Photo of people participating in an art making activity.

Events & Programs

View all upcoming live concerts, literature/poetry readings, exhibition openings, and more below.

Email Programs Coordinator to propose an event at the Hearst Center.

Red House Studios: Located next door to the Hearst Center, this facility offers studio space to artists. We announce open lease opportunities on this site and our social media.

Upcoming

All events listed below are free, unless otherwise noted requiring pre registration via Civic Rec.

NOVEMBER

CEDAR VALLEY YOUTH POET LAUREATE WORKSHOPS
Tuesday, November 24 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Participation is FREE with registration required. Register online via Civic Rec.

Participants get the opportunity to focus on metaphor making, slam poetry, and the power of poetry in community! The November 24 session is a fun collab with UNI Slam - love it! Come write, share, and speak up with CVYPL. CVYPL is a proud chapter of the National Youth Poet Laureate initiative, a nationwide effort initiated by Urban Word, the country’s leading youth literary arts organization. Their mission is to celebrate and uplift young artists and provide them with the tools they need to grow both as writers and as members of the community

MIDDAY MELODIES
Fridays at noon
Enjoy classics performed by the UNI School of Music Department students and faculty.

November 13: UNI Lyric Theatre Ensemble performing a preview of selections from The Pirates of Penzance.
December 4: Dr. Kodanashvili directs piano studio students

UNI MUSIC DEPARTMENT: JAZZ WITH MIKE CONRAD, LEVI SAELUA, AND FRIENDS
Friday, November 13 at 2:00 p.m.
Join the Hearst in welcoming Portland-based saxophonist/composer Levi Saelua to Cedar Falls for a concert with members of the UNI Jazz Faculty and friends. Included on the program will be original compositions, creative improvisations, jazz standards, and even some guest vocalists.

ENSEMBLE CHACONNE CONCERT
Saturday, November 14 at 2:00 p.m.
Hailed as “a powerhouse of great playing” (Classical Voice of North Carolina) Ensemble Chaconne performs widely in the U.S and abroad. Founded in 1985, the group is celebrating their 41st season. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, they’ll perform at the Hearst Center as part of a weeklong tour in Iowa and Illinois.

The ensemble (Peter H. Bloom, baroque flute; Carol Lewis, viola da gamba; and Olav Chris Henriksen, baroque lute) will transport the audience to the salons and palaces of 18th century Europe with The Glorious Ones – Treasures by the Late Baroque Masters. The program will showcase gems by J.S. Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, Telemann and other leading composers. EarRelevant hailed the concert, saying: “Each of Ensemble Chaconne’s performers brought their unique flair to these Baroque masterpieces.”

HEARST FILM SCENE: CHILDREN OF MEN SCREENING
Tuesday, November 17 with film talk at 6:30 p.m. ; screening at 7:00 p.m.

Join the Hearst film scene in Mae Latta Hall for a film talk at 6:30 p.m. and the screening of Children of Men at 7:00 p.m. The film talk will discuss the book vs the film by Alfonso Cuaron.

FINAL THURSDAY READING SERIES
Thursday, November 19, open mic at 7:00 p.m., featured author at 7:30 p.m.

Celebrate decades of words, voices, and community with the Final Thursday Reading Series! This long-running program offers a welcoming space for writers at all levels, and the evening begins with an open mic that invites new and emerging voices to share their work. Whether you’re reading for the first time or returning to the mic, it’s your chance to be heard. Sponsored by Final Thursday Press, the Hearst Center, UNI’s College of Humanities, Arts & Sciences, and the Department of Languages & Literatures. Additional support for this anniversary season is provided by the UNI Sesquicentennial Celebration.

Featured author: Yasmina Din Madden I Din Madden is the author of the debut collection, You Know Nothing: Stories
(Northwestern University Press)

IOWA PRAIRIE DOCUMENTARY PROJECT SCREENING WITH Q&A
Saturday, November 21 at 1:30 p.m.

Join us in Mae Latta Hall for a screening with Q&A to follow of the full length documentary, Iowa: And The Broken Circle. More screenings across the Midwest can be found via the Movie Tour.

In August of 2025, director Charlie Morris set out to answer 3 questions about Iowa:

Why is everyone telling me that I should not swim in the rivers and lakes? Where is the prairie at? Why are so many Iowans getting cancer? This search has turned into The Iowa Prairie Documentary Project. The Iowa Prairie Documentary Project is directed by Charlie Morris of Iowa City, IA, launched in August of 2025. It is an all volunteer project and funded by donations. It’s multi-media, which means you can interact with it in a number of ways.

DECEMBER

CEDAR VALLEY MUSIC SCENE SERIES2026-2027: ORIGINAL, INDEPENDENT INDIE ROCK AND ROLL PANEL DISCUSSION
Tuesday, December 8 with Pop-Up Inside Rock Music Museum at 6:00 p.m. and panel discussion at 7:00 p.m.
The 1980s brought many big acts to the UNI Dome: The Police, Pink Floyd, The Who, The Rolling Stones. Meanwhile venues on The Hill and downtown hosted up-and-coming bands like Green Day, The Flaming Lips, The Dead Milkmen, and Black Flag. We also had numerous bands spring up right here writing, performing and recording original
independent rock’n’roll. We’ll talk to the people who: booked the bands; played in the bands; owned the clubs; spun strange new sounds on the radio; and sold recordings on independent labels at local record stores. Matthew Hundley will present with moderator Sherm McNeal and Panel members Kelly Plumber, Matthew Wilson and Al Schares discussing local Indie Rock.

MIDDAY MELODIES
Fridays at noon
Enjoy classics performed by the UNI School of Music Department students and faculty.
December 4: Dr. Kodanashvili directs piano studio students

HOLIDAY CONCERT WITH BEL CANTO CEDAR VALLEY
Sunday, December 13 at 2:00 p.m.
This popular concert is back! Bel Canto Cedar Valley (BCCV) is a premiere chamber choir serving the communities of the Cedar Valley. Bel Canto Cedar Valley builds community connections and contributes to cultural enrichment by promoting quality choral music, exploring vast and varied choral repertoire, and cultivating music as a life-long passion.

JANUARY

PAUL STRAND: THE MEXICAN PORTFOLIO AND FLORECER EN UN TIEMPO RARO TO BLOOM IN A RARE TIME: A NEW SERIES BY JAVIER ESPINOSA MÓMOX EXHIBITION PUBLIC RECEPTION

Tuesday, January 7 from 5:30-7:00 p.m.

Join in the galleries as we honor the exhibitions, the artists, and the story behind the work in the Hearst galleries this winter.

HEARST FILM SCENE
FILM SCREENING: REDES (1936, NR): Tuesday, January 12 at 7:00 p.m.

Screenings and panels for cinephiles, film buffs, and anyone interested in movies. Co-directors: Fred Zinnemann and Emilio Goìmez Muriel; Cinematography and co-written by: Paul Strand.
Synopsis: In this vivid, documentary-like dramatization of the daily grind of men struggling to make a living by fishing on the Gulf of Mexico, one worker’s terrible loss instigates a political awakening among him and his fellow laborers. This movie was restored in 2009.

BOOK READING WITH DZENETA JUSUFOVIC
Saturday, January 16 at 1:30 p.m.
Join us for a discussion of The Woman Who Vanished, a debut novel that holds special meaning. Like many aspiring
writers, challenges occur and life becomes busy. Experience the journey of one’s younger self to adulthood and the
adventures that come with it.

CEDAR FALLS MUSIC STORIES, JAZZ IN THE TALL CORN
Tuesday, January 19 at 7:00 p.m.
Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Count Basie all found their way to this area of tall corn in the 1940s. In the 1950s jazz took on a pivotal role in music education at the University of Northern Iowa with the birth of Sinfonia Dimensions and the Tall Corn Jazz Festival. Join moderator, Simon Harding, and UNI Jazz pros, Bob Washut, Chris Merz, and Mike Conrad for an evening of all things jazz. Discuss the pivotal role in music education at UNI with the birth of Sinfonia Dimensions and the Tall Corn Jazz Festival. Don’t miss the history of jazz with Matthew Hundley to open the
program.

RED HERRING THEATRE PRESENTS HIGH MAINTENANCE
Thursday, January 21 at 6:30 p.m.
Written by Peter Ritt; Directed by Emily Eisenman; Sponsored by Jones Law Firm, Mike
and Rita Waggoner, and Hearst Center
Synopsis: A disgraced sci-fi television star, Laura Miller, takes a comeback role in “A Doll’s House” opposite Roger, a robot actor whose very existence threatens to upend her profession. As the production spirals into chaos Roger grows beyond his programming and forms a bond with his co-star. What begins as a satirical comedy about AI and performance becomes a battle over identity, obsolescence, and what it means to be irreplaceably human.

FINAL THURSDAY READING SERIES
Open Mic at 7:00 p.m. l Featured Author at 7:30 p.m.
Celebrate decades of words, voices, and community with the Final Thursday Reading Series! This long-running program offers a welcoming space for writers at all levels, and the evening begins with an open mic that invites new and emerging voices to share their work. Whether you’re reading for the first time or returning to the mic, it’s your chance to be heard. Sponsored by Final Thursday Press, the Hearst Center, UNI’s College of Humanities, Arts & Sciences, and the Department of Languages & Literatures.

January 28: Darby Harn is the author of character-driven sci-fi and fantasy novels, including Dead Malls, Stargun Messenger, and Ever The Hero.

FEBRUARY

BOOK DISCUSSION: RETRACING THE DRAGOON TRAIL IN IOWA
Thursday, February 11 at 7:00 p.m.
Historian, Kevin T. Mason, presents a vivid and deeply researched account of Iowa’s evolving landscape, beginning with the 1835 expedition of the First U.S. Dragoons. Drawing from archival records, maps, government surveys, Indigenous histories, and ecological data, Mason explores how Iowa’s prairies and wetlands gave way to farms, towns, and transportation networks. But Mason doesn’t just write about history—he walks it. His 371-mile journey retracing the original dragoon route across Iowa blends scholarship with storytelling, captured through video essays, photography, and writing. This modern-day trek, featured on Iowa PBS’s Iowa Life and Iowa Public Radio’s Talk of Iowa, brings the past into the present, offering a compelling look at how landscapes remember.

MIDDAY MELODIES
Fridays at noon
Enjoy classics performed by the UNI School of Music Department students and faculty.
February 12: Hannah Porter Occeña directs Flute Students

WORLD RHYTHM DRUMMING WITH BARBARA ASHTON
Saturday, February 13 from 1:15-3:45 p.m.
In this fun and dynamic group, use various drums and percussion instruments from around the world to create powerful and empowering group music experiences. Join in - instruments provided - no prior music
experience is necessary. All participants 18+ are welcome!

VALENTINES DAY CONCERT WITH CEDAR VALLEY CHAMBER MUSIC: LOVE LANGUAGE
Sunday, February 14 at 2:00 p.m.
Join us for a free Valentine’s Day concert with Cedar Valley Chamber Music. Bring your loved ones and join us for an afternoon of chamber music by César Franck, Jennifer Higdon, Manuel De Falla, and Andrea Casarrubios. You don’t want to miss this special concert featuring musical love languages from all around the world. The Lark Duo (Jamie Clark, cello and Doreen Lee, piano) with violinist Erik Rohde will perform. Drinks and snacks will be provided. Seating is limited, first come, first seated.

PRESENTATION BY ARTIST BRAD MATTOCKS: INDIA, AN ARTIST’S VIEW. LOVE, LIFE, AND DEATH. THE TAJ
MAHAL AND BEYOND
Sunday, February 21 at 1:30 p.m.
Join us to learn about Brad Mattocks’ travels to India as interpreted by photography of people, places, colors, art, architecture, and nature, and how it influenced his art and being.

February 25: Aaron Narigon is the co-founder of Hayseed Press, which recently published Volume 2 of
Iowa Weird.

MARCH

THE NOBLE BRASS QUINTET CONCERT
Thursday, March 11 at 7:00 p.m.
Join us in welcoming the Noble Brass Quintet to the Hearst stage. This 5-piece brass ensemble is made up of Luther College music students, and coached by Dr. John Cord, Professor of Music in Trumpet at Luther College.

MUSIC LAB CONCERT
Saturday, March 13 at 1:30 p.m.
Join musicians from the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony for a Lollipops concert featuring all things clarinet! Led by symphony clarinetist Dr. Amanda McCandless, this program shows off the incredible family of instruments that are all related to the clarinet with demonstrations and performances. This program is designed for families and children. This series is supported by individual donors, Wells Fargo, The Cedar Falls Community Foundation’s Kathryn Ray Fund for the Cedar Falls Public Library, Steve and Terri Jackson Family Fund, Max and Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation, and RJ McElroy Trust.

MIDDAY MELODIES
Fridays at noon
Enjoy classics performed by the UNI School of Music Department students and faculty.

March 12: Luke Sanders directs Guitar Students

CEDAR FALLS STUDENT ART EXHIBITION 2027 PUBLIC RECEPTION
Sunday, March 21 from 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Our annual tradition continues this spring! Come visit the exhibition of work created in art classrooms; pottery, painting, drawing, sculpture, jewelry, and more are on view.
Exhibition dates: March 20-May 2, 2027

March 25: Sarah J. Donovan's work includes the co-edited collection Bridge the Distance and the memoir, The Sabbatical Effect. This appearance is made possible by the Meryl Norton Hearst Lecture Series.