Tucked along a gravel road and surrounded by cornfields just outside Madrid, a celebration of rural art and music is growing "in the middle of nowhere."
The Middle of NOWhere festival returned to Cellar Winery in Madrid for its second year July 12. The celebration of art and music began in 2024 as a small, free event with six music acts and just over 50 visual artists. It has now grown into a vibrant cultural gathering.
In 2025, the event hosted 83 visual artists, six musical acts — including two DJs and four vocal performers — and a full day of artmaking, live music and community connection.
The idea was sparked by central Iowa muralist and festival director Siriaco Garcia, also known as Siricasso, who wanted to amplify rural creativity and show that the arts could thrive far beyond Iowa’s cities.
Garcia, who has completed over 40 murals across the state and received a 2025 Governor’s Arts Award for his work, said he created the festival to fill a gap in opportunities for local artists.
“Being an artist, there's very limited opportunities here in Iowa,” Garcia said on IPR's Talk of Iowa ahead of the festival. “So any way that I can create an opportunity for another artist to continue to create, I'm going to do that, whether that's a mural, showcasing art at a festival, or even posting work on Instagram."
The Cellar Winery, which opened in May 2023, quickly became a partner in Garcia’s vision after winery owner John Barber heard Garcia interviewed on Iowa Public Radio.
“As soon as the interview aired, [John] had sent me an email, and I thought I was tripping a little bit,” Garcia joked. “He just invited me to his space, and we got coffee and we just talked about our stories. I saw the space, and I'm like, ‘It's a beautiful place, and I would love to create something here.’ And he’s like, ‘Well, here’s the keys.’”
The name of the festival sprouted from that meeting.
"[John] always brings up that story," Garcia said. "He says, 'Remember we got coffee and we named it the middle of nowhere?'"
Festival stage manager Kaleb Stevens, who joined the event for the first time this year, noted the importance of the festival's rural setting.
“There's always a lot going on in Des Moines, but it feels like there's not always as much happening in the smaller towns a little bit more in the periphery," he said at the 2025 festival. "It's super exciting just to see how excited everyone is to come out and join us.”
The festival remains open to all ages and free to the public, a commitment to accessibility that extends to the artists as well. Booth fees are kept low at just $10 per artist, with all proceeds going toward staffing the event.
In addition to live performances from Teri Underhill, Rudy Wylde, DJ O’SHEA, Talon Bazille, Ris and cdisiac, attendees could explore art booths, participate in collaborative art projects and visit food trucks and community engagement tables. The breezy, shaded performance area and the winery’s air-conditioned tasting room provide a welcome escape from the summer heat that's become a challenge for other arts and music festivals.
Garcia said he hopes the event continues to grow in both size and spirit.
“That’s the big thing,” he said. “Creating that space for artists to be seen and heard, and letting people know that this is a safe space for everybody. We’re not here to compete with nobody. That’s not the main goal. It’s just for us to be with each other, showcase our art and tell our stories.”
Last year, after a morning rain cleared, Garcia recalled watching a crowd suddenly emerge.
"I'm not gonna lie to you, I saw people coming from the cornfields," he said. "It was just amazing to see."
To hear more this conversation, listen to Talk of Iowa, hosted by Charity Nebbe. Samantha McIntosh and Neve Kelley produced this episode.
