AC 2025 Mural Fest Beautifies Five Walls Across the Downtowns

This year’s Alternating Currents 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 just a few years ago, Mural Fest has now 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, this year we expanded with two sites in Rock Island and one in Bettendorf, and welcomed our first national and international guests.

Below are the artists’ descriptions and locations of the 2025 Alternating Currents Murals:

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

Title: “Parking in Technicolor”

Artist: Molly Keen

Location: RiverCenter Parking Ramp’s pedestrian walkway (2^nd floor), 102 E. 2^nd 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

  
  

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: “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: “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

  
  

The 2025 Mural Fest was supported by key partners, including the City of Rock Island, WHBF-TV, Regional Development Authority, Rhythm City Casino, Rubberstamps.net, Scott County Regional Authority, Hupp Toyota-Lift and Altorfer CAT. 

About Alternating Currents

Alternating Currents festival was founded in 2017 by the Downtown Davenport Partnership (DDP), an affiliate of the Quad Cities Chamber. Now powered by DDP and expanded through placemaking partnerships with Downtown Bettendorf Organization and Rock Island Downtown Alliance, the festival thrives thanks to the many partners and businesses who collaborate to deliver a dynamic and inclusive experience.

With more than 200 performances and events across music, film, comedy and visual art, Alternating Currents transforms downtown spaces into stages, galleries and gathering places. Nearly all programming is open to the public with no ticket required, inviting audiences to discover a wide range of creative experiences throughout the weekend.

This year’s leading supporters include Presenting Sponsors Regional Development Authority (RDA) and Rhythm City Casino Resort, as well as Major Partners Rubberstamps.net and Scott County Regional Authority, Accessibility Sponsor Bechtel Trust and Arts Partner The Cultural Trust. Additional programming and supporting sponsors include Estes Construction, Palmer College of Chiropractic, Nature’s Treatment of Illinois, The Last Picture House, MidAmerican Energy, Express Employment Professionals, Quad City Arts, Hupp Toyota-Lift and Altorfer CAT. Hive Event Consulting serves as a producing partner. Media Partners include KWQC, Quad-City Times & Dispatch-Argus, Townsquare Media, Planet 93.9 and WQPT.