This week’s Missoula Arts & Culture happenings are provided by the Missoula Cultural Council – Connecting Art, Culture and Community through Education, Advocacy and Celebration.
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Current exhibits at the Missoula Art Museum include Alison Reintjes: Double Column through July 27; Chris Autio: Hands On through July 26; Blessing way: Prints by Melanie Yazzie through September 6; Bill Ohrmann: Tainted Revelations through October 11; Crossing the River: Hmong Story Cloths through October 25. Pictured below, the newly refurbished Edgar Paxson Murals will be exhibited through September 6, before returning to the Missoula County Courthouse.
The Montana Museum of Art & Culture at the University of Montana presents Sandra Dal Poggetto: Meditations on the Field, opening July 17 in the Paxson and Meloy Galleries. Throughout the summer and early fall of 2014, Helena-based artist Sandra Dal Poggetto will be featured in a solo exhibition of new and recent works at the Montana Museum of Art & Culture at The University of Montana. Dal Poggetto uses an abstract language and fragments of the western landscape-hide, feathers, wood and wire-to create evocative paintings and drawings. She draws on and deconstructs both Euro-American pictorial language and American Indian visual traditions.
The Missoula Children’s Theatre summer day camps continue for children grades 1-12. Pinocchio started this morning, and performances are Saturday, July 12 and 13 at 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. each day. Registration is open until Friday, July 18 for the final camp, which is The Secret Garden, July 21-27. There are limits on the number of participants in certain age groups.
The Missoula Downtown Association’s Out to Lunch and Downtown Tonight are now in full swing and continue throughout the summer. This week features the Mudslide Charley on Wednesday at lunch, and “Best of Missoula” Winners Thursday evening. Visit for the full schedule.
The newly refurbished Edgar Paxson Murals will be exhibited through September 6 at the Missoula Art Museum.
Missoula City Band continues the summer season this Wednesday at Bonner Park. This week’s program features the Sweet Adelines and Bill Hollin.
The next outing of the Friendship Force of Missoula and Western Montana outing will be July 12 – a Day trip starting at 9:00 a.m. to Hamilton. We will stopping at the courthouse museum, then lunch downtown, later the Daly Mansion, and possibly the Swanson Orchards/Winery. We will enjoy finding out what happens in this small town just down the road.
The Missoula Winery presents the Ed Norton Big Band on July 13 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Where else can you do the Lindy Hop to a great live band?
The University of Montana, in partnership with the Missoula Public Library’s The Big Read program, has selected “The Things They Carried” by National Book Award-winner Tim O’Brien as the 2014 First-Year Reading Experience book. This is the first time the University has partnered with the Missoula community to share a common read. The collaboration, which is supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, offers students and community members common ground for meaningful discussion. Many community partners and sponsors will offer programming, exhibits and other involvement opportunities to discuss the themes of the book. The author will be on campus Tuesday, October 28, to speak to the freshman class as well as to the campus and Missoula communities.
Shakespeare and Co. presents Zachary Schomburg reading from his new collection, The Book of Joshua, Mathais Svalina, and Alicia Mountain, 7:00 p.m. on July 8; and Keetje Kuipers, author of The Keys to the Jail, and Kevin Goodan read from their new work, 7:00 p.m. on July 9.
Fact & Fiction presents Mike Steinberg from The Roxy will interviewing Kenneth Turan about his new book Not to be Missed, followed by audience Q&A and book signing, at 7:00 p.m. tonight, July 7; Tony Zenner signing The Last Ride Up, 10:30 a.m. to Noon July 12. Both events are at F&F Downtown. In addition, Fact & Fiction presents “Find Waldo Local in MISSOULA!” from July 7 through July 31.
The Missoula County Tavern Owners Association and its members as well as four local breweries (Bayern, Big Sky, Draught Works and Kettlehouse) have joined are pleased to announce the next Garden City Community Brew. The Lemon Lager brewed by Big Sky Brewing Company will debut on July 10 at Downtown Tonight at Caras Park.
The Dana Gallery presents the 12th annual Paint-Out from July 12-16, featuring 20 artists from the western region to paint Montana’s beautiful outdoors. As a preview, Dana Gallery presents a workshop by Robert Moore. Robert’s work has been included in publications in several major magazines, such as Southwest Art and Big Sky Journal. He was also awarded the 2012 Governor’s Award in the Arts in Twin Falls, Idaho. The workshop will be on Saturday, July 12, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Montana Repertory Theatre’s Missoula Colony 19: Women Creating Theatre Plays Written, Directed, Organized, and Produced by Women runs July 12-19 at the University of Montana. Three noted playwrights-Deb Laufer, Molly Rice, and Julia Jordan-will lead the Colony along with Salina Chatlain, who has produced the Colony for the past two years. Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright Marsha Norman will also be participating. They’ll be joined by other women producers, dramaturgs, and directors.
Missoula Outdoor Cinema presents Finding Nemo on July 12 at dusk (9:30 p.m.) at 1001 Worden Street on the North Side.
The Loft of Missoula presents the KVD Trio on July 16 at 7:30 p.m., featuring Kevin Van Dort, vocals, guitar, Stuart Garney, bass, and Vally Lopez, drums. This show will be a blend of acoustic/electric blues and original High Mountain Soul Music. This band spent 14 years in Missoula and is now based in the Flathead. The Loft is located upstairs in the LaFlesch Building, 119 W. Main Street. $5 suggested donation and all money collected goes to the musicians. Please bring any beverage of your choice. Glasses and stemware provided. And a snack to share is always welcome.
Zootown Arts Community Center Rocks the Hood Saturday, July 19, from 3:00-9:00 p.m. at ZACC, North 1st Street West. This all-day festival features non-profits from all across the Northside and Westside neighborhoods of Missoula as well as a full line up of bands and entertainment. The Garden City Lady Arm Wrestlers (G-Claw) will be returning this year alongside the new Stensrud Playhouse-Improv and Dinner Theatre. The lineup of bands includes Gerygone and Twig, Ampersand and The Alsos, Family Friendly Hip Hop hour with DJ Brand-One, Traff The Wiz, Tonsofun, Wormwood, and All Night Alibi.
Summer Classes at The Clay Studio of Missoula continue at 1106 Hawthorne.
Zootown Arts Community Center is offering Summer Camps throughout the summer in several artistic areas.
The Missoula Art Museum has an Art Class for everyone – children, teens, adults and families.
Living Art of Montana presents “Therein Lies the Rub” with Diana Reetz-Stacey, MSW,Wednesday, July 16, noon-1:30 p.m. for anyone who has or has had cancer. The Living Art Studio is located at 725 W. Alder, Ste. #17.
Joan Baez Performs at the Dennison Theatre on Thursday July 17.
Joan Baez performs at the University of Montana Dennison Theatre on Thursday, July 17, courtesy of UM Productions. Tickets cost $40 in advance and $42 day of show and are available at all GrizTix locations, including Southgate Mall, Worden’s Market, the Source in the University Center, MSO Hub and the Adams Center Box Office. Tickets also can be purchased by calling 406-243-4051 or toll free 1-888-MONTANA or visiting griztix.com.
The Downtown Dance Collective offers summer classes on Wednesday evenings through July.
Tangled Tones Music Studio is offering Digital Recording camps in July for ages 8-12 and 13 and up. For all information, visit here.
The Missoula Writing Collaborative presents Words With Wings, in its ninth year. Tuition for one week, mornings only, from 9:00 a.m. to noon, is $150. Tuition for one week, all day, is $250. Tuition for two weeks, five days, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., is $450.
Summer Aikido Intro for beginning adults starts Tuesday, July 8 at 5:30 p.m. This class meets Tuesdays & Thursdays, 5:30-6:45 p.m., through July 31.
The Montana Natural History Center offers Wild Explorers II Summer Camp July 21-25, for kids in 3rd through 5th Grade. Call 327-0405 to register.
Missoula Community Access Television is offering a new animation camp for kids 9 through 13. The camp runs Monday July 21 through Friday July 25. This is an afternoon camp from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. with a live television cablecast show and reception on Friday July 25 at 5:00 p.m. to showcase the works created by campers during the week. The cost is $100 per camper. Campers will make short animations using Playdough and Leggos in MCAT’s 600 square foot green-screen studio. MCAT provides snacks and all materials for the camp.
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Tom Bensen has lived in Missoula since 1986, and has been the executive director of the Missoula Cultural Council since June 2004. He has directed First Night Missoula each New Year’s Eve since 1997. He is a member of Missoula’s choral ensemble Dolce Canto, and enjoys being outdoors, whether it is hiking, biking, skiing, walking the dogs, or mowing the lawn. His wife Susan works for Montana Public Radio, and their son Peter attends Hellgate High School.