Mission Creek Festival - September 4, 2025

It's opening night🥳

A message from our Programming Director, Brian Johannesen ...

alt
ICSF 2025: It's Here!
We're so excited to see all of you tonight for night 1 of the first-ever Iowa City Songwriters Festival! Before we kick things off, read the message below from our Programming Director, Brian Johannesen.
BUY TICKETS
alt

Friends and Songwriting Enthusiasts!

 

The time is nigh. Today we begin our journey into the minds, people, and process behind some of the best songwriting in the world. This weekend is the culmination of almost exactly two years of hard work from The Englert Theatre team to create and curate an environment where attendees can learn and be inspired by songwriters both from right here in Iowa and across the country. We couldn’t be more proud to share it with you, and I want to thank each of you for buying into this first-year festival.

 

The idea behind ICSF is to grow Iowa City as a songwriting community, and the spark for this idea came on a flight between two music industry conferences from Indianapolis to Nashville (by way of Charlotte, of course). I found myself spiritually frustrated going to these conferences. They (rightfully) place a heavy emphasis on the business behind music, and while they serve a crucial role in our industry, I really just wanted to hear artists talking about how they create art. 

Flying into Nashville, where I lived for four years before returning to Iowa City, I was reminded of the many nights I would spend passing a guitar around on porches or in backyards, absorbing all the incredible music and knowledge one can only get in an environment that is intimate and steeped in history and tradition. I wanted that for Iowa City. I wanted this city, that I love so dearly, to celebrate songwriting the way it celebrates fiction, poetry, and nonfiction writing. I wanted the incredible history of songwriting in this town - from Arthur Russell to Greg Brown and so many in between - to be written in the sidewalks alongside Raymond Carver and Flannery O’Connor. I figured if anyone was going to be able to get Iowa City moving in that direction, the passionate, hard-working team at The Englert Theatre was the one for the job.

 

Lofty ideas take time and dedication to become a reality, and we know that this festival is just the first step towards this dream of Iowa City becoming as well known for songwriting as the other literary forms. What we have found as we dive in is that the community is very excited about the prospect. Partnering with local institutions like Porch Light Literary Arts Center and The City of Literature was an easy sell. The University of Iowa has been interested in talking more about songwriting programs. Artists have responded eagerly to be a part of it, especially our 20 scholars. And you all showed up - selling out passes quickly and building excitement throughout town. 

alt

We know we can’t do it alone, so thank you again for coming along on this experiment. I truly believe that Iowa City can become for songwriting what it is for the other traditional forms of literature - a place where one can get better, where the creation of the art and the work is the point, and where the masters of craft can gather.

 

ICSF is our flag in the ground declaring that Iowa City is a songwriting town, and we’re so excited to have y’all on this journey with us. I’ll see you out there, please come say hi if you see me (glasses, beard, Bears hat, overwhelmed with emotion)!

 

Brian Johannesen

Programming Director

alt
Box Office Hours
While passes are officially sold out, tickets will be available for pickup and sale throughout the week of the festival. The Englert Box Office (221 E Washington Street) will be open for the following extended hours on festival days:

Thursday, September 4: 10 AM-11 PM
Friday, September 5: 10 AM-11 PM
Saturday, September 6: 6:30 PM-11PM
BUY TICKETS
alt
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
X
Website
alt

Copyright © 2025 The Englert Theatre, All rights reserved.
You are receiving his email because you opted in at our website. We send show announcements, special offers, important news, and other information to newsletter subscribers.

Our mailing address is:
The Englert Theatre
221 East Washington St.
Iowa City, IA 52240

Add us to your address book


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe.