SCOPE- The voice of the Missoula Cultural Community

Today is Wednesday, March 17 — begorra — and the day in AD 180 when Antonius Marcus Aurelius, Emperor of Rome, died near present-day Vienna at age 58 in AD 180. He had spent much of his reign in putting down various rebellions and persecuting Christians, but his fame rests largely on his Meditations, a series of reflections, which represent a Stoic outlook on life. Example: “Begin the morning by saying to thyself, I shall meet with the busy-body, the ungrateful, arrogant, deceitful, envious, unsocial.” And that’s just for starters. As for the death today of a different kind of historical figure, see END NOTE.

General Interest items

#1a – SCOPE is going on vacation, or is it a sabbatical? Or retreat? Whatever. So, please hold the comments and queries until its reincarnation. Begorra.

#1b – In the meantime, a good place to keep up with what’s happening in the arts and culture field is Art Journal Daily, a blog by Seattle resident Doug McLennan who spends about 10 hours a day visiting 200 online publications. “I’m curating information,” says McLennan who aims for “an interesting conversation about culture.” Begun in 1999, the site now receives about 15,000 to 20,000 visits a day.

#1c – Good news department: Arts and historic preservation supporters in Florida won a key victory recently in their effort to restore long-term state funding for cultural programs across that state. A House budget panel voted 40-4 for a proposal to allocate $21 million in fees collected annually from corporations to fund state grants to local arts and historic preservation projects. Of the $21 million, $14.3 million would go for cultural grants, $1.75 million for history museums, $2 million for historic preservation and the remainder for a cultural endowment fund.

#1d – Florida began its annual Heritage Month on Monday. It’s a statewide celebration that emphasizes cultural tourism events and attractions. The state’s Division of Cultural Affairs organizes the event with the help of the Florida Arts Council which acts as an advisory agency to the Cultural Division.

#1e – The Group Processes Research Lab at the University of Texas-Arlington has been particularly interested in group creativity or the ability of groups to generate novel ideas. Its research has focused on the fact that groups often inhibit creativity. “Most people have an illusion that their performance in groups is superior to what they could have done on their own, even when the group has performed poorly. Unfortunately, group performance tends to go in the direction of the least productive members.” The research also shows that group leaders often choke off the flow of information that can induce creativity and better performance.

#1f – Kimber Craine has moved from his job at the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies to the National Council on the Arts, which advises the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, on agency policies and programs. It reviews and makes recommendations to the Chairman on applications for grants, funding guidelines, and leadership initiatives. Craine participated in one of the Cultural Tourism workshops hosted by the Missoula Cultural Council and later participated in a conference at the MCC office.

#1g – Wolf-Keens & Company is a management consulting firm with services devoted to nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and foundations. It is currently doing research for Americans for the Arts and on Thursday Bill Keens will interview the Missoula Cultural Council as part of a national survey of the state of the arts. MCC again is one of 27 arts and cultural agencies being asked for input and again is the only Montana agency included in the project. Other cities picked include San Diego, St. Louis, Boston, Philadelphia, and other major metropolitan centers.

#1h- The Montana Nonprofit Association just announced the launch of a Member Health Insurance Program. MCC is one of the 23 Missoula-based nonprofits that are members of the MNA, which has 176 nonprofit members throughout the state. For information about MNA call 449-3717

#1i – The National Arts Strategies organization has for over 20 years explored new approaches in the nonprofit field. In its leadership development programs, arts leaders explore the toughest challenges facing arts organizations today, and learn from some of the leading business schools in the United States.

On the Literary Landscape

#2a – Mayor John Hickenlooper and the Denver Office of Art, Culture and Film officially launched that city’s first annual citywide book initiative, One Book, One Denver, last week. Peace Like a River by Leif Enger was the choice for this community-building project. "We, as a city, are facing many great challenges — challenges that will require important decisions to shape our future," Mayor Hickenlooper said. "We can’t make those decisions unless we come together as a community. That is what One Book, One Denver seeks to do: To not only promote a culture of reading — but to provide shared experiences and shared opportunities that strengthen our sense of community."

#2b – Tawada Yoko, a Japanese and German writer, will be in Missoula to share her experiences in both languages and cultural worlds. Born in Tokyo in 1960, Tawada has resided in Germany for the last 20 years. She has published over 14 novels and collections of short stories, poetry and essays in Japanese and an equal number in German. In 1993, she received the Akutagawa Prize, Japan’s equivalent of the Booker or the Pulitzer Prize, and has received many German awards. At 4:00 p.m. today she will read from her works in room 122 of the UM Gallagher Building. At 3:00 p.m. Friday, she will read at the Missoula City Library For more information contact 243-5634 and [email protected] or 243-5301and [email protected]

#2c – Robert B. Parker is in a mellow mood in his latest Spenser escapade, Bad Business (Putnam, $24.95). One reviewer says that Parker and his witty, straight-talking hero — both are clearly squiggle persons — “have become, at least in some circles, cultural institutions.” Spenser is as adept with words as guns and fists and words. Example: after enduring an abrasive lecture from an overbearing client on how to do his job, he tells her ”I think I’m going to have to file you under Life’s Too Short.”

The Arts & Crafts Scene

#3a – Missoula sculptor George Ybarra’s Bouquet of I-Beam was selected in the top ten of twenty sculptures to be exhibited at the 7th Annual International Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit in Blaine, WA. It’s available for sale prior to its exhibit at the price of $4,800.

#3b – Costco, the warehouse club store better known for appliances, clothing and grocery sections has added fine art to its offerings in store and online. Example: Feuilles Evadeé by Andre Beaudin is available at $579.99.

#3c – R.L. Rickards has created 84 paintings depicting significant events of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The catalogue cover shows Captain Lewis heading north out of Travelers Rest at Lolo.

Musical Notes and Stage Cues

#4a – Rocky Mountain Ballet Theatre will present A Night at the Movies April 30-May 1 at the Missoula Elks Lodge. The RMBT dancers will swirl and prance to the soundtracks of great movies. The Friday event begins with a 7:00 p.m. silent auction that includes art works, wine and gift baskets. Tickets are $17, available at the RMBT studio at 2704 Brooks, Rockin’ Rudy’s and the performance door. For more info call 549-5155 or [email protected]

#4b – The 27th International Wildlife Film Festival will host a “Beat of Festival” sneak preview at the Roxy Theater, 7218 S. Higgins, on March 23, starting at 7:00 p.m.

#4c – The UM Dance Department presents its Spring Dance Showcase March 23-27 with two alternating programs in the Open Space section of the PAR/TV building. More information at 243-4481.

#4d – Mandir will offer a global tapestry of jazz, classical and folk music on March 27 at 8:00 p.m. in the Roxy Theater. Tickets are $10 in advance at Rockin’ Rudy’s or $12 at the door, More info at 726-4448.

Cultural Tourism Directions

#5a – Scott Sproul is ready to roll out his Rocky Mountain Discovery Tours bus excursions along the Lewis and Clark trails. The tours range from nine to 20-days.

The Cultural Environment

#7a – According to Adams Media Research, consumers spent $14.4 billion last year on movies for the home, almost $5 billion more than they spent on theater tickets.

#7b – If you miss out on today’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities, you can make up for it on Saturday at Wild Plum Station in Dixon where there’ll be lots of Irish music, corned beef and cabbage, and Guinness ale on tap.

Miscellaneous

#8a – And now — ta da — The Squiggle Person, the final installment of the Dellinger Geometric personality profile system presented during the Montana Arts Council’s fundraising workshop in Missoula, one of three it is conducting with a $500,000 grant from the Wallace Foundation. Says Dr. Dellinger, “these individuals tend to be exceptionally creative, flamboyant, dramatic, and witty and, are the messiest and least-organized of all the Shapes. They can however, be very motivating people to be around.” Squiggles are the ones who challenge the "status quo" and tend to be bad listeners because they are so eager to share their ideas with others. Squiggles tend to be the "idea producers" in society.

Media and Web Watch

#10a – Project Censored is an online project to educate the public about the role of independent journalism in a democratic society and to tell “The News That Didn’t Make the News” and why. A media research group at Sonoma State University tracks the news published in independent journals and newsletters.

#10b – The audience for most news media outlets is either shrinking or stagnant, and investment in newsgathering among most traditional outlets is down, according to a new study released Monday by the Project for Excellence in Journalism. "The State of the News Media 2004" examined the newspaper, television, magazine, radio and Internet news industries in detail, and found that only online journalism and ethnic or alternative sources of news are seeing audience growth. The study also found that, overall, trust in news sources is down drastically. The percentage of people who believe what they read in newspapers has declined from 80 percent in 1985 to 59 percent in 2003, and the percentage who give high grades in credibility to the network news divisions dropped from 74 percent in 1996 to 65 percent in 2002.

END NOTE: On this day in 461 — or so the legend goes — St. Patrick died, about 11 years after he wrote his Confessio in Latin, which — saints preserve us — was his mother tongue. It wasn’t until 1756 that St Patrick’s Day was first celebrated in heathen American at New York city’s Crown & Thistle Tavern .

MARK at MCC