HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-01-26 Correspondence - MT Arts Council - ARTeries_ News from the Montana Arts Council for Early May 2026From:Montana Arts CouncilTo:Bozeman Public CommentSubject:[EXTERNAL]ARTeries: News from the Montana Arts Council for Early May 2026Date:Thursday, April 30, 2026 4:14:59 PM
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The latest from Montana's state arts agency
ARTeries - The Lifeblood of Arts In Montana
White Divider
Bozeman's Random Acts of Silliness leads its annual Menagerie of the Imaginary lantern parade, involving kids of all
ages to create light, whimsey, art—and community.
What will return Americans to a vibrant community life, to strong social connections,
to a sense of belonging? Findings from three national surveys show that
participation in the arts—attending, creating, or supporting arts activities—
engenders a clear and consistent result in Americans’ likelihood of getting more
engaged in civic and community life. One of the surveys showed that adults who
participated in the arts exhibited a nearly fourfold increase in their likelihood of
participating civic and community engagement. These figures held true across all
demographics and socioeconomic levels. You can read the report here.
Combat loneliness? Strengthen communities? Improve mental health? Boost
graduation rates? A growing body of research shows that making art, going to arts
events, and getting involved in the arts is powerful medicine that helps society in
many ways. Art is so much more than decoration or entertainment—it is the very stuff
our spirits are nourished by, as individuals and as a people. Go nourish yourself with
art this week. Then invite someone else, and pass it along.
Krys Holmes
Executive Director
krys.holmes@mt.gov
Bearded man pretending to yell into old style red telephone receiver
You may not have a hotline to the White House, but you have a voice in democracy. Call your Congressmen now to
urge support for the National Endowment for the Arts at $213 million for FY2027. Photo of, by, and for Eric Heidle.
ADVOCACY CORNER
The House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee has scheduled the budget markup
on May 21 for considering funding the National Endowment for the Arts. Today is a
good day to contact Senators Daines and Sheehy and Reps. Zinke and Downing.
You’ll want to thank them for supporting steady funding for the NEA, as Congress has
done, and tell them why funding the NEA and the NEH at $213 million for federal
FY27 is important to your community and to Montana. Be bold, be personal, be
gracious. And be quick.
Spotlight
Group of people at table reading documents
Hard at work: The inaugural Art Works Cohort is Audrey Hyvonen of Kalispell, Jennifer Mathson of Bozeman, Dwight
Cushman of Red Lodge, Lara Taubner of Hamilton, Carol Remington of Laurel, Christina Dickson of Deer Lodge,
Janet Rawlings-Spangler of Livingston, Emma Wickens of Hilger, Anita Matthews of Butte, Emory Padgett of Helena,
Miguel Martinez of Red Lodge, Chickie Rich of Kalispell, Leslie Gregory of Livingston, Emily Eckhardt of Lewistown,
and Christina Rice of Missoula. Keep an eye on these artists!
The Spring Art Works Cohort Reaches the Halfway Point!
Through the Art Works program (formerly Montana Artrepreneur Program), a group of
15 artists from around the state have been coming together this spring to hone their
entrepreneurship skills. Since late March, the Art Workers have grappled with goal
setting, artist statements, gallery relationships, self-assessments, marketing plans,
and more. Guiding the participants through these dense topics have been excellent
facilitators: Bruna Massadas of Bozeman and Samantha Alario of Missoula.
The next half of the course will be led by the equally capable teachers Sheri Jarvis of
Sheridan and Jennifer Webber of Billings. This cohort of Art Works students have
set the bar very high with their commitment, attentiveness, and creativity. Keep an
eye out for artist profiles in future ARTeries!
For Artists
Title Screen: Creative West Capacity Building Webinar Series
Creative West offers free resources and webinars for artists.
Creators’ Legal Roadmap
Relationships matter, and a connection between Creative West and the law firm
Counsel for Creators (Pasadena, CA) makes available to artists the Creators’ Legal
Roadmap, a guide for artists to help demystify legal issues like copyright
infringement, contract disputes, and common business situations. Get yours free
here.
And did you catch the March 10th free webinar on Contracts, Pricing, and Artists Self-
Protection? You can watch the video here, and you can also register for the May 12
webinar, “Buildling Your Own Artist Residency.”
For Arts Organizations
$33.19
How are you valuing volunteer time?
When grant applications ask you for in-kind contributions, is your valuation of
volunteer time up to date? Independentsector.org puts the current national value of
volunteer time at $36.14 as of 2025. The Montana-specific value was set at $33.19
(rates adjusted for cost of living). Download the 1-page report here, and send your
volunteers some flowers!
Baseball player Pete Rose sliding into base head-first with arms outstretched
The best boards are high-functioning teams of individually remarkable people. Train your board to be rock stars with
MNA’s board training webinars.
Tools for high-performing boards
Montana Nonprofit Association has your back—and wants to help make your board
the best in can be. Next week they’re offering a 2-day course on “Tools for High
Performing Boards,” designed for well functioning boards ready to step up and
become great. Learn more and register here.
Good Idea!
Video frame of Cozy, a dark-haired young woman, with bulletin board beside her
Cozy, an Arlee participant in a healthy cooking class featured in the MT-PECH Community Film Series, says she
enjoys inspiring her friends to cook. This young film star is helping spread the good news of healthy cooking.
Food is culture
The Montana Partnership to End Childhood Hunger (MT-PECH) is launching a
collaborative film series of six short stories that shine a bright light on Montana
schools and communities that are bettering community health through food. MAC had
a voice in planning this film series—and you view some of them now! Each film gives
a microphone to the people on-the-ground doing the work to strengthen culture, end
childhood hunger, and bring people together. The 7-minute films feature exciting
homegrown projects in Arlee, Hinsdale, Pablo, Conrad, Polson, and Fairview. Watch
them here.
White Divider
A series of three recent State of the Arts front pages
Do you receive the State of the Arts Newspaper?
New issue fresh off the stands! State of the Arts is free, statewide, and fun to read.
You can subscribe here to get one in your mailbox.
Subscribe Now!
Cool Quotes
“Art is much less important than life, but what a poor life without it.”
Robert Motherwell
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