Nicole Baxter
Arts and Culture ReporterExpertise: Sharing stories about Iowans and the cultural landscape that makes Iowa unique
Education: University of Northern Iowa
Favorite Iowa Destination: Color the Wind Kite Festival in Clear Lake
Experience:
- Brings multimedia arts and lifestyle stories to Iowans
- Curates coverage, events and recommendations in IPR's weekend newsletter Chatter
- Covers Iowa film news as part of IPR's 2 for the Show
- Edited and produced daily digital news stories with reporters
- Produced content for IPR’s internationally award-winning newsletters
- Has written features on an indigenous violinist pursuing a career in Hollywood as a film composer, a German filmmaker/author visiting Iowa City and a silent-era satire protesting anti-Semitism.
- Served as a staff writer at The Northern Iowan
My Favorite Stories
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From his golden hair and blue eyes to his striking smile and charming nature, actor Robert Redford was a Hollywood heartthrob. He was also an award-winning director, a producer, an industry leader and a political activist. Although his career and life have come to a close, he left us with decades of great films to revisit and discover. If you haven’t had the chance to fall in love with Redford yet, here’s where to start. -
Celebrating adaptation is at the heart of the Refocus Film Festival in Iowa City. But this year, another unifying theme emerged: art as a form of revolution. From regional premieres to newly restored classics, the four-day festival featured many movies that inspired conversation around social change. -
It was 80 years ago that the Karp family walked out of Oskar Schindler’s factory as free Jews. They had survived the unimaginable and would soon find a new life in Iowa. Celina, who was just 13 at the time, shares her story of overcoming hate and the importance of finding your voice.
My Latest Stories
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Magic happens right in front of your eyes in Roosevelt High School’s production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The play marks a milestone for the theater department. Not only is it one of the biggest productions in school history, it's also the first to be staged by the new drama director. -
Pianist and composer Stewart Goodyear is putting his talents to the test in a rare feat of musical endurance during a visit to Cedar Rapids. Over two nights, Goodyear will perform all five Beethoven piano concertos with Orchestra Iowa. -
Karina Longworth, the film critic and historian behind the acclaimed podcast You Must Remember This, is visiting Iowa for a pair of special screenings. She’ll be presenting A Place in the Sun in Des Moines and Key Largo in Iowa City; both classic films have connections to accused murderess Libby Holman, the main subject of the podcast’s newest season. -
How do you write a best-selling novel? Horror author Josh Malerman takes viewers though the ups and downs of the creative process in his debut documentary To All the Books. The film, produced by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, makes its Iowa premiere this month. -
The organizers of the Des Moines Arts Festival are launching a new fine art fair in central Iowa this weekend. The Invitational Art Fair will feature 45 artists and six musical acts at the Val Air Ballroom in West Des Moines Nov. 6-7. -
For its fifth year, the Refocus Film Festival expanded its footprint and welcomed award-winning filmmakers, literary luminaries and popular podcast hosts in a weekend-long celebration of “the art of adaptation.” -
What do we owe each other as Americans? That’s the question that kicks off The Work in Progress, a timely, new documentary that features everyday Americans — including several Iowans — in conversation with one another. The film will screen in Iowa City on Oct. 16. -
John Waters has been called many things: the king of camp, the Pope of trash, obscene. But one thing he can’t be called is boring. The trailblazing filmmaker behind the cult classics Pink Flamingos and Hairspray will grace the Englert Theatre stage in Iowa City on Friday for his latest live comedy show. -
The Refocus Film Festival is ringing in its fifth year, and this time it’s “bigger and bolder” than ever. From Oscar contenders to special guests, see what’s in store during the four-day festival hosted by FilmScene in Iowa City Oct. 22-25. -
A celebration of local arts and culture is set to take over downtown Ames this weekend. The city will play host to not one but two festivals on Sunday, including the inaugural Ames Documentary Film Festival.
