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Home My WebLink About03-19-26 Correspondence - Montana Arts Council - ARTeries_ News from the Montana Arts Council for Late March 2026From:Montana Arts CouncilTo:Bozeman Public CommentSubject:[EXTERNAL]ARTeries: News from the Montana Arts Council for Late March 2026Date:Thursday, March 19, 2026 2:03:22 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. The latest from Montana's state arts agency ARTeries - The Lifeblood of Arts In Montana White Divider Bozeman's Ani Casabonne sings and fiddles during an improvised rain-delay performance under the beer tent at Red Ants Pants. Sing out. We listen. Two years ago the Arts Council launched a statewide survey of artists, arts organizations, city/town leaders, and community members to gauge needs and opportunities across the arts and culture field in Montana. Thoughtful responses from nearly 900 participants—in every county—have informed our work and our planning ever since. The question eliciting the most interesting response was: Other than grants, what is the most important thing the Arts Council can do to support a vibrant arts and culture field in Montana? Respondents ranked promoting awareness and appreciation of the arts at the top, and advocating for public funding second. MAC continues to prioritize the programs that support and uplift arts and arts education statewide. We are also expanding on these two additional directives, more robustly promoting Montana’s vibrant and varied arts scenes, and developing more advocacy and public education tools. We never stop asking, “Even with our limited resources, what can we do to support your good work?” Because art and culture are the beating heart of a healthy, vibrant society. Keep singing out. We’ll listen. Krys Holmes Executive Director krys.holmes@mt.gov Spotlight Laurel Sears: Receive, a Dance for the Wild Choreographers carry complex, moving visions in their heads that take enormous work, collaboration, and risk to bring into being. With a Montana Arts Council Strategic Investment Grant (SIG), Missoula choreographer Laurel Sears created “RECEIVE, A Dance for the Wild,” which premiered in three sold-out performances at West Side Theater last month. “The work explores the sacred feminine—a force within all people that is both quiet and untamed, nurturing and powerful,” Sears wrote in her application. It had a five- dancer intergenerational cast, some of whom returned to the stage after years away. “Viewers shared that they resonated deeply with the themes explored in the piece, including flow, rest, play, grief, and wildness,” Sears reports. The SIG program funds small, quick-turnaround grants up to $1000 for expenses related to opportunities for professional development, market expansion, and art events. For Sears, the grant helped with costume and marketing costs. For more information about SIG grants, contact Brian Moody: brian.moody2@mt.gov, or go here. For Artists Fairs and Festivals Logo with tent, palette, and fireworks It’s fair & festival time Artists who make their living at fairs and festivals know it’s time to gear up and submit your work for a busy season. Here are two websites to help you find the right events to focus on: Montana Fairs and Festivals Website lists fairs & festivals all over the country, searchable by name, date, and location. Montana’s Art shows and craft fairs 2026–2027 lists opportunities by date and location. Good luck out there. Poetry Foundation conferences inspire great work—and more than a little laughter. Summer Poetry Teachers Institute The Poetry Foundation offers a free 4+-day poetry teaching institute July 13-17 in Chicago. K-12 teachers, college educators, librarians and administrators gather to craft poetry lesson/unit plans, discuss poetry with renowned poets and teachers, and gain 30 PD hours. Applications close tomorrow, March 20, so hurry over here to learn more and fill out their super-easy form. A clear whiteboard with diagrams of web page architecture Building an Artist’s Website How do you get your website started and make sure it showcases your work and connects you to your audience? Check out this recorded webinar by artist Maria Lavender for important pro tips. Courtesy of Arts Midwest. Artists Thrive! logo with color shapes inside type Artists Thrive Is Next Week If you missed the registration deadline but really want to attend this unique convening to support artists in their careers, contact Krys Holmes: krys.holmes@mt.gov. We can still make room for you. In Billings March 24-26. Go here for more info. For Arts Organizations A trio of actors embrace as the person on the left gestures and speaks to the other two. Paris Bradstreet, James Hendley, and Libby Zabit appear in Hamlet. Growing An Arts Organization Is Hard Arts Midwest offers free webinars that offer great help. April 8th it’s Strategic Partnerships and Mergers among arts nonprofits. April 15th: Social Media Video Tactics for Arts Organizations. And April 22: Succession Planning for Sustainability. Check out this valuable series and register here. MASO In Practice Graphic with logo and conference details as described in text Symphonies Unite Montana Assoc. of Symphony Orchestras holds its annual conference, In Practice, June 22-24 in Bozeman. Symphony staff, board members, and leaders join together for peer discussions, cohort meetings and sessions led by experienced leaders. Learn more and register here. Creative West Logo, with pink, teal, green, and orange interlocking loops Folk Art & Beyond Grant Opportunity Beef up your local folk and traditional arts programs with a $1,000 grant from Creative West’s Living Traditions: Folk Art & Beyond Grant. This program supports projects that honor, share, and transmit folk art and cultural traditions in ways that strengthen community bonds, foster intergenerational connection, and expand access to cultural expression. Creative West is seeking applicants from Montana. Applicants must be a nonprofit, tribal college or local government. Go here to learn more, and scroll down to “2025-2026 Living Traditions.” National Council of Nonprofits Logo featuring blue swoosh visual Changes to SAM? Oh, No… The General Services Administration has proposed significant changes to the System for Award Management (SAM), the online federal grant portal. The proposed changes would require all federal grant applicants to sign new certifications under penalty of criminal and civil law. You have until March 30 to submit public comments about the proposed changes. The National Council of Nonprofits explains, and offers action steps here. Publicize Your Events Two great (and getting better) event calendars promoting arts and culture happenings across the state. We recommend: Lively Times text logo Livelytimes.com Click on “Submit an Event” in the upper right corner. Montana state tourism text logo VisitMT.com/events Scroll down to the bottom, and click on: “Add your event to our calendar here.” White Divider Subscribe to our free newspaper? Yes, you should. The Montana Arts Council's statewide quarterly publication is free and available in print and digital formats. Learn more about Montana's arts and the people who make them, check the calendar of events for what's happening soon, and stay up to date on all the Arts Council's grants and program news. Subscribe today to get the next issue in your mailbox. Subscribe Now! Cool Quotes Digitization makes copies perfect and cheap, so the original becomes precious in a new way. —Douglas McLennan, Diacritical/Arts Journal Rectangular horizontal shape in red-purple color Manage Subscriptions | Unsubscribe All | Help Montana Arts Council | 830 N. Warren Street | Helena, MT 59601 | art.mt.gov This email was sent to comments@bozeman.net using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: MontanaArts Council