News

The Missoula Cultural Council – Some news and upcoming events for the week of February 14, 2004

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

Perugia is offering a special Valentine’s Menu tonight, featuring Seafood Bisque, Lamb Stuffed Empanada, Sundried-Dried Tomato Basil Rissotto, Grilled Rib Eye Steak Cognac, Braised Chicken in Chillindron Sauce, Shrimp Manicotti, and Baked Shrimp Stuffed Boston Blue Fish. Call 543-3757 for reservations.

In Missoula…

This week the Missoulian asks if Missoula is ready for a Performing Arts Center. Articles appeared on the front pages of both Sunday and Monday papers. Over the weekend many answered that question as the Missoula Symphony Orchestra and Chorale, along with the Glacier Chorale and the Rocky Mountain Ballet Theatre, filled the University Theater on both Saturday and Sunday performances of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and the Brahms Liebeslieder Waltzes.

Throughout the month of February the Dana Gallery is holding the 2nd Annual Collectors’ Resale Show. The pieces in the show are being sold in a silent auction format. Some of the proceeds from sales of the artworks will go to benefit the Missoula Art Museum. Highlights of the show include a first edition etching by Renoir, works by two small Elizabeth Lochrie portraits, and art by Chagall, Andy Warhol, Walter Hook, Russell Chatham, Sheryl Bodily, Juane Quick-to-See Smith, Larry Pirnie and Edward Weston, among others. There are about seventy works included in the show. For more information call 721-3154 or visit http://www.danagallery.com/

The Montana Repertory Theater presents Steel Magnolias in the Montana Theatre in the PAR-TV building on the UM campus, February 15-19. For tickets and information call 243-4581.

Fact and Fiction presents two events this week: Kevin Canty reading and signing Winslow in Love on Tuesday, February 15 at 7:00 p.m., and Rachel Toor reading and signing The Pig and I on Friday, February 18 at 7:00 p.m. For more information call 721-2881 or visit http://www.factandfictionbooks.com

The University of Montana Department of Music presents a Faculty Recital Series Event featuring Roger Dale McDonald, oboe/saxophone, at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 15 in the Music Recital Hall. Tickets are $6.00 general admission and $4.00 for students and seniors. Call 243-6882.

The Missoula Folklore Society presents Solas in concert on Tuesday, February 15th, 8:00 p.m. at the University Theater at the University of Montana. Solas has been hailed as “the best Irish band in the world” by the Boston Herald and “a five member Irish American band of startling instrumental and vocal firepower.” Tickets are $20 in advance and $22 at the door, available at Rockin Rudy’s, 406-542-0077. There is a $2 discount for MFS members as well as members of the Montana Gaelic Society and UM students. For more information go to montanafolk.org or call 406-721-9161.

The University Center MultiCultural Alliance presents the Margaret Mead Traveling Film Festival Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. in the University Center Theater (3rd Floor). The February 16 films celebrate the memory of renowned French anthropologist and filmmaker Jean Rouch (1917-2004). Both screenings are Jean Rouch films: Margaret Mead: A Portrait by a Friend (1978), 30 min. (U.S.) and Jaguar (1957) 92 min. (Niger/Ghana). For more information, call 243-5754 or e-mail [email protected]

Sentinel High School’s drama department presents American Roulette, co-written and directed by Chris Evans, February 16-18 at the Margaret Johnson Theater at Sentinel High School. For more information call 728-2403. Not recommended for young audiences.

The 2005 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival runs from February 17-23 at the historic Wilma Theater. The screening schedule and all festival information can be found at http://highplainsfilms.org/festival/selections.html. The festival will showcase over 70 non-fiction films from all styles, formats and production dates. Three separate awards will be presented for the competition films: Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short, & The Big Sky Award, which will be given to one film concerning the American West. Judges include visiting filmmakers and Montana industry professionals.

St. Francis Xavier Foundation presents Vision Speak II: What is the potential for a community center with gym and auditorium on Missoula’s Northside? on Thursday, February 17 at 5:50 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 435 Ryman. MCAT will broadcast this program on Wednesday, February 23 at 5:00 p.m. and Thursday, February 24 at 9:00 p.m. Call 531-2394.

City Club Missoula meets Friday, February 18 in the Governor’s Room at the Florence (111 North Higgins), from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. This month’s topic is The Challenges of Implementing Faith-Based and Community Initiatives in Montana presented by Paul Miller, UM Department of Sociology. The presentation will be followed by discussions at individual tables and then a general question and discussion session with the speakers. The intent of City Club Missoula is to inform and inspire citizens on issues vital to the Missoula area community through public forums that encourage new ideas and a free exchange of thought. Please RSVP to Tom Bensen at [email protected] or 721-9620 on or before Tuesday, January 18. Please say if you will, or will not, be having lunch. Lunch is $10 and for those choosing not to have lunch, there will be a $5 fee to help to defray expenses. Payment will be received at the door. Since the City Club cannot absorb the cost of no-shows, if you RSVP and are not able to attend at the last minute, reimbursement would be appreciated.

Sam Bush performs at the University Theater on the UM campus on Saturday, February 19 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale at Rockin’ Rudy’s, UC Box Office, or http://www.inhousetickets.com

The Missoula Folklore Society is sponsoring the annual Tropicontra Dance on Saturday, February 19 at 8:00 p.m. in the Union Hall – Upstairs. Beginner’s Workshop begins at 7:30. The Seeping Child String Band will provide the music, and Carmen Miranda makes a comeback as the caller. Bring a pineapple. For more information, call 243-5153.

The Missoula Folklore Society also presents Phillips, Grier and Wichter in concert on Sunday, February 20, at 7:00 p.m. at the Crystal Theater. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. A $2 discount will be offered to MFS members as well as ticket or ticket stub holders of either the Solas or the Sam Bush concert earlier in the week. Tickets are available at Rockin Rudy’s, 542-0077. For more information call 721-9161 or visit http://www.montanafolk.org.

Living Art is seeking more artists for its upcoming fundraiser, The Light Show. Lamps collected from the community are being turned into art pieces for a silent and live auction during April. You can use your own lamp, get inspired by one that’s been donated, or create one from scratch. If you are an artist or craftsperson, or know one that would be interested in stylizing a lamp, please contact the Living Art office at 549-5329 or [email protected] to help brighten the world of others, one lamp at a time. Living Art is a non-profit organization that supports whole person healing through the expressive arts and nature-based experiences for people facing illness and loss.

Elsewhere in Montana and the Region…

As of February 3, Montana musicians had raised more than $25,000 for tsunami victims and are still raising more and more. Eden Atwood raised more than $10,000 at First Night Missoula and at other concerts and events. Central Station in Whitefish raised $10,000 at a January benefit. On February 3 at the Emerson Cultural Center in Bozeman, musicians gave a benefit concert and donated over $5,000 to the Red Cross tsunami fund. Performers included the Jeni Fleming Trio, Andrew Gromiller and the Organic Trio, Backburner, Ann Tappan and Kelly Roberti, Heidi Swann & Blackjack.

In Helena this past week this past week Democratic Legislators laid out their plan for working together toward quality education in Montana. Senate President Jon Tester, House Democratic Leader Dave Wanzenried and Representative Monica Lindeen said the plan will:

* Define quality education that is meaningful for the kids of Montana
* Develop a funding formula that is fair to Montana’s kids, schools and communities
* Fund education with the $80 million proposed by the Schweitzer administration

"Education is one of the most important issues we face today," said Tester. "We are focused on our plan to define education, develop a fair funding formula that makes sense, and then fund education to meet the standards of a quality education that all of our kids deserve." "Our children are the most important resource we have," said Wanzenried. "We won’t sleep until we successfully define quality education, develop a sensible funding formula, and then fund education. This is the defining moment. We will get this done for Montanans." In the Senate, a bill to define quality education, Senate Bill 152, passed to the House within the first two weeks of the session.

The Sculptural Landscape Seating Project at the Holter Museum of Art in Helena is requesting professional artists and designers living and working in Montana to submit designs for a new site-specific work for the museum’s exterior landscape. The Museum will award $10,000 to one artist or one artistic team to design and build the sculptural seating. For proposal guidelines, see http://www.holtermuseum.org/exhibit/landscapeseatingRFP.html or contact Brandon Reintjes at 442-6400, ext. 111, or e-mail: [email protected]. Deadline is February 15.

Box Elder High School on the Rocky Boy Reservation opened a hot glass laboratory last November and currently is the only high school in Montana with such a facility. Students learn the art of off-hand glass blowing, a process that involves working with molten glass. Art Teacher Thomas Marinkovich, an experienced glass blower, also offers demonstrations, workshops, and private lessons. The public is welcome to stop by and view the processes. The studio is open daily Monday through Friday. For more information, call 352-4195 or at 395-5915

Quartango, four classically trained musicians and two Argentinean dancers, perform Piazzolla, tango, tango nuevo, jazz, opera, waltzes, Celtic jigs, ragtime and other musical forms in Billings on February 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Alberta Bair Theatre (256-6052), and in Whitefish on February 18 at 8:00 p.m. at the O’Shaughnessy Center (862-5371).

In Whitefish, the Winter Classic – For the Children Benefit Art Auction at the Stillwater Gallery runs from February 17-March 10. There is an opening reception on February 17 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. The art works that are on view at this reception will be auctioned off on March 11 at Grouse Mountain Lodge. For details, call 862-1417.

Also in Whitefish, the Big Mountain 2005 Winter Winefest is on February 19 from 4:00 –7:00 p.m. at the Outpost on Big Mountain. Wine sampling (40-50 wines from Northwest wineries), music, hors d’oeuvres, easy jazz, a silent auction offering weekend packages, artwork, adventures, and dinners. Proceeds support the Shuttle Network of Whitefish (SNOW) bus. Tickets are sold only in advance. Call 862-2900.

The Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts presents The Hound of the Baskervilles, February 18-20 and 25-27, Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. For further information, call 837-5286 or 881-4581.

The Flathead Valley Community College in Kalispell presents The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged), February 18, 19, 20, 25 and 26, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. Actors gallop at warp speed through all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays, audiences will have fun, laughter, and a whole new conception of Will and his works. For information, call 756-3906.

The Jeni Fleming Trio performs at the Eureka Auditorium (297-0197) on February 18 at 7:30 p.m. and at Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish (862-1505) on February 26 at 7:30 p.m. The latter show is a dinner/concert benefit for Flathead Valley Center.

Georgetown Lake Lodge hosts the Montana Snowkite Rodeo from February 18-20. National and international kiteboarders will fly across the (hopefully) frozen lake in competition. Free clinics and music by various groups will be available at the Lodge. For more information, call 461-5302 or 563-7020.

The Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge in Stevensville will host a three hour driving tour through the northern section of the preserve on February 19 at 9:00 a.m. (weather permitting) For more information, call 777-5552.

The Memorial Center in Libby presents Nunsense 2, February 25-March 6; Fridays and Saturdays, 7:00 p.m. and Sundays, 2:00 p.m For details, call 293-9643.

From the Montana Associated Technology Roundtable…

Richard Florida vs. Joel Kotkin on the creative class

According to Florida, the creative class now makes up 30 percent of the American workforce but accounts for half of all income earned. http://www.matr.net/article-13645.html

For more about the Montana Associated Technology Roundtable, visit http://www.matr.net

Nationally…

From the Center for Arts and Culture….

Why Wilco Is the Future of Music
Wired, 2/8/2005
"It is artists who make music, not the industry that markets it or the technologies that take it. But artists independent of the industry have been as rare in [the file sharing] debate as kids who don’t file-share music." Lawrence Lessig highlights the band Wilco, and their rejection of traditional methods of music distribution.
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.02/view.html?pg=5?tw=wn_tophead_5

Barbarians (Well, Mostly Art Lovers) at ‘The Gates’
New York Times, 2/9/2005
Christo and Jean-Claude’s installation in Central Park is to open Saturday, February 12. "From art collectors to museum groups, tourists to paid Christo volunteers, the city expects 200,000 to flock to the city for the installation, which will remain through Feb. 27."
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/09/arts/design/09chri.html

Black Scholars Debate Influence of Hip-Hop
Washington Post – AP, 2/4/2005
"Hip-hop music has created many opportunities for the black community, but is still unfairly blamed for a host of social problems," according to a panel of black scholars at Emory University.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62960-2005Feb4.html

Federal Cultural Programs Suffer Little Pain From Bush Budget
Washington Post, 2/8/2005
Cultural groups see a show of support in President Bush’s 2006 budget proposal, which leaves budgets basically at or above current levels for organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts and the Smithsonian, although it does call for some redistributions among programs.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6211-2005Feb7.html

To learn more about the Center of Arts and Culture, visit http://www.culturalpolicy.org

Internationally…

Rice Boosts U.S.-French Ties But Problems Remain
Washington Post – Reuters, 2/9/2005
A "faultless" piano performance by Condoleezza Rice, U.S. Secretary of State, helped woo the French during her recent visit. "Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice struck all the right diplomatic notes in a visit to Paris which French commentators hailed as a ‘faultless recital’ that broke the ice in U.S.-French relations.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10353-2005Feb9.html

Finally…

Celebrating the Lives of Two Great Artists
Wolf, Keens and Co.

We’ve lost two distinct voices recently: Jerry Orbach (1935-2004) and Ossie Davis (1918-2005). Both were accomplished actors and decent, humane people. It’s enlightening to read these tributes and find links in the lives of these very different artists.

And, just this past Friday, Arthur Miller (1915-2005).

Visit http://www.missoulacultural.org and e-mail [email protected] with submissions for this newsletter.

Thanks for your comments & corrections

Tom at MCC

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