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Missoula Cultural Council honors local arts leaders; Missoula Children’s Theater previews season and national reach
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Summary
At its annual luncheon, the Missoula Cultural Council presented Cultural Achievement and Business Support awards to local arts leaders and sponsors, and Jim Caron of the Missoula Children’s Theater described the program’s weeklong residencies and national and international reach.
Missoula — The Missoula Cultural Council on an annual luncheon recognized local arts leaders, businesses and institutions for contributions to the city’s cultural life and offered a preview of the Missoula Children’s Theater (MCT) season and mission.
The council presented Cultural Achievement Awards to Lance Boyd, William Kittredge, Jody Marshall and Laura Millen and Business Support for the Arts Awards to the Dana Gallery and Smurfit Stone Container Corporation. During the program, Jim Caron of the Missoula Children’s Theater described how MCT’s weeklong residency model brings original musicals to schools and communities and outlined the program’s scale.
The awards ceremony highlights Missoula’s recent growth in cultural venues and events, from openings at the Missoula Art Museum to festivals and touring acts that the council said have increased the community’s cultural activity.
At the luncheon, the council’s emcee thanked organizers, sponsors and volunteers, saying, “I want to thank Saint Patrick Hospital and Mary Kramer and her staff, particularly. This is a great room we have here. Thank you, Mary.” The program also recognized Carolyn Gibbons, Patricia Hansen and Carol Stovall for event coordination and noted table sponsors and artwork contributions from Sussex School students.
The council said it is refocusing on coordination and support for arts and culture in Missoula. The organization described recent steps including participation in an Americans for the Arts economic-impact survey and meetings to begin work on a local cultural plan with the Missoula Downtown Association and the Convention and Visitors Bureau.
At length, Jim Caron described the Missoula Children’s Theater’s approach and history, saying the program brings professional teams into communities for a week to audition, rehearse and present an original musical built with local children. “We go into a town for a week, audition kids on Monday…by Saturday, they are performing for the public,” Caron said.
Caron detailed the program’s reach and scope as presented at the luncheon: he said MCT operates weeklong residencies in all 50 states, in 17 countries, on many military bases and that this year the company would field some 40–45 touring teams (about 90 people) and expected roughly 65,000 children to participate in MCT productions in the coming year. He said audiences for MCT productions could total “upwards to a million people.” Caron attributed MCT’s growth to seizing opportunities, long-term mentors and local support.
Award citations highlighted individual and organizational contributions. Lance Boyd was recognized for establishing the University of Montana jazz program and for founding the Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival. William Kittredge was honored for his career as a writer and educator; Jody Marshall for a decadeslong career as a performer and teacher; and Laura Millen for leading the Missoula Art Museum through facility expansion and fundraising, including an operating endowment noted in the program.
Business awards recognized the Dana Gallery for its promotion of local artists and community support and Smurfit Stone Container Corporation for multi-year financial and in-kind contributions. The program singled out a Smurfit Stone project in which company staff moved a 7,000-pound gas-fired soda kiln and donated about 2,000 high-temperature kiln bricks the program valued at roughly $10,000 to the Clay Studio.
The luncheon concluded with a presentation to Caron and a short preview of the coming season from community theater leaders. Organizers said the council is revising its website and continuing quarterly presentations to the City Council to share data on arts’ economic impact.
Smaller details presented during the program — including precise endowment amounts and the final results of the Americans for the Arts study — were said to be forthcoming or described in the event program rather than announced during remarks.
The event gathered local officials and representatives, including mentions in the program of Mayor John Engen, Missoula County Commissioners Gene Curtis and Bill Carey, City Council member Dave Strohmeyer and representatives for U.S. Rep. Dennis Rehberg and U.S. Sen. Jon Tester.
