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Missoula Cultural Council – Some news and upcoming events for the week of September 5, 2005

Some news and upcoming events for the week of September 5, 2005

Today is Labor Day. There are plenty of web sites giving a history of this uniquely American holiday, including The History of Labor Day Observance , US Department of Labor History of Labor Day , and PBS Origins of Labor Day

In Missoula…

The Montana Museum of Art and Culture presents the national traveling exhibition Ancient Threads, Newly Woven: Recent Art from China’s Silk Road from Tuesday, September 6 through Saturday, October 15. The exhibition highlights over 60 works by contemporary artists living and working in the Silk Road cities of Xi’an, Lanzhou, Dunhuang, Urumqi and Kashgar. Works include paintings, prints and pen and ink drawings by formally trained artists and by farmers and herdsmen whose ancestors crossed the ancient route trading goods and ideas. An opening reception will be held at the museum from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Friday, September 9. Visiting artist Nijat Hushur from China will speak at 6:00 p.m. During the reception, Nancy Matthews, vice president of Arts and Communications for Meridian International Center, Washington, D.C., will discuss the creation of the exhibition. Recent travelers of the Silk Road, UM geography Professor Jeff Gritzner and Yvonne Gritzner, program officer for the Montana Committee for the Humanities, also will give a presentation at the reception. At 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27, a gallery talk related to the exhibition will feature Ardeshir Kia, UM professor of art and geography. The museum is located in the Performing Arts and Radio/Television Center at The University of Montana. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 4 to 8:30 p.m. For more information about the exhibition and the Montana Museum of Art and Culture, visit http://www.umt.edu/partv/famus or contact Barbara Koostra at 243-2019 or [email protected]

The Missoula Children’s Theatre needs you! Want to know more about Acting? Dancing? Singing? Sewing? Carpentry? Lighting? Sound? Props? Do you have talents and skills sitting in the back of a dusty drawer that hasn’t been opened in years? Do you have an interest in live theatre but have never been sure what you can do to get involved? To find out what roles you can play in the upcoming year, both onstage and off, come to the Season Preview and Volunteer Orientation Night, Wednesday September 7, starting at 7:00 p.m. at the MCT Center for the Performing Arts, 425 East Broadway. For information call Greg Boris at 728-1911.

The Missoula Art Museum is honored to announce a new acquisition of a Rat Jar made by Jay Rummel and Doug Grimm in 1981. The artwork was a bequest gift from Bruce Lee, who passed away last August. The gift signifies Bruce’s generous spirit and commitment to his hometown, and the artwork embodies his many personal friendships with Missoula’s artists.

The Missoula Art Museum is also pleased to welcome California artist Inez Storer and her whimsical yet profound collage work to the MAM’s Temporary Contemporary from September 2 through October 15. Storer will be an artist-in residence from October 6 through 11, with sponsorship provided by the Jim and Jane Dew Visiting Artist Fund, MAM and UM’s art department. MAM will present a Gallery Talk with curators Stephen Glueckert and Renee Taaffe on Thursday, September 8, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.; and an ARTWALK Reception on Friday, September 9, from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. For more information visit http://www.missoulaartmuseum.org or call 728-0447.

The UC Gallery Presents Pink Collar Art, an exhibit by Nancy Hathaway from August 29 – September 23, with an opening reception on Friday, September 9, from 5:00-7:00 p.m., preceded by a Gallery Talk at 4:00 p.m. The gallery is located at UC 227, second floor, northwest corner of the University Center. For more information call Ben Malouf, UC Gallery Coordinator, at 243-4991

The Dana Gallery presents exhibition of paintings by Keith Hardin from September 9 – October 4, with an opening reception on Friday, September 9 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. 246 North Higgins Ave. For more information contact 721-3154, [email protected] or visit http://www.danagallery.com

Art Missoula, LLC has re-opened, sharing space with Earthly Goods at 517 South Higgins. Hours are 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Tues-Sat. On view are new riverfront paintings by Lisa Hofman featuring the Water Wise Park & John Toole Riverfront Park, and glass by Missoula native Richard deGrandpre. For more information call Lisa at 721-5426.

The Missoula Folklore Society presents the Cantrells at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, September 9 at the Crystal Theater, and presents Kelly Joe Phelps with special guest Tom Catmull on Friday September 16, at 8:00 p.m. at Parkside at the Wilma (formerly Marianne’s). Tickets are available at Rockin Rudy’s. Tickets available at Rockin Rudy’s. For more information contact [email protected] or visit http://www.montanafolk.com

Montana Natural History Center presents Take the Fear out of Nature Drawing with Nancy Seiler Anderson for Saturday Discovery Day on September 10: 10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. (includes lunch break) Cost is $20/$15 MNHC members. In this three-hour class, Nancy will show you how to really “see” what you’re drawing. Learn to observe your subject and understand the difference between positive and negative space and how it can help your drawing. We will begin inside, practicing these techniques using mounted birds and animals. If the weather permits we’ll head outside to the Moon-Randolph Homestead for some drawing practice using found natural objects. Bring a sack lunch. The materials list will be mailed to you and also will be available on Nancy’s website, http://www.nancyseiler.com . Class-size is limited; registration required. Adults and children over 13 welcome. For more information call 327 0405 or visit http://www.MontanaNaturalist.com

The 10th annual Hempfest is in Caras Park on Saturday, September 10. Call 542-8696 or visit http://www.missoulahempfest.com

It’s time to eat, drink and oom-pah once again at Germanfest, on Sunday, September 11, from 3-6 p.m. in Caras Park. For the eleventh straight year, Missoulians will celebrate German culture and our Sister City relationship with Neckargemund, Germany. This cultural celebration features fun for the entire family, with dancing and music by the Bavarian Echoes from Kalispell. For the hungry and thirsty, there will be plenty of bratwurst, sauerkraut, potato salad, pretzels, dessert, pop and German beer for sale. There will also be a raffle, children’s activities, and visiting students from Neckargemund. Admission is free! Germanfest is produced by the Missoula Cultural Council with the help of many dedicated volunteers. For more information, call 721-9620 or visit http://www.missoulacultural.org.

The Historical Museum at Fort Missoula is hosting a free opening reception will be held on Sunday, September 11, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. for the exhibit Hope in Hard Times: New Deal Photographs of Montana, 1936-1942. The Historical Museum is very proud to host this traveling exhibit from the Montana Historical Society about the Great Depression. The exhibit will run through January 2, 2006. For more information, call 728-3476.

The Friends of the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula invite one and all to the third annual Salmon Bake on Sunday, September 18, featuring the freshest, wildest, and tastiest ocean salmon from the Pacific Northwest. Activities start on the grounds of the Museum at noon, with serving from 1:00 to 3:30. This celebration is a re-enactment of how the Pacific Northwest Native Americans prepared their salmon feast. Whole, fresh-caught, wild, ocean salmon are strung on sticks driven into the ground and broiled over hot alder wood coals just as they were cooked by the Indian tribes years ago. Besides the wild salmon, you can feast on Kintsa salmon relish, black walnut corn, potato salad, fresh-cut melon salad, Indian cornbread, mountain-style apple crisp, and iced lemonade. No-host beer and wine will be available. There will be live music and Native American entertainment throughout the afternoon. A table of 8 costs $180.00 ($250.00 for an Inner Circle table); single tickets are $25.00 for adults, $22.50 for seniors 65 and over, and $12.00 for children 12 and under. Proceeds from the Salmon Bake will go towards the construction of a transportation building that will house the Museum’s recently restored Streetcar #50, which will be returning to Missoula this fall. The reservation deadline is September 9. Call 549-6955 for information and reservations.

The sixth Montana Festival of the Book, from September 22-24 will feature more than 80 writers and panelists in a variety of panel discussions, readings, exhibits, workshops, receptions, demonstrations, signings, and entertainment. Award-winning authors appearing at the Festival include Montana Poet Laureate Sandra Alcosser, Rick Bass, James Crumley, William Kittredge, Mary Clearman Blew, Pete Fromm, Annick Smith, Russell Chatham, Gary Ferguson, Doug Peacock, Patricia Goedicke, Robert Wrigley, Jon Jackson, Diane Smith, C.J. Box, Neil McMahon, Kevin Canty, Kim Barnes, Stanley G. West, and many more. Special events include Saturday night’s gala reading, Friday evening’s author reception and silent auction, the premiere of a new documentary on Montana writer Dorothy Johnson, the Thursday evening Montana Book Awards banquet honoring Marcus Stevens and others, and the debut of Eat Our Words: Montana Writers’ Cookbook. Panel topics will include the 2005 One Book Montana selection, Letters From Yellowstone by Diane Smith, Fiction of the Urban West, Dances with Bears and Wolves, New Journalism in the New West, the Mysterious West, Montaniana, and more. Most events are free and open to the public. All will occur in downtown Missoula. A preliminary schedule of events is at the Festival website.

The International Wildlife Media Center & Film Festival is now accepting submissions for the 5th Annual International Wildlife Film Festival Poster Art Contest. Your artwork could become next year’s IWFF Poster and be on display throughout festival week at our headquarters in Missoula. A professional panel of judges will review the entries, and the winning artwork will be adopted as the face of the 29th Annual International Wildlife Film Festival in 2006. Judges will be looking for realistic impressions of the theme, People & Nature – Living in Harmony, in which bears are not the major subject. The artwork will be used in IWFF promotions, up to and throughout the 29th festival. The entry deadline is November 1. The entry fee is $10. For more information and entry forms, please visit http://www.wildlifefilms.org/festival/postercontest.htm.

With the tourism season still in full swing and hunting season just around the corner, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is reminding everyone that the Wildlife Visitor Center at 2291 West Broadway remains open for business. The Elk Foundation moved their national headquarters from the Broadway location to their new facility on Grant Creek Road last week. The visitor center will follow in November when the new Elk Country Visitor Center opens.

Elsewhere in Montana and the Region…

The controversy surrounding the trademarking of the phrase The Last Best Place made the The Washington Post this week.

The Butte Chinese Experience, an exhibit celebrating the history and culture of Butte’s Chinese residents, runs through September at the Mai Wah Museum. Call 723-3231or visit http://www.maiwah.org

Travelers’ Rest in Lolo is commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark stop there from September 8-11, 2005. Over the course of those 4 days, there will be many activities, exhibits, ceremonies, demonstrations and re-enactments. There are still opportunities to volunteer for this event. Call Loren or Darby at 273-4253 or [email protected] or [email protected] A full schedule of events for The Travelers’ Rest Bicentennial, including performances by singer/songwriter/storyteller Jack Gladstone, and actor/historian Ritchie Doyle (as William Clark) with musician John Joyner, can be found at http://www.travelersrest.org/.

Willie Nelson plays at the Adams Center in Missoula on September 8 and at Shrine Auditorium in Billings September 9. In Missoula call 800-325-SEAT, and in Billings call 800-965-4827

The Hamilton Playhouse presents The Brewery Follies on September 9 and 10 at 8:00 p.m. From Virginia City and back by popular demand, The Brewery Follies is a musical revue filled with old time favorites, popular and novelty songs, satire, comedy sketches, and piano music. This production is for adults only. Tickets are $12.00 reserved seating and will be available at The Hamilton Playhouse Box Office. For more information or for over the phone credit card purchases, call 375-9050 during box office hours. Box office hours are Monday-Friday 2pm-6pm.

Great Falls is celebrating the 10th annual Blues and Brews, 5:30-midnight on September 9 in the Great Falls Civic Center. Elvin Bishop, Philip Aaberg and the 49th Street Blues Project highlight the event. Call 788-6197 or visit http://www.thetrail.org

Libby celebrates Nordicfest September 9-11 throughout downtown. Call 800-785-6541 or visit http://www.libbynordicfest.org for details.

Bigfork presents the Sidewalk Selabration, September 9-11, featuring the Bigfork Sidewalk Art Contest on Saturday, September 10. For list of participating businesses or more information, call 837-5888 or visit http://www.bigfork.org

Charley Pride is at the Helena Civic Center September 10. Call 447-8481.

Kelly Joe Phelps performs at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman on September 13. Call 587-0245

From the Montana Associated Technology Roundtable…

The Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research at the University of Montana-Missoula is seeking input regarding tourism and recreation research
Please send us your ideas about research needs by September 23rd.

An Extraordinary Life in Montana- John Craighead studied many forms of wildlife, including human beings.
“It all started in the 1930s with two teenage boys and a hawk named Comet.

Famous folks visit Rudyard, Montana –
Star Wars director George Lucas, Olympic figure skating gold medalist Dorothy Hamill, Iditarod winner Susan Butcher and "Jurassic Park III" director Joe Johnston were among special guests paleontologist Jack Horner took to a special location – a Museum of the Rockies dinosaur dig north of Rudyard. The visitors were in town Aug. 13-17.

Craigslist Versus Katrina – New Orleans to enjoy free Wi-Fi access
Sites like craigslist allow people to meet up with victims for face-to-face aid. Craigslist users have flooded the New Orleans site with offers of shelter and comfort.

For more about the Montana Associated Technology Roundtable, visit http://www.matr.net

Nationally…

World-renowned architect Frank Gehry told the Gulf Coast Saturday that he will help it rebuild. Gehry, who is in Japan, said that while he is currently more concerned for the people than the buildings, he "would be in the fight to rebuild the city with you." http://www.sunherald.com/mld/thesunherald/12555173.htm

From the Center for Arts and Culture….

Wi-Fi for the Masses
MIT Technology Review, 8/19/2005
As urban areas realize that offering Wi-Fi ("wireless fidelity") connections can help attract new residents and visitors, "approximately 300 U.S. cities and municipalities are now in various stages of wireless rollouts — up from barely any just a year and a half ago." http://technologyreview.com/articles/05/08/wo/wo_081905hellweg.asp

All aboard for new vision of subway stations
Toronto Star, 8/28/2005
Glen Murray says The Toronto Community Foundation and the Toronto Transit Commission "get Toronto Mayor David Miller’s message about building ‘quality of place.’ They understand the concept that a creative and culturally exciting place leads to new businesses, new jobs, attracts people and generates more ideas." The two organizations are looking to transform Toronto’s utilitarian subway stations into spaces "with artifacts, design, music, colour, form and controversy." http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1125094214642&call_pageid=968256290204&col=968350116795

City Officials Eye Plan for Public Art
Boston Globe, 8/31/2005
"Boston likes to call itself the Athens of America, with its world-renowned symphony and ballet, libraries, and intellectual might. But some officials in a city that has long claimed itself a cultural hotbed worry that Boston has fallen far behind other cities in its promotion of public art. Saying that dozens of other cities have set aside large funds for public art while Boston does little, City Councilor Michael Ross said he will propose today [August 31] that the city require private developers to put 1 percent of their construction costs into a fund to finance public art around the city." – contributed by ArtsJournal.com http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/08/31/city_officials_eye_plan_for_public_art/

The next stage
Orlando Sentinel, 8/28/2005
As an Orlando plans for a new performing-arts center, there is much to be learned from the experiences of other cities. "In the past 20 years, about two dozen such centers have opened, each one fueled by dreams of urban renewal and economic development. Not all those dreams have turned into brick and mortar. Fund raising is on hold for a center in Kansas City, Mo., and backers of a complex in Richmond, Va., have missed repeated deadlines to raise enough money. In South Florida, the $412 million Miami Performing Arts Center — more than $67 million over budget — isn’t expected to open until next year, nearly two years late. Yet for each example of an arts center in trouble, there’s a corresponding story of success. Visits to Tampa and five other cities — Newark, N.J.; Charlotte, N.C.; Fort Lauderdale; West Palm Beach; and Cerritos, Calif. — drew forth lessons those cities learned in building and operating performing-arts centers." – contributed by ArtsJournal.com http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/orl-pac2805aug28,0,6422532.story

Nonprofits’ job engine transforms Pa. economy
Philadelphia Inquirer, 8/28/2005
"Nonprofits now employ about one in 10 working Pennsylvanians, among the highest rates in the nation, the Johns Hopkins Center for Civil Society Studies said. Philadelphia itself is almost off the charts, with one in five workers in the city employed by nonprofits at the end of 2003. The comparable rate for the United States: one in 14. . . . The Pennsylvania trend mirrors stronger nonprofit job growth nationally." Whether that is a positive development or a negative one is the subject of debate. – contributed by ArtsJournal.com https://registration.philly.com/reg/login.do?url=http://www.philly.com%2Fmld%2Finquirer%2Fnews%2Flocal%2F12493895.htm

To learn more about the Center of Arts and Culture, visit http://www.culturalpolicy.org

From Wolf, Keens and Co…

Music as Peace-maker

Manchester Guardian
Making peace – what could be a higher calling? Except maybe music making. Mix them together, as Daniel Barenboim is doing with his West-Eastern Divan Orchestra made up of Israelis and Palestinians, and the world changes. In small ways, yes. But indeed, it changes…

Bucking the Downward Trend in Movie Attendance
International Herald-Tribune
Remember, you read it here first: for every trend, there is a counter-trend. Last week we reported on the death of movies. This week we report on the latest attempt at CPR, aimed at luring folks back to an enhanced experience of movies by making their presentation more like…well, concerts! Go figure.

Moving 400 Elephants
Reuters

This is not a task for just any moving company. Kenya has embarked on an 8-month process to relocate 400 elephants from an overcrowded coastal reserve to a less populated area inland. Starting with a 22-year old, 3 ton bull elephant, the $3.2 million process will ease the lot of the elephants – to say nothing of the neighboring homeowners.

To learn more about Wolf, Keens and Co. visit http://www.wolfkeens.com.

Internationally…

NZ, Australia to jointly preserve cultural heritage
Xinhuanet (China), 8/25/2005
"Heritage management experts from Australia and New Zealand Thursday [August 25] began a two-day meeting at Te Papa, the National Museum Wellington, to develop a cooperative framework for saving cultural heritage in the Asia-Pacific region." http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-08/25/content_3399893.htm

Finally… from the Chronicle of Philanthropy…

Katrina: Outpouring of Individual Donations Dwarfs Corporate Contributions

In the span of four days, Americans contributed over $108 million to hurricane relief groups. Corporations in the same period have pledged $42 million. For donation information or to make a pledge visit The American Red Cross

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Thanks for your comments & corrections

Tom at MCC

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