MUSIC+FILM+ART+COMEDY | QUAD CITIES | AUGUST 13-16, 2026
Mural Fest 2025
Alternating Currents 2025 Mural Fest brought five incredible new works of art to Downtown Davenport, Bettendorf and Rock Island transforming blank walls into vibrant expressions of creativity and community.
Since launching in 2023, Mural Fest has activated four Downtown Davenport sites with 10 pieces of artwork, created by eight local and regional muralists, including two lead artists who helped guide the very first projects while also contributing their own artistic elements. Building on that foundation, AC's 2025 Mural Fest expanded with two sites in Rock Island and one in Bettendorf, and welcomed our first national and international guests.
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“Alternating Currents is about showcasing the creative energy of this region and inviting the world to see it,” said Alisha Espey, Festival Director. “These murals will live beyond the festival weekend and become part of the visual fabric of our downtowns. Expanding AC Mural Fest into Bettendorf and Rock Island for the first time is a huge milestone, it reflects the collaborative spirit of the Quad Cities and our shared commitment to building creative, welcoming places on both sides of the river.”
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2025 Murals & Artists
Title: “Time”
Artist: Lorenzo Fontanella (SPEKER)
Location: Skellington Manor Event Center, 420 18th St., Rock Island, IL
Instagram: @speker_1 | Website: speker1.com
“A young woman holds an empty ceramic bowl, inscribed with the word time. From it spills long white ribbons, fragile yet flowing, like ties that both connect and slip away. Is she offering time, asking for more, or struggling to hold on as it leaps away? The surrounding floral forms evoke cycles of growth and decay, while her steady presence suggests resilience in the face of passing moments. This mural invites viewers to reflect on their own relationship with time, how it can feel abundant and scarce, still and fleeting, a gift we offer and a force beyond our control.” – Lorenzo Fontanella, Los Angeles, CA
Title: “Parking in Technicolor”
Artist: Molly Keen
Location: RiverCenter Parking Ramp’s pedestrian walkway (2nd floor), 102 E. 2nd St., Davenport, IA
Instagram: @mollykeenart | Website: mollykeenart.com
“‘Parking in Technicolor,’ turns an everyday parking space into a burst of energy and play. Bright colors, bold patterns and flowing shapes come together to create a lively rhythm that transforms the structure into something joyful and unexpected. The mural invites people to see ordinary spaces in a new, vibrant light.” – Molly Keen, Williams, Arizona
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Title: “Lost Frequencies”
Artist: Dominic Laporte
Location: Bulldog Arms, 2211 Grant St., Bettendorf, IA
Instagram: @domlasoul / @driftmuralco | Website: driftmurals.com
“This mural portrays a woman meeting your gaze, with florals seamlessly layered across her skin and into the space around her—like a living tattoo—blurring the line between body and bloom. It speaks to the truth that nature is not separate from us; it is embedded in our identity, though sometimes forgotten in the city, like a lost frequency. The piece is a reminder that our connection to the natural world is both intimate and inescapable.” – Dominic Laporte, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Title: “On the Air”
Artist: Matthew Mederer (Cool Disco Rich)
Location: WHBF-TV building, 231 18th St., Rock Island, IL
Instagram: @cooldiscorich | Website: cooldiscorich.com
“A human presence is uplifted by the unseen breath of airwaves, forever connecting us through light, sound and motion.” – Matthew Mederer, Chicago, IL
Title: “Protect the Seed, Protect the Flow”
Artist: Tomás Richter (SENHOR)
Location: Marigold Resources, 308 E. River Dr., Davenport, IA
Instagram: @o.senhor | Website: estudiodosenhor.com
“‘Protect the Seed, Protect the Flow,’ is a surreal, symbolic mural depicting organic forms, flowers and planta, shielding a single seed as it begins its journey. A river flows beside them, representing the continuous movement of life, while a central sequence shows the seed evolving into a mighty oak tree. The mural is a visual reminder that protecting what is small and essential is the key to sustaining growth, flow, and future resilience.” –Tomas Richter, Lisbon, Portugal
The 2025 Mural Fest was presented in partnership with Downtown Davenport Partnership, Rock Island Downtown Alliance, Downtown Bettendorf Organization and Quad City Arts. Additional funding and support was provided by: Scott County Regional Authority, the City of Rock Island, WHBF-TV, Hupp Toyota-Lift and Altorfer CAT.