News

Missoula Cultural Council News – Some news and upcoming events for the week of February 21, 2005

This past week Missoula said goodbye to Lee Morrison, a longtime champion of the arts. For a full story and a list of her many contributions, visit http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2005/02/15/news/local/news04.txt

In Missoula…

The Missoula Cultural Council’s annual Cultural Achievement awards have honored individuals whose outstanding works in the arts and humanities field have made a significant contribution to the community’s quality of life. The Business Support for the Arts awards recognize local business firms that have provided exceptional, long-term support for Missoula arts and cultural organizations. The 2005 awards will be presented at a luncheon on Tuesday, March 8 at 11:30 a.m. in the Conference Center at St. Patrick Hospital. This year’s award winners are Eugene Andre, founding conductor of the Missoula Symphony Orchestra and long time University of Montana music professor; Dana Boussard, an internationally renowned visual artist; writer and film producer Annick Smith; and former University of Montana Dance instructor Juliette Crump. Gateway Printing and Dollar Rent-a-Car are being honored for their long-term support for the arts. The keynote speaker for this event is Thomas Putnam, Chairman of MARKEM Corporation of Keene, New Hampshire. He is also the Chairman of the Board of the national Business Committee for the Arts as well as the New Hampshire Business Committee for the Arts. During the luncheon there will be a performance by the Hellgate High School Advanced Orchestra. Tickets for the event are $20 and may be reserved from MCC at 721-9620 or [email protected]. Also visit http://www.missoulacultural.org

This month marks two special anniversaries. Congratulations to 50 years of the Missoula Symphony Orchestra and 20 years of the String Orchestra of the Rockies. Both have seen sell-out crowds at recent performances.

The World Affairs Councils of America, the largest non-profit international affairs organization in the United States, recently honored the World Affairs Council of Montana as the best all-volunteer council in the nation. Executive Director Mark Johnson accepted the award. The non-profit Missoula-based organization “has earned the distinction of being ‘the most dynamic all-volunteer council in the nation,’” commented Jerry Leach, World Affairs Council of America president.

The 2005 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival continues at the historic Wilma Theater through February 23. The screening schedule and all festival information can be found at http://highplainsfilms.org/festival/selections.html.

The University of Montana Department of Music presents a Faculty Recital Series Event featuring Robert LedBetter, percussion, on Tuesday, February 22, and Steven Hesla, piano, on Friday, February 25. Both events begin at 7:30 p.m. and are in the Music Recital Hall. Tickets are $6.00 general admission and $4.00 for students and seniors. Call 243-6882.

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 23 film is Marry Me, by Uli Gaulke & Jeannette Eggert (2003, 105 min., Germany/Cuba). This film made its U.S. Premiere at 2004 Margaret Mead Film & Video Festival. For more information, call 243-5754 or e-mail [email protected]

The All-Missoula Dinner Party, presented by the Missoula Food Bank and seven local restaurants, is on Thursday, February 24 at 6:30 p.m. All proceeds go to help feed hungry families in Missoula. Participating restaurants include The Depot, Pearl Café, Perugia, The Red Bird, River City Grill, Scotty’s Table and Shadow’s Keep. For reservations and information, call 549-0543.

At Fact & Fiction this Thursday, February 24 at 7:00 p.m. Libby Langston talks about The Lookout Cookbook, a blend of recipes, history, personal stories and photographs. Call 721-2881 or visit http://www.factandfictionbooks.com

There will be a closing reception for the Collectors’ Resale Show that is currently going on at the Dana Gallery on February 25 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. The pieces that are in the Collectors’ Resale 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 Warhol, Picasso and Chagall, two small Elizabeth Lochrie portraits, and art by 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. Call 721-3154 or visit http://www.danagallery.com

After receiving international notice at the 2003 New York International Fringe Festival, the theatrical production of Wondering In Aliceland, written and performed by Alice J. Spritz, will be presented at the Crystal Theater on Friday, February 25 and Saturday, February 26 at 8:00 p.m. A discussion with the writer and performer will follow the show. Tickets are $10. Not suitable for children. For information call 239-1529.

Bridging the Gap: Integrative Medicine and Health Conference occurs February 25-26 at the Broadway Building Conference Center, 500 West Broadway. This conference is for both professionals and the general public. The presenters include medical doctors, pharmacists, naturopathic physicians, acupuncturists, musicians, artists, physical therapists, theologians, psychotherapists, clinical psychologists, chiropractors, massage therapists, practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine, Tibetan medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, and other practitioners of alternative medicine. Participants include keynote speaker Dr. Tieraona Low Dog discussing The Future of Integrative Medicine, as well as Dr. Georgia Milan, Dr. Randale Sechrest, and Matthew Marsolek and Lawrence Duncan from Mandir and the Drum Brothers. Living Art will present examples of how the arts and nature-based experiences are used in healing. The event is sponsored by The Western Montana Integrative Healthcare Alliance, Montana Spine Center, Montana Neurosciences Institute Foundation, Womens Health, and St. Patrick Hospital and Health Sciences Center Foundation For more information, please call 329-5643 or register at http://www.healthymontana.com.

At the Fort Missoula Historical Museum, the Women’s Living History Project presents their own original play, After the Wedding, about ladies’ witnessing and arguing about the affairs of the day following the wedding of General William Clark (of Lewis and Clark) and Julia Hancock, on Saturday, February 26 at 2:00 p.m. For more information, please call Bob Brown at 728-3476.

Create your own wildlife sketchbook by drawing on the inspiration and techniques of Scottish wildlife artist Keith Brockie at the The Montana Natural History Center’s Saturday Discovery Day: Creating a Wildlife Sketchbook, on February 26 from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. at University of Montana, Health Science 207. Using UM’s extensive animal collection, local natural science illustrator Clair Emery will guide the class through many techniques to portray the form, gesture and detail of local fauna. No drawing experience required. This popular class fills up fast, so register now! Materials list available upon registration. For more information, call 327-0405 or visit http://www.MontanaNaturalist.org

The International Wildlife Media Center & Film Festival will be conducting a Young Filmmakers Camp for ages 14-17 from Monday, March 21 – Friday, March 25 from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. at the Roxy Theater. Students will learn the fundamentals of videography and editing. The camp is limited to eight students and includes a field trip to the Missoula Humane Society. Equipment is provided. The cost of the week-long workshop is $250 per student and includes professional instruction. Students will work together in groups to produce their own short film. For more information, please contact the Media Center at 728-9380 or visit http://www.wildlifefilms.org

homeWORD, a non-profit housing developer, is seeking qualifications from artists interested in working on a public art project at homeWORD’s new development called Orchard Gardens. Orchard Gardens will be comprised of five buildings, 35 units, a strawbale barn, a community garden, apple orchards and a public art project. The layout of Orchard Gardens offers a unique opportunity for an experienced artist to work with homeWORD architects and contractors in designing, applying public art piece(s), and creative energy to a common space located in the center of the development. For a complete prospectus on the project please visit homeWORD at 127 N Higgins, Room 302. Or call for prospectus to be sent at 543-3550 x 15 and ask for Stephanie. Deadline for submission of qualifications is March 4 at 5:00 p.m.

Elsewhere in Montana and the Region…

Steve Slocomb reports that the Smithsonian will carry his documentary video The Story of the Bitterroot in the National Museum of the American Indian. The video is also coming out in two catalogs: The Library Video Company, and The Acorn Naturalist. KSPS PBS will broadcast it in western Washington State in April. It has already aired on KUSM in Montana. For more information visit http://www.bitterroot.tv

The Hamilton Players will be performing My Way…A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra February 24-27 and March 3-6 at The Hamilton Playhouse, 100 Ricketts Road. This homage to Sinatra features 57 of his most beloved songs and recreates the feel of the ’50’s nightclub and its entertainers. Thursday through Saturday performances begin at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday performances begin at 2:00 p.m. Those purchasing February 24 tickets will receive a special offer at The Hideout restaurant. Tickets are $12.00 reserved seating and are available at The Hamilton Playhouse Box Office. For more information, call 375-9050.

The Hamilton Players will be holding auditions for Macbeth, William Shakespeare’s tale of ambition, desire, and the murderous betrayal which leads to battles between armies and within the soul, on Monday and Tuesday, February 21 and 22 at 7:00 p.m. at The Hamilton Playhouse. Roles are available for women and men and for young people ages 11 and up. Auditions will be cold readings from the script. Performance dates are April 14-17, and 21-24. For more information, or to schedule a private audition (due to conflicts only), contact the director, Maia Pyron at 370-0235.

The Bigfork Art and Cultural Center presents Wolves in the Snow, February 26 at 3:00 p.m. Adult theme. Sponsored by the Bigfork Library and the Bigfork Art and Cultural Center. For more information, please contact the Bigfork Chamber of Commerce at 837-5888 or call 837-6927. Also visit http://www.bigfork.org.

On Friday, February 25, at 8:00 p.m. at the O’Shaughnessy Center in Whitefish, professional dancers, teachers, and choreographers from Flathead Valley, Missoula, and the University of Montana will present a modern dance concert, titled Of the Heart. For more information, call 250-4046.

On Saturday, February 26, 8:00 p.m. the O’Shaughnessy Center presents Galumpha, fusing art and entertainment with “stunning acrobatics, striking visual effects, physical comedy, and inventive choreography.” For more information, call 862-5371.

On Saturday, February 26, the historic Elling House in Virginia City will host a Chautauqua, which will combine a potluck dinner at 6:30 p.m. with readings by regional writers and performances by musicians beginning at 7:30 p.m. For more information, please call 843-5454.

The Dillon Community Theatre present Not My Cup of Tea in the Old Depot Theatre on Fridays and Saturdays, February 25 & 26; March 11 & 12, at 7:00 p.m. For details, call 683-5511.

The UM-Western Drama Department will present The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 at the UM-Western Beier Auditorium in Dillon on Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, February 24, 26, 27, and 28, 7:33 p.m. and Friday, February 25, 10:00 a.m. Please call 638-7038 for all details.

In Billings, on Thursday, February 24, at 7:00 p.m. Pianist Jeannie Zuidema will present a piano concert and a lecture at the Cisel Recital Hall entitled Modest Moussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition. Please call 657-2861.

In Bozeman, the Museum of the Rockies celebrates Pomp’s 200th Birthday Party on Sunday, February 27, 2:00-5:00 p.m. Pomp (meaning First Born) was the Shoshone Indian name of Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, Sacajawea’s and Toussaint Charbonneau’s son, and his 200th birthday will be celebrated at the Museum with foods originally prepared along the Lewis and Clark expedition trail, a 20-foot long birthday cake, and a talk by Amy Mossett, a Mandan/Hidatsa Sioux tribal member. For more information, please call 994-2251.

The Drum Brothers will celebrate 10 years of being a world percussion ensemble and performances throughout Montana and the Northwest on Saturday, February 26, 8:00 p.m. at the Emerson Cultural Center in Bozeman. On Sunday, February 27, 1:00-2:30 p.m., Drum Brother Matthew Marsolek will teach an intermediate West African Hand Drumming Class. Following that class at 6:00-7:30 p.m. at Yoga Motion, the Drum Brothers will offer an evening of Kirtan with chanting from India and around the world. Call 580-8229.

Curly Bear Wagner will give a talk entitled Blackfeet Encounter Lewis: The Lewis and Clark Expedition, at the Sheridan County Courthouse in Plentywood on Monday, February 28, at 7:00 p.m. This event is sponsored by the Montana Committee for the Humanities. Please call 243-6022 for details.

The Custer County Art and Heritage Center in Miles City features the vintage photographs by L. A. Huffman, Evelyn Cameron, E. S. Curtis, and other photographers in their ongoing display Miles City on the River. For more information, please call 234-0635.

From the Montana Associated Technology Roundtable…

Irish counselor for commercial affairs to speak at UM Monday 2/21
"It’s a great opportunity to have someone like Dale Tasharski here. Ireland could be a gateway to Europe" for Montana exporters, said Megan Harrington of UM’s Montana World Trade Center.

Jane Fonda tells girls at the "Girls For A Change" conference at Montana State University they can change the world
"Girls are the future," she concluded. "Don’t let your power be taken away."

Leadership Montana Building for Second Year… Now Accepting Applications for Class of 2005-2006
Leadership Montana is about creating what we want to BE, not just what we want to do. Those who have a passion for this state and their community, and are willing to accept responsibility for leadership, should consider this new and unique opportunity.

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

Nationally…

From the National Business Committee for the Arts…

The Boeing Company was the only corporate donor to the $350,000 campaign to save the Empty Space Theatre Company, Seattle, WA, from closing. On February 1, the Theatre announced it raised a total of $403,865 – most of which came from individuals – and it will resume operations. The Boeing Company was formerly headquartered in Seattle, WA – a major donor in the city – and is now located in Chicago, IL. For information, http://www.emptyspace.org/

First Lady Laura Bush, Honorary Chair of The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, recognized 17 youth programs on the arts and humanities with a 2004 Coming Up Taller award. Each honoree received $10,000. These Awards recognize and support outstanding community arts and humanities programs that celebrate the creativity of America’s young people, and provide them with new learning opportunities and opportunities to contribute to their communities. For the list of recipients and information, http://www.pcah.gov/

To learn more about the National Business Committee for the Arts, visit http://www.bcainc.org

From the Center for Arts and Culture….

Park Visitors See Saffron, and Businesses See Green
New York Times, 2/14/2005
New York’s city officials said they expected "tens of thousands of people to show [to see Christo’s Gates], which is to be up for only 16 days, and whose $20 million cost is being borne exclusively by the artists. By the time the 7,500 gates are taken down in two weeks, the city expects to generate $80 million in business, with $2.5 million in city taxes alone, according to the city’s Economic Development Corporation."
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/14/nyregion/14gates.html

Putting Arts Education Front and Center
Education Week, January 2005
Rod Paige, former U.S. secretary of education, and Mike Huckabee, governor of Arkansas and chairman of the Education Commission of the States (ECS), stress the importance of the arts in education. This article highlights current national and state-level programs that enable and promote arts education, including the ECS’s The Arts: A Lifetime of Learning initiative.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2005/01/26/20paige.h24.html

Bequest to MFA Could Set Record for an Art Museum
Houston Chronicle, 2/15/2005
"The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, soon could be entered in the annals of philanthropy as the recipient of the largest cash gift to a fine arts museum ever publicly announced. Caroline Wiess Law, the daughter of one of Humble Oil Co.’s founders, made the museum the prime beneficiary of her estate. When all of Law’s assets are sold and the legal proceedings conclude, possibly by the end of this year, the museum could net between $400 million and $450 million, said director Peter Marzio."
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/topstory/3040039

Under Fire, PBS Leader Will Leave When Contract Ends in ’06
New York Times, 2/16/2005
"Under attack from conservatives and liberals and heading a system with significant fund-raising challenges, Pat Mitchell, chief executive of PBS, has announced that she will not renew her contract when it expires in June 2006. Ms. Mitchell, who joined the Public Broadcasting Service in March 2000, confirmed on Monday that she would leave the corporation as its programs have been criticized by members of the Bush administration, most notably Education Secretary Margaret Spellings."
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/16/business/media/16pbs.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1108566595-zZJvUDNgtmJ6cec60zIkOA

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

Internationally…

Picking Up the Stolen Pieces of Iraq’s Cultural Heritage
New York Times, 2/14/2005
"Looting in Iraq had increased almost uncontrollably since the American-led occupation. ‘Tens of thousands of objects have just gone completely missing in the past two years,’ she said. "It’s a cultural disaster of massive proportions.’" However, the FBI is beginning to recover some stolen artifacts.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/14/international/middleeast/14artifact.html

Tsunami may have revealed lost city
New Zealand Herald, 2/14/2005
"The mighty Boxing Day tsunami has revealed what archaeologists believe to be the lost ruins of an ancient city off the coast of Tamil Nadu in southern India."
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10010991

Finally…Go Figure Department…From Wolf, Keens and Co.

Did you know that the New York Stock Exchange is a non-profit? Hard, somehow, to reconcile that with such a bastion of profit and loss. But yes, it is. And now it is studying becoming a for-profit operation. Forbes Magazine carried the full story.

To learn more about Wolf, Keens and Co. visit http://www.wolfkeens.com.

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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