Jump start your holiday season with two exciting events just days apart at the Muscatine Art Center. Welcome December and give your holiday spirit a lift with a performance from Sunny Jain in the Muscatine Art Center Music Room beginning at 5:15 p.m. on December 5. Come back to the Muscatine Art Center from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on December 7 and join the family fun at the Family Festival & Market where you can visit vendors and purchase ornaments from the Heartfelt & Handmade Ornament Competition.
Sunny Jain is a composer, drummer, dhol player, and thought leader. The career of Sunny Jain is a celebration of cultural diaspora: deep-rooted tradition that ripples outward, changing – and being changed by – the cultures that it touches. Called the “Hendrix of dhol” by Manchester Salon (UK), Jain founded the pioneering band Red Baraat, a frenzied fusion of bhangra, hip-hop, jazz, rock, and sheer, unbridled energy that NPR has called “the best party band in years.” The band has performed across the globe including stops at the White House (Obama), London Olympics, TED, Austin City Limits, and Bonnaroo.
In 2021, Jain released Phoenix Rise, a collaborative effort featuring over 50 artists such as Arooj Aftab, Michael League (Snarky Puppy), Adrian Quesada (Black Pumas), Endea Owens (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert), and Joe Russo (jam band darling). Jain was a 2023-24 Visiting Scholar and Artist in Residence at Wesleyan University, where he developed his first music theatrical show, Love Force, which reflects on the multiple identities so many immigrant families confront.
Jain and his band are one of the Artist in Residence through the Quad City Arts Visiting Artist Series this December, and the Muscatine Art Center is delighted to host the performance free of charge in the Muscatine Art Center Music Room starting at 5:15 p.m. on December 5.
Just two days later, the Muscatine Art Center will host the conclusion of the Heartfelt & Handmade Ornament Competition. Beginning at 10:00 a.m. on December 7, ornaments that were part of the competition can be purchased and taken home.
New this year is the addition of the Heartfelt & Handmade Family Festival & Market, which takes place at the same time as ornament purchasing (10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.). This event features a vendor market with a variety of arts, crafts, food, antiques, and more. Be sure to visit this event where you can find something for everyone on your Holiday shopping list.
Join the family fun! During the vendor market, kids and families can also enjoy the holiday spirit! There will be a good-will donation hot chocolate bar, studio crafts for kids, and pictures with Santa! The Muscatine Art Center is decked out for the holidays, making this a must-see event! Admission to this event is free. Proceeds benefit Friends of the Muscatine Art Center and educational programs at the Muscatine Art Center. This year’s sponsors include HNI Corporation, SSAB, and Kay Chapman, CPA.
The Muscatine Art Center is open Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursdays 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays 1 to 5 p.m. The Muscatine Art Center is located at 1314 Mulberry Avenue in Muscatine, Iowa. Call 563-263-8282 for up-to-date details or visit www.muscatineartcenter.org for more information about programs and events.
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