September 30, 2019 // Art + Culture News
Upcoming Missoula Events
Visiting Artists:
Master Dancer Alhassane Camara
& Master Musician Mory Fofana

October 1 - 4
UM School of Theatre & Dance and Unity Dance & Drum
Dance and music of Guinea, West Africa comes to UM and the Missoula community, brought to you by the UM School of Theatre & Dance and Unity Dance & Drum.

Master Dancer Alhassane Camara, and Master Drummer/Musician Mory Fofana will be sharing their deep traditional knowledge of the music and dance traditions of Guinea through classes and a performance in Missoula October 1 through 4 at the UM School of Theatre & Dance and in the Missoula community. All ages and levels are welcome to join this unforgettable cultural experience.

Missoula schedule for Alhassane and Mory
*All University of Montana (UM) classes will be taught in PARTV005 (Open Space)
*Free for UM students; $20 for community

Tuesday, October 1
UM dance class: 2:00-3:20pm
UM dance class: 4:30-6:00pm
Community Dance Class: 7-8:30p @ Missoula Senior Center
$20/person; $10 Student/Senior

Wednesday, October 2
UM dance class: 2:30-3:50pm
UM dance class: 4:00-5:20pm
Community Drum class: 7:00-8:30pm @ Missoula Senior Center
$25/person; $10 Student/Senior
(some drums available on a first come, first served basis)

Thursday, October 3
UM dance class: 4:30-6:00pm [choreography/Adv.]
Community Dundun Drum/Dance Class*: 7:00-8:30pm @ PARTV Open Space (Room 005), UM Campus
$20/person; UM students free.
* play drums with sticks while dancing (some drums and sticks available on a first come, first served basis)

Friday, October 4
UM dance class: 1:00-2:20pm
Performance/Presentation @ UM Open Space (PARTV005): 7:00pm
UM students free; $5 to $10 suggested donation
Hand Drumming and Rhythm Exploration for Older Adults
A 5-week class series

Tuesdays, Oct. 1 - 29, 3:30 - 4:30 PM
Missoula Senior Center
Tracy Topp  of  Drum Brothers  will teach a 5-week beginning hand drumming class series for people age 50 and  up . This class will start from the ground up and no previous experience is needed.   Participants will learn beginning rhythms and explore the techniques and polyrhythmic interplay of African drumming. Come experience the joy and power of community music-making! Drums will be provided.
 
Since the dawn of human culture, drums and percussion have been used as a tool for expression, communication, and celebration. And drumming together in a group can be a powerful example of cooperation and teamwork. In addition,  research  has shown that drumming reduces stress and generates feelings of relaxation and focus. And on top of all this, drumming exists as total lighthearted fun! Don't miss this special opportunity to experience the power of rhythm and connection!

Bio: A dancer since she was three,  Tracy Topp  has choreography experience and training in many dance styles, including West African, Middle Eastern, modern, and jazz. She has studied African dance and drumming with many teachers including; Djeneba Sako, Youssouf Koumbassa, Mabiba Baenge, and Manimou Camara and has taught African dance at Drum Brothers annual rhythm retreats for over a decade.
A self described renaissance girl, Tracy has a B.A. in Arts from Nebraska Wesleyan and is also a singer and percussionist. Tracy currently performs with Drum Brothers world percussion ensemble and teaches ongoing hand drumming classes in Missoula, MT. She also manages the Drum Brothers drum shop in Arlee, MT.

$60 for the 5-week series ($12/class) or $14 for single classes. Participants will get the $12/class rate when they purchase 3 or more classes.


Free Workshop:
Sun Prints & Cyanotypes,
Photo process multi-session workshop

Tuesdays, Oct. 1, 8 & 15, 1 - 3 PM
Living Art of Montana
Join us for this multi-session workshop on sun prints & cyanotypes led by Eileen Rafferty.

Living Art of Montana offers workshops free of charge for people who have cancer, an acute or chronic disease, are suffering the consequences of treatment, have a significant loss in their lives, and caregivers.

Registration required.  Call (406) 549- 5329 to register.

Closing Reception: Translating Place
Open AIR Airtist-in-Residence Exhibition

Thursday, October 3, 5 - 7 PM
Gallery of Visual Arts
Social Science Building, UM Campus
Don’t miss the closing of this special exhibition at the Gallery of Visual Arts at the University of Montan. Translating Place, an interdisciplinary art exhibition featuring eighteen artists selected for the inaugural year of Open AIR, a new place-based Artist-in-Residence program headquartered in Missoula, MT. Open AIR connects artists of all disciplines with unique sites across Western Montana for dynamic Artists-in-Residence experiences.

The exhibit will be on view until October 3 with a Closing Reception on October 3rd, from 5-7pm with live performance art and refreshments. The Gallery of Visual Arts is located on the first floor of the Social Science Building and admission is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are 11-4 Monday through Thursday or by appointment.

During 2019, artists enjoyed experiences such as stimulating their creative process with the vast materials at Home ReSource, exploring the Historical archives at Fort Missoula, peering through the microscope at the Flathead Lake Biological Station and immersing themselves in the unfettered wilderness of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness.

The Open AIR program was created by the new nonprofit organization Western Montana Creative Initiatives (WMCI). WMCI recognizes the importance that creativity plays in promoting healthy and robust communities and strives to increase the creative capital of our region through artist-in-community initiatives.

WMCI is fiscally sponsored by the Missoula Community Foundation and strives to award all artists with financial support during their residency. This is made possible, in part, through our business sponsors and caring community members like you. For more information on how to get involved or to support the program please visit www.openairmt.org . Follow Open AIR on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Montana Film Festival

October 3 - 6
The Roxy Theater
Featuring the Montana premiere of Mickey and the Bear, Greener Grass, One Man Dies a Million Times, Saint Frances, Swallow, Cuck, Stray Dolls, Burning Cane, Lucky Grandma, The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open. Plus a 40th anniversary presentation of Heartland on 35mm, and over 25 short films from all over the world.

Montana Film Festival is a respite from the market and industry of film festivals. We celebrate and highlight emergent talents and new points of view, importing perspective and representation into our community. We hold high the virtues of social communion around film and the relationships created through filmmaking, with special celebration of Montana's growing film community.

Founded within the heart of a non-profit cinema, our highest aim is to enrich our audiences through the art and craft of independent narrative film. The Montana Film Festival is held each year in beautiful Missoula, Montana at the convergence of five mountain ranges.

We believe in the mission of our festival, and we strive to focus our attention on what the art of cinema is capable of achieving. We create a safe space for our filmmakers and audience members to connect, and aim to open the minds and hearts of all involved.


Montessori Student Art Show
& Wine Taste Fundraiser

Friday, October 4, 5 - 8 PM
The Public House
Join us to explore Missoula's diverse Montessori student population through their artwork, in 'Our Work / / Our Selves'. Bring along $15 and play our 'Guess the Grape' Wine Taste Challenge for the chance to win a wine basket! Enjoy art by special guest artist, Molly Hulling, and be sure to bring the kids, as all ages are welcome to create at our Arts Table. Drop in anytime between 5 - 8 PM at this exciting downtown First Friday event!


First Friday Square Dance!

Friday, October 4, 8 - 10 PM
Downtown Dance Collective
Downtown Dance Collective and Lake Missoula Old Time bring you a rootin' tootin' good time this First Friday!

Bring your pretty ole self on down to The Downtown Dance Collective for a Square Dance! Live music. All ages. No partner needed. No experience necessary. The caller will teach you everything you need to know.

$6 suggested donation.


First Friday Art Show: Atoms of our Frame

Friday, October 4, 5 - 8 PM
Radius Gallery
Join us this First Friday as Radius Gallery brings together three of Montana's preeminent artists: John Buck, Josh DeWeese and Beth Lo.

The title of the exhibition references a Ralph Waldo Emerson essay on the potency of imaginative thought:

The act of imagination is ever attended by pure delight. It infuses a certain volatility and intoxication into all Nature. It has a flute which sets the atoms of our frame in a dance. Our indeterminate size is a delicious secret which it reveals to us. The mountains
begin to dislimn, and float in the air.

The "pure delight" that attends these artists’ imaginations is evident in Buck's bold, visually hypnotic woodblock prints, Lo's narrative, often familial depictions of the Asian-American experience on porcelain ceramics, and DeWeese's earthy, sensual, unrestrained wood-fired
pottery. The exhibition offers a truly rare assemblage of work by some of Montana's finest.

Everyone is welcome.



Opening Reception:
Carla Potter, Go Figure
Exhibition runs October 4 - 25

Friday, October 4, 5:30 - 9 PM
The Clay Studio of Missoula
The Clay Studio of Missoula welcomes Helena based ceramic artist Carla Potter for a solo exhibition in October. As part of Carla’s vocabulary as an artist working with the small-scale figurine that has a critical social commentary, she has always made a parallel body of work that is based on a parody of historic artists or an impersonation of contemporary artists who she greatly admires and have had a personal and professional relationship with.

For this exhibition Carla has created several small vignettes in the more comedic realm of her interests. These vignettes incorporate either or both: a portrait of the artist in a format that relates to their work by bringing in both their personal trademark style and or a quirky commentary drawn from her experience with them. Many times these vignettes incorporate the character of the artist as a bad little Catholic girl. These works are not meant to be a criticism but are primarily made with the intent of affectionate fun. They are generally derivative of work made in the medium of clay but never limited solely to this source.

Carla Potter: Go Figure will be on display at the Clay Studio of Missoula from October 4-25, 2019, with an opening on Friday, October 4 from 5:30-9pm. Gallery events are free and open to the public.

This month’s exhibit is sponsored by The Healing Spot and Dumond’s Custom Furniture.
In addition to the reception, Carla will be teaching a one-day workshop Why Porcelain? - Approaches to Sculptural Techniques and Details on Saturday, October 5, from 10am—5pm.

This workshop will include a demonstration by Carla of her techniques, including her approach to working with the small-scale figurine, a discussion on her use of social commentary, and technical aspects and benefits of working with porcelain. A portion of time will be dedicated to some hands-on experimentation with this medium by
workshop participants. Materials and some basic supplies will be provided. All levels welcome.

Mr. Burns: A
Post-Apocalyptic Play

October 9 - 20
University of Montana
The University of Montana School of Theatre and Dance will present Anne Washburn’s “Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play” Oct. 9-20.

This production, presented in the Montana Theatre on campus, kicks off the mainstage season for the University.

“Mr. Burns” is directed by Jadd Davis, a directing Master of Fine Arts candidate, as his first mainstage show at UM. Performances take place at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 9-12 and Oct. 16-19 and at 2 p.m. Oct. 12-13 and Oct. 19-20.

Tickets are $20 for general admission, $16 for seniors and $12 for UM students. They are available by calling the UMArts Box Office at 406-243-4581 between noon and 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday or online here.

Audience discretion is advised as “Mr. Burns” includes mature themes and content.

Shortly after an apocalyptic event, a group of survivors band together and begin to recount the episode “Cape Feare” from the television show “The Simpsons.” The second act picks up with the same group seven years later, who have now formed a theatrical troupe that specializes in performing “Simpsons” episodes, commercials and all.

The final act is set 75 years in the future. The same episode of “The Simpsons,” now a familiar myth, has been reworked into a musical pageant, with the plot, characters and morals repurposed to fit the artistic and dramatic needs of a culture still reeling from the destruction of civilization and the near extinction of humanity decades earlier.

“‘Mr. Burns,’ more than anything else,” Davis said, “is a love letter to the power of the narrative and our human need to rally around our collective story. Where one story ends another begins – binding us together and flowing us forward to who knows where. It may be rife with raging darkness, but like every good story it also is punctuated with moments of the sublime.”

Real Poets Eat Quiche Luncheon
Help us celebrate 25 years of
Missoula writers
teaching kids creative writing.

Friday, October 11, 12 - 1 PM
Lobby, MCT Center for the Performing Arts
Since 1994, we have taught creative writing to more than 42,000 students from Missoula to Mission, from Pablo to Potomac, from Seeley Lake to Stevensville.

Friday, October 11, from Noon - 1 PM will will host our 'Real Poets Eat Quiche Luncheon' held in the Lobby of MCT Center for the Performing Arts at 200 N Adams St.

In addition to quiche, kid poetry, and a haiku challenge, join us to hear special guest 2019 Montana Poet Laureate Melissa Kwasny!

Reservations required. Please call (406) 549-3348 or email Missoulawriting@gmail.com
Montana Bliss Artwork
Monthly Culture Crawl
& Opening Reception:
South of the Border Treasures

Friday, October 11, 5 - 8 PM
Montana Bliss Artwork
101 S 7th St, Hamilton
Tom and Alene Tunny are partnering with Montana Bliss Artworks to donate 20% of all sales to benefit The Ravalli County Museum.

The Tunny’s have collected cultural art pieces from Brazil, Peru, Trinidad, and Venezuela and are now selling them.
The Tunny's will be at the opening show to share their story about these amazing pieces that you can acquire.

We welcome you to the opening show on  October 11 th  from  5-8pm  at  Montana Bliss Artworks  at  101 S 7 th  St, Hamilton .

See you there!

Montana Bliss Artwork
Monthly Culture Crawl
& Opening Reception:
South of the Border Treasures

Friday, October 11, 5 - 8 PM
Montana Bliss Artwork
101 S 7th St, Hamilton
Tom and Alene Tunny are partnering with Montana Bliss Artworks to donate 20% of all sales to benefit The Ravalli County Museum.

The Tunny’s have collected cultural art pieces from Brazil, Peru, Trinidad, and Venezuela and are now selling them.
The Tunny's will be at the opening show to share their story about these amazing pieces that you can acquire.

We welcome you to the opening show on  October 11 th  from  5-8pm  at  Montana Bliss Artworks  at  101 S 7 th  St, Hamilton .

See you there!
2019 Peace Party!


Sunday, October 13, 3:30 - 7:30 PM
Home Arts Building
Missoula Fairgrounds
The Jeannette Rankin Peace Center invites the entire community to join us for our fall Peace Party. Our theme is “We The People” as we remember the passing of the 19 th amendment 100 years ago and all the work toward equality in the past. We enjoy being part of a diverse community and we know how important it is to keep working for equality and justice for all people.

We invite you to wear your party attire and join us for an evening of serious fun. As you arrive, you will be greeted by the music of Chutzpah, playing the joyful Klezmer music of the old world. Tom Catmull will play as you enjoy dinner and the silent auction. And we will send you home with a little jazz from the Classy Kiwi Jazz Trio of Hellgate High students. And all evening, kids of all ages can enjoy a sugary engineering activity to show their creativity and inclusivity with marshmallows. And we are pleased to be able to offer face painting for anyone who wants to let their inner youngster shine.

Homestead Organics will offer food with the help from local growers and businesses. Beer, wine and kombucha is included in your ticket price. Our silent auction boasts a wide selection of goods and services reflecting our generous Missoula community, framed art pieces, gift certificates for a wide array of Missoula business, symphony tickets and more! And of course, you can bid on one of our traditional international dinners, featuring many great local cooks in the live auction, including Indian, Thai, Turkish and Portuguese. You can also win some amazing prizes in our raffle, like lunch at Scotty's Table or a float at our neighbor Enlyten Float Lab.

Come celebrate being part of this vibrant community with us. Please call 543-3955 if you’d like to donate items or volunteer. Tickets are still an excellent bargain at $50/individual, $90/couple and $10 less for JRPC members—this includes drinks, dinner, entertainment, silent and live auction, and children’s activities. You can also purchase a table of 10 for just $350 and have your own special celebration with some special treatment. 


Questions? Call us at 543-3955 or send an email to  peace@jrpc.org
Just for Kids!


Youth Events & Classes!
at Zootown Arts Community Center

Fall has arrived, and that means after school FUN with Young Artists After-school Program (YAAP) and Alternative Music Program (AMP)

AMP: Fall Coed Rock Camp
ZACC Northside Basement // Mondays & Wednesdays // September 16 – October 23 // 4 – 6 PM // $265 ($255 for members) // Ages 8 – 16
In this camp, young rockers of all genders will build self esteem through music exploration. Regardless of musical experience, campers will receive instruction in drums, bass, guitar, keyboards, and vocals. They will form a band, write an original song, and perform at a local venue on October 25th. Kids will also learn about music history, attend songwriting clinics, talk about stage presence, create flyers for their upcoming show, design a band logo and screen print T-shirts, and more. Part of the goal of the camp will be to create a safe, welcoming space for kids to spend quality time together, build relationships, and find their creative, rocking voice! All supplies and musical equipment provided.

YAAP: Costume Making
ZACC Northside Gallery // Thursdays // September 12 – October 24 // 3 – 5 PM // $125 ($115 for members) // Ages 6 – 12
Kids in this camp will utilize the ZACC's art supply closet to make all different kinds of costumes. We will take a look at historical and contemporary artists who use costumes in their work, and will learn different techniques such as sewing, hot glue, and felt work. This camp is perfect for anyone interested in fashion, textiles, cosplay, animals, or anyone who just wants to wow their friends on Halloween!

YAAP: Painting and Color Theory
ZACC Northside Gallery // Tuesdays // September 17 – October 22 // 4 – 6 PM // $95 ($85 for members) // Ages 12 – 17
In this camp, kids will explore color and its uses in historical and contemporary art and visual culture. Campers will investigate color theory, play and experiment with color in new ways and create acrylic paintings in various styles.

Fall/Winter Classes & Workshops at MCT!

The shorter days of fall mean more opportunities for young stars to shine brightly with the Missoula Children’s Theatre (MCT). With exciting productions and classes, MCT is where your children of all skill levels can explore their budding passion for theatre.

Rising Stars is specially crafted for grades K-2. Meeting Tues/Thur, Nov. 5-21, Rising Stars allows young performers to gain skills and confidence in a nurturing, fun atmosphere. Rising Stars will present an informal, non-ticketed performance on Thur, Nov. 21.

MCT’s innovative Play in a Day program is a day camp that occurs on most Missoula County Public Schools “no school days.” Within the course of one day, the K-8 performers will rehearse a small musical, which they then perform at 5:30PM. “I’m not Scared” (Oct. 17), “Monst-querade Ball” (Oct. 18), and “Dinosaurs” (Nov. 15) are this autumn’s Play in a Day performance themes.

Theatre Skills classes are for young performers ready for more in-depth work. Theatre Skills Classes will meet Sat mornings for six weeks, 10AM-12PM, Oct. 12-Nov. 16. Open to K-12, but divided into K-2, 3-6, and 7-12 classes, the fall session will focus on developing acting skills. Theatre Skills Classes will also be offered in Apr-May of 2020.

The falling temperatures of December will bring the magic of Disney’s Frozen Jr.! These classes, open to grades 7-12, run Dec. 3-Feb. 8, with performances Feb. 6-8, 2020.

Ongoing Exhibits
Translating Place
September 3 - October 3
Opening Reception
Sept 12 @ 5 pm
Gallery of Visual Arts // UM Campus


Matthew Hamon:
Ratljóst
July 12 - October 31
PARTV Building, UM

Atoms of our Frame
Sept 27 - November 2
Radius Gallery

Trophy Room
Sept. 14 - Dec. 28
Missoula Art Museum

Jack Franjevic:
Montana Modernists
Sept. 13 - Dec. 14
MMAC, Meloy Gallery
PARTV Center

Classes & Workshops
Painted Color Ceramics
(Corvallis)
For more details on Painted Color Ceramics & Classes, 
visit our  website!
Lakebottom Sound
Free Sessions
FIRST Sundays 6-8PM at Imagine Nation Brewing

Zootown Arts Community Center
For upcoming classes and details, please visit the 

Bare Bait Dance
Modern Dance Class
Open Space, 005 
PARTV Building, U of M
Tuesdays 5:30-7PM
Unity Dance & Drum
African Dance Class  
Missoula Senior Center
Tuesdays, 7-8:30PM
Contact: 549-7933
Missoula Art Museum
     Lunch Club - 30min tours & chats at MAM!

For full listings and more information on MAM's classes:  Website!


People's Market  
    Saturdays 9 AM - 1 PM
May through September
@ Higgins and Pine
The Clay Studio 
    of Missoula       
For information on ALL Adult and Kid classes at The Clay Studio of Missoula,  click here!
Downtown Dance Collective
Drop-In Classes
Ages 13+
For all experience levels
Website  
Flamenco Montana
Mondays at 
The Barn Movement studio
Beginners: Mondays 6:00-7:30PM
Continuing: Tuesdays 6:00-7:30PM
542-9270
Flamenco MT  website!
Art Calls, Auditions & Commissions

Auditions: Seussical!

Sunday, September 29, 12:30 - 4 PM
MCT Center for the Performing Arts
The Missoula Community Theatre will hold an open audition for Seussical on Sunday, Sept. 29 from 12:30-4:00 PM. Please use the Main Street entrance and go to the third floor. The audition is open to women, men, and children ages 12 and up. Director Andy Meyers will audition adults (age 17 and up) from 12:30-2:30 PM. Youth (ages 12-16) will audition from 2:30-4:00 PM. Meyers is expecting to cast approximately 10 adult females, 10 adult males, and 6 youth.

Meyers says that all the roles require strong singer-dancer-actors. He plans to incorporate many special skills into the imaginative world of Dr. Seuss, including juggling, acrobats and tumbling, mime, unicycle riding, an array of dance styles, and magic tricks.
No advance preparation is required to audition. Call-backs for dance and specific characters will take place late Sunday afternoon and evening. Meyers expects that rehearsals will be weeknights from 7-10:30 PM (younger cast members will be released at 9PM) and some weekend afternoons. Those auditioning should note that Seussical performances are Dec. 5-22.

Seussical director Andy Meyers is the Artistic Director of Fort Peck Summer Theatre, and a frequent guest director/choreographer at Arizona Broadway Theatre, Bigfork Summer Playhouse, and the Public Theatre of San Antonio.

**For questions regarding auditions, or to inquire about a perusal script, please call MCT at 728-PLAY(7529) Monday-Friday between 9AM and 5PM.
Radius Gallery invites artists far and wide to submit original artworks to its 6th annual Holiday Show!

This show aims to bring together an abundance of original art by artists across Montana and beyond, and to offer collectors and gift givers alike a wide variety of unique, high quality and affordable works.

Submission Deadline: September 30

Friends and Family Art Call!
All past and present staff, board members, volunteers, studio holders, instructors, students, ZACC Main & Hallway Gallery artists, and ZACC collaborators are invited to submit to our 2019 Friends and Family Show! Anyone belonging to any of these groups who submits work will be accepted!

Deadline: November 3
The DDC has many opportunities for artists to participate in group and solo exhibitions. Show your work for one or two months in the heART of downtown and have your work featured on First Friday. All visual artists welcome!  

Email us a sample of your work, description of your show, and possible dates you would like have your work shown.  INFO@DDCMONTANA.COM
KBGA Missoula artists radio show. Talk about an art event, life as an artists, etc.
Want to make sure you never miss an art call? Sign up for the City of Missoula Public Art Committee's artist registry! Sign up here to be the first to receive art calls!
Volunteer Opportunities
Partners & Affiliates
Click the links below for more information
Sister Cities:
Palmerston North, New Zealand & Neckargemünd, Germany