The newly formed group that organizes the Iowa Arts Festival and the Iowa City Jazz Festival announced the headlining acts for the two summer festivals at a press conference at the Englert Theatre this afternoon.

Bluegrass country band Nickel Creek will take the stage at 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 3, in downtown Iowa City. On Friday, June 2, Latin musician Tish Hinojosa will perform at 7 p.m. and singer/songwriter James McMurtry, son of the Oscar- and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Larry McMurtry, will perform at 9 p.m.

For Jazz Fest, trio The Bad Plus headlines at 10 p.m. on July 1, and Mingus Dynasty — a collection of alumni of the original Charles Mingus big band — performs at 8 p.m. on July 2.

All Summer of the Arts events are free and family friendly and take place outdoors in downtown Iowa City. The festivals joined forces in the summer of 2005 to pool fundraising and marketing efforts while maintaining the individual identity of Arts Fest, Jazz Fest, the Friday Night Concert Series and the Saturday Free Movies Series.