Dbq Home Improvement

July 29 – Hunter Fuerste’s American Vintage Orchestra (Swing)

Sponsors: American Trust & Tri-State Independent Physicians Association

Dubuque Arts Council History

The Dubuque Arts Council was founded in 1969 by a dedicated group of individuals whose mission was to bring oustanding performers from many artistic disciplines to perform in Dubuque Schools to provide inspiration for young people as they experience professionals they normally wouldn't see.

Since then the program has expanded to include 30 schools in the greater tri-state area. Artists are scheduled for three performances per day for 10 days, reaching approximately 5,000 students per artist.

How do we do it

The Dubuque Arts Council operates on voluntary contributions from many outstanding individuals, civic minded business leaders and corporations who believe in our mission of "Educating and Entertaining." We receive an operational support grant from the City of Dubuque Arts & Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission that helps defray our office expenses. We have also received grants from the John Deere Foundation, Dubuque Racing Association-Mystique Casino, the Iowa Arts Council and bequests from several estates. More than 85% of money raised is used to pay for artists.

Photos from 2011-2012 Artists in Residence Series

The Orchid Ensemble Residency was April 11-13

Established in 1997, the JUNO nominated Orchid Ensemble is Lan Tung (Taiwan/Canada) on the erhu/Chinese violin, Yu-Chen Wang (Taiwan/US) on the zheng/Chinese zither, and Jonathan Bernard (Canada) on percussion. The ensemble blends ancient musical instruments and traditions from China and beyond, creating a beautiful new sound. The ensemble has embraced a variety of musical styles to its repertoire, ranging from the traditional and contemporary music of China, World Music, New Music to Jazz and Creative Improvisation.