Community Calendar

It was the deadliest workplace accident in New York City’s history. On March 25th, 1911, a dropped match on the eighth floor of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory sparked a fire that killed more than one hundred workers who were trapped inside. The tragedy marked a turning point in American industrial history, leading to major reforms in labor laws and workplace safety. This 54-minute film is rated PG and is available through Kanopy. The program is free and open to the public.

Learning English can be difficult, and pronouncing the words correctly is a real challenge. In this six-week workshop you’ll learn to pronounce consonant and consonant blend sounds, practice hearing and saying the 20 vowel sounds of English, and learn how to pronounce common prefixes and suffixes.

This program is for adults. Registration is required.

For more information or to register, please contact Britta at brittak@dkpl.org or (815) 756-9568 ext. 2100.

A selection of favorite paintings created by members of the Plein Air Painters of Rockford during the 2025 season. These are images created during Plein Air painting sessions in the Rockford area. The exhibit is located in the Visitor Center at Klehm Arboretum.

Joy Meyer

Taft Gallery Artist, February 1 – March 31

Joy Meyer earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Art and Art Education from Northern Illinois University. She retired in 2005 after teaching art for thirty years, the last twenty years at Rock Falls High School in Rock Falls, IL. Joy also taught many workshops for both teenagers and adults during her career and shortly after retirement. She has won numerous awards for both her painting and her teaching.

Joy has enjoyed working in many different media including watercolor, pen and ink, pencil, glass etching, stained glass, and silk painting, but the medium she has chosen to specialize in during recent years is Acrylic Painting. She enjoys working in a fairly realistic style using primarily bright, cheerful colors. Her actual painting techniques vary depending on the subject matter being painted and the mood desired, often using many techniques within a painting to better represent the details within the painting. Joy also enjoys the challenges of working in an increasingly wider variety of subject matter.



America the Beautiful Art Exhibit
February 4 – March 21
Sponsored by Ron Bry

Awards Reception
February 13, 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Judge: Stuart Roddy
Music: Jim Kanas & Roger Hintzsche

Participating artists include Cindy Bear, Alice Blue, Richard Born, Bob Cholke, Rick Davis, Connie Fry, Beverly Garcia, Chuck Gregory, Timothy Griffith, Dan Grossmann, Stephen Hart, Kat Heitzman, Maggie Isaacs, Bob Kapheim, Julie Kennelly, Linnea Koch, Paula Kuehl, Bob Logsdon, Colleen Logsdon, Henry Matthiessen III, Joy Meyer, Gary Pearson, Joe Popp, Stephonie A Schmitz, and Joseph Virbickis.

Today Was Tomorrow - a solo show by Kari McDonald will kick off our 2026 exhibition season. Lemuette is the artistic moniker of Rockford-based printmaker Kari McDonald. Her meditative, nature-inspired work invites viewers to slow down and find moments of calm. Her intricate designs in woodblock often feature native prairie plants, whimsical flowers, and playful critters, capturing the beauty and wonder of the natural world.

FAM is open Tuesday - Friday 10 AM to 5 PM, Saturday 12 to 5 PM.

Homecoming: In Color celebrates the reopening of Rockford Art Museum after a year-long renovation closure. This exhibition features a selection of popular pieces and hidden gems, showcasing the rich diversity of our revered collection. Come witness the power of art and community as we welcome you back to a vibrant space of creativity!

Blue Carbon is told through the perspective of Grammy-nominated music producer, DJ, and environmental toxicologist Jayda Guy. Featuring a score by RZA and music by Seu Jorge, the documentary brings together science and storytelling to examine the emerging role of coastal ecosystems in addressing climate change.

Filmed in the United States, Senegal, Vietnam, France, Colombia, and Brazil, the film explores the science behind “blue carbon,” the ability of salt marshes, seagrasses, and mangroves to remove carbon from the atmosphere. Through encounters with wildlife such as Florida manatees, humpback whales, and the American crocodile, and by highlighting community-driven conservation efforts, the documentary offers a thoughtful look at both the urgency and the potential of protecting these vital ecosystems.

The film is 1 hour and 24 minutes, not rated, and made possible through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Tangled Bank Studios. The program is free and open to the public.

Buckle up for what the New York Times called “A timely boxing match of a history play.”

In 1950, Margaret Chase Smith was the junior Senator from Maine and the only woman in the Senate. A staunch Republican, she nevertheless bucked her party and the prevailing winds of politics when she took to the floor of the Senate to denounce Senator Joseph McCarthy in a speech she called, “a declaration of conscience.”

A family road trip takes an unexpected turn when, in the dark of night, on the plains of eastern Oregon. . . reality splits.

WSSR takes another left turn with "California," a play that takes place entirely inside a car. Join us for this unique immersive experience that blends a quirky family comedy with the eerie darkness surrounding a long abandoned nuclear facility.

Directed by Claire Dahlhauser, this intimate production explores the humor and power of family bonds in a world where the map keeps rewriting itself.

Claire's credits include Legally Blonde, The Wedding Singer (Starlight Theatre) and Macbeth (Starlight Shakes) and she recently served as assistant director for last season's production of POTUS at WSSR.