Events Calendar

Apr 3, 2025

6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

Join us at the Stanley Museum of Art for insightful talks by artists Sonya Clark and Taiye Idahor, followed by a conversation with Cory Gundlach, Curator of African Art. Both Clark and Idahor, whose works are included in the Stanley’s collection, explore critical themes of identity, memory, and cultural heritage through their art, with a shared interest in the visual and symbolic power of hair. Their multidisciplinary approaches, spanning sculpture, textiles, and more, create compelling nar...

Apr 5, 2025

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Join us for four discussions of Toni Morrison's Beloved and the exhibition it's a fine thing, led by the Stanley’s curator of special projects and author of What Napoleon Could Not Do, Derek (DK) Nnuro. Register for each session by clicking the dates below, capped at 30 participants:  Feb. 15 (Pages 1 - 59) March 8 (Pages 60 - 195) April 5 (Pages 199 - 277) May 10 (Pages 281 - 324) Iowa City is one of 62 communities nationwide participating in the 2023-2024 NEA Big Read. From Februa...

Apr 6, 2025

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Join us for a tour of the Stanley Museum of Art's latest exhibition, it's a fine thing. This tour is presented in conjunction with the NEA Big Read and will draw connections between the show and Toni Morrison's novel Beloved. . This tour is part of the Sundays with the Docents program where Stanley docents create unique tours to share with our audiences throughout the year. Registration is strongly recommended. Walk-ins are welcome, but tours are capped at 20 participants. Reserve your spo...

Apr 10, 2025

6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

Join us at the Stanley Museum of Art for the 2025 Bette R. Spriestersbach Endowed Lectureship , featuring Siddhartha V. Shah, PhD, and John Wieland 1958 Director at the Mead Art Museum at Amherst College.  Our Wounds and Our Weapons: Artmaking in India as Liberatory Practice, 1947 to Today Independence from British rule in 1947 signaled the end of nearly 350 years of British occupation, leaving the people of India to grapple with tremendous trauma and the task of building a nation that was...

Apr 13, 2025

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

The Drawing Salon focuses on drawing artworks from the museum's collection. Each session will focus on a different artwork. The sessions will begin with an introduction and discussion of the selected work. Participants will be encouraged to pursue their own visions and to take inspiration from the artworks in the gallery. Pencils and sketchbooks/paper are the only artmaking materials allowed in the galleries. The museum has golf pencils with erasers and clipboards for participants to use. S...

Apr 17, 2025

5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Join us for our last installment of Night at the Museum this academic year, a series of monthly events for UI students that occurs on Thursday nights, when the museum is open late. This month we want to celebrate our student artists! Working with student artists across the University and the Undergraduate Art History Society, we have created our very own student gallery—gallery guide and all! Student works will be displayed in the Stanley's lobby for one night, during this event. Students ...

Apr 18, 2025

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

Hop to it! In this fun and creative workshop, children will transform ordinary socks into adorable bunny friends. Using rice to fill their bodies and buttons for eyes and noses, kids will design and create their own unique and cuddly companions. Space is limited; please reserve your spot at https://uiowa.doubleknot.com/event/schools-out-at-the-stanley-april-18/3... Please arrive in time for children to settle in and begin the project at 2 p.m. School's Out at the Stanley is offered on day...

Apr 24, 2025

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Join us for a compelling panel discussion moderated by Katherine Simóne Reynolds and featuring Kelley Lemon, Naima Green, and Alicia Olushola Ajayi.  This conversation will illuminate the many ways Black artists and practitioners are engaging with ecological narratives, uncovering hidden histories, and shaping future landscapes. This event is held in conjunction with the exhibition, it's a fine thing, currently on view at the Stanley Museum of Art. Moderator: Katherine Simóne Reynolds is...

Apr 25, 2025

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Location: TBD (Note: This event will not be held at the Stanley Museum of Art). Join us for a special evening of film screenings and conversation with acclaimed filmmakers/artists Christopher Harris and Cameron Granger. This program is part of the Grant Wood Art Colony's 8th Biennial Symposium, Race and Regionalism: Representation in the Heartland, and is held in conjunction with the Stanley Museum of Art's exhibition, it's a fine thing. Featured Films Christopher Harris Distant Sho...

Apr 27, 2025

2:30 PM - 4:15 PM

Write at the Stanley: A Generative Writing Workshop is back for the Spring Semester! Join us monthly to generate new creative writing inspired by works in the Stanley collection. Each session will be led by a different talented writer from our area, who will be offering a new prompt and a new approach to ekphrastic writing (writing inspired by visual art). Bring your own notebook and pencil or computer and leave with the beginning of a newly written piece. Co-sponsored by Iowa City Poetry....

May 10, 2025

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Join us for four discussions of Toni Morrison's Beloved and the exhibition it's a fine thing, led by the Stanley’s curator of special projects and author of What Napoleon Could Not Do, Derek (DK) Nnuro. Register for each session by clicking the dates below, capped at 30 participants:  Feb. 15 (Pages 1 - 59) March 8 (Pages 60 - 195) April 5 (Pages 199 - 277) May 10 (Pages 281 - 324) Iowa City is one of 62 communities nationwide participating in the 2023-2024 NEA Big Read. From Februa...

May 13, 2025

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Make the Stanley your study spot for finals week. We'll have free coffee, lemonade, punch, and snacks available all day Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (10 a.m.–4 p.m.). Stop by for a few hours to study for your exams: grab a snack, replenish your study supplies (we'll have post-its, highlighters, and more) and take a quick break — either by exploring the galleries or playing with a fidget toy.

May 14, 2025

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Make the Stanley your study spot for finals week. We'll have free coffee, lemonade, punch, and snacks available all day Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (10 a.m.–4 p.m.). Stop by for a few hours to study for your exams: grab a snack, replenish your study supplies (we'll have post-its, highlighters, and more) and take a quick break — either by exploring the galleries or playing with a fidget toy.

May 15, 2025

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Make the Stanley your study spot for finals week. We'll have free coffee, lemonade, punch, and snacks available all day Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (10 a.m.–4 p.m.). Stop by for a few hours to study for your exams: grab a snack, replenish your study supplies (we'll have post-its, highlighters, and more) and take a quick break — either by exploring the galleries or playing with a fidget toy.

May 18, 2025

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

The Drawing Salon focuses on drawing artworks from the museum's collection. Each session will focus on a different artwork. The sessions will begin with an introduction and discussion of the selected work. Participants will be encouraged to pursue their own visions and to take inspiration from the artworks in the gallery. Pencils and sketchbooks/paper are the only artmaking materials allowed in the galleries. The museum has golf pencils with erasers and clipboards for participants to use. S...

May 25, 2025

2:30 PM - 4:15 PM

Write at the Stanley: A Generative Writing Workshop is back for the Spring Semester! Join us monthly to generate new creative writing inspired by works in the Stanley collection. Each session will be led by a different talented writer from our area, who will be offering a new prompt and a new approach to ekphrastic writing (writing inspired by visual art). Bring your own notebook and pencil or computer and leave with the beginning of a newly written piece. Co-sponsored by Iowa City Poetry....