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Home My WebLink About05-19-26 Correspondence - MT Arts Council - ARTeries_ News from the Montana Arts Council for Mid May 2026From:Montana Arts CouncilTo:Bozeman Public CommentSubject:[EXTERNAL]ARTeries: News from the Montana Arts Council for Mid May 2026Date:Thursday, May 14, 2026 2:56:59 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 American flag by nationally renowned Montana artist Troy Collins of Hamilton—a member of the Montana Arts Council. Art can thrive without democracy, but democracy cannot survive without the free expression of art and creative ideas. What does America 250 mean? To some it’s a spectacle of patriotism; to others a deep dive into the meaning and practice of democracy. With America 250, our nation marks two and a half centuries of this fragile, improvisational art called the American experiment. Like America itself the Declaration of Independence is complicated and ambitious, filled with hope and compromise, a rebuke to tyranny and oppression, containing ideas we've since moved beyond and those we still hold dear today, and an enduring work of literary and persuasive beauty. It's this imperfect document which began our quest for a more perfect union, as the colonies pledged their mutual honor for liberty, self-sovereignty, and freedom. As America is many things, so is the Declaration—and so is its 250th celebration. Art is the only container big enough to carry all the ambiguities and contradictions in life, and so we can’t celebrate—or even comprehend—America’s 250th without the breadth and depth of expression that art provides. The Montana Arts Council joins in this enormously popular celebration, one of the few activities around which a huge percentage of Americans of all political views are gathering. Let the chorus of questions, challenges, debates, and celebrations ring out. Join with your own creative voice. Let life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness inspire you to make art. MAC will be collecting examples of your reflections throughout the year, and sharing them widely. Read the text of the Declaration here. Let freedom ring. Krys Holmes Executive Director krys.holmes@mt.gov Be heard. Advocate for the NEA before May 21 Congress has begun considering FY2027 budgeting in earnest. Time to rally 'round funding for the National Endowment for the Arts. The House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee is scheduled to meet on May 21 to consider the NEA’s budget, and we expect the subcommittee to release its proposed funding level shortly beforehand. This creates a critical window for engagement. Montana’s Rep. Ryan Zinke sits on the committee, and his support of the NEA is critical. Please encourage your board and supporters to contact Rep. Zinke to urge him to support funding for the NEA at $213 million for FY2027. Contact Rep. Zinke here. Come work with MAC! The Montana Arts Council is hiring a full-time accounting tech and office manager to work in our Helena office, who'll help make sure all our operations and grants run smoothly. We love our work supporting and share the arts in Montana; if you'd like to be a part of that (and work in a fun office setting and earn state benefits) let us know by applying now. Read the full job description and apply here. Spotlight By Force, by Rose Schreiber, was one of a collection of pieces the artist shipped to the NCECA exhibit “Fluid State of Land” in Detroit this year. A Strategic Investment Grant from the Arts Council helped cover those transport expenses. Ceramic Artist Rose Schrieber If you know any artists who work in ceramics, you know that the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) Conference is a big deal. This year, Bozeman artist Rose Schreiber was invited to exhibit at the conference for a show called “Fluid State of Land.” This group exhibition marked the sesquicentennial of the founding of the United States. Schreiber’s work, dealing with western Montana’s mining history, brought an opportunity to represent her community on a national stage. But first, Schreiber had to figure out how to safely transport her large-scale ceramic wall tiles to Detroit. By applying for and receiving a Strategic Investment Grant from the Montana Arts Council, Schreiber safely packed and shipped the artworks (with only one minor packing foam-related hiccup). The exhibition was a huge success, with over 1,000 visitors viewing the work, and interested collectors reaching out afterwards. Good Things Two men in white t-shirts, facing each othher, stand by a river Schuyler Vargas (right) as Norman, and Michael Kuhn, as his brother Paul, star in Opera Montana’s newly commissioned work, “A River Runs Through It,” premiering at the Ellen Theatre in Bozeman Sept. 18. On May 20, Opera Montana will present a preview of their new opera, A River Runs Through It, at National Sawdust in New York. The new opera, by composer Zach Redler and librettists Matt Foss and Kelley Rourke, celebrate the 50th anniversary of Norman Maclean’s classic novel, set in Montana. Mark your calendars, Montanans: The full opera will premiere September 18th at the Ellen Theatre in Bozeman. Learn more here. For Artists Spiff up your artist’s website on May 19 Springboard for the Arts is offering a free “Website Basics for Artists” webinar Tuesday, May 19 5:00-7:30 pm MT. It’s part of their “Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists” webinar series, a professional development curriculum designed to teach business skills to artists in all disciplines. This webinar is led by Aniessa Antar, a Minneapolis software engineer and culture organizer. Learn more and register here. Niche Markets for Writers In a May 28th webinar, author Rachel Werner will help writers explore how to break into niche markets like children’s literature, comics, work-for-hire IP projects, and general interest nonfiction books. It’s Thursday, May 28, 5:00-7:00 pm MT. Learn more and register here. Can’t attend the free webinar for artists, hosted by Springboard for the Arts? You can download their free pdf, Work Of Art, by clicking here.For Arts Organizations A Sea Change In Giving for the Arts Indiana University has published a report analyzing how Congress’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB), passed last July, is expected to impact philanthropy across the U.S. Overall, the new law is expected to decrease charitable giving by about $5.69 billion per year. Total corporate giving will decrease by $1.55 billion. But the number of households who give may increase by about 8 million. Where’s the opportunity? Let your supporters know that the new universal charitable deduction for those who don’t itemize creates a new opportunity for supporting your organization. Read more here. Take a deep dive in the refreshing waters of leadership support at MNA’s Nonprofit Leader Retreat at Fairmont Hot Springs June 1-2. Montana's Nonprofit Leaders Hold Retreat to Move Forward The Montana Nonprofit Association (MNA) hosts its nonprofit leader retreat at Fairmont Hot Springs June 1-2. It’s for EDs and board chairs who want to strengthen their governance and operational leadership. MNA will follow up with future connection points to deepen impact of your growth. Learn more and complete an interest form here. Are you an MPAC member? All of Montana’s performing arts presenters should be members of MPAC by now— Montana Performing Arts Consortium. One great benefit is their new Connect & Learn Lab, providing a whole series of free online learning opportunities starting May 26. Check them out here. These workshops can strengthen your board, open your eyes to new opportunities, and help you strategize new ideas. Good Idea! Montana novelist Mildred Walker (1905-1988), author of Winter Wheat and 12 other books, is a current inductee in the Gallery of Outstanding Montanans. As the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote, “You are either a Mildred Walker enthusiast or you are missing one of the best writers of the American scene.” Nominate an outstanding Montanan The Gallery of Outstanding Montanans pays homage to deceased Montanans who made contributions of state or national significance, and whose lives epitomized the unique spirit and character that defines Montana. Nominees must have been born, raised or lived a significant period of time in Montana. No living persons are eligible for nomination. Do you have someone in mind? First, check this link to see who has already been inducted. Check out the nomination questions here—best to write up your material ahead of time. When you’re ready, go here to submit your nomination. Deadline is June 14th. Questions? Email the perspicacious Martha Kohl at the Montana Historial Society: mkohl@mt.gov. A contemplative stroll around the Berkeley Pit Since when was ambling around Butte’s Berkeley Pit a contemplative act? We’re eager to read Nicholas Triolo’s The Way Around: A Field Guide to Going Nowhere, just selected by the Montana Center for the Book as a 2026 Great Reads from Great Places selection. This designation puts the book on the statewide One Book Montana list, so copies will be available from your local library. More about the book here. White Divider A series of three recent State of the Arts front pages Do you receive the State of the Arts Newspaper? 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 “The words came so fast they seemed to roll down hill. Nobody ever calls it all that; it's just spring wheat, but I like the words." —Mildred Walker, Winter Wheat 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