This Week’s Arts & Culture Scene | Feb 29

By TOM BENSEN

The 2016 Missoula Cultural Council Arts & Culture Awards Luncheon is Tuesday, March 29, at the Doubletree Hotel from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This year’s awardees are:
Cultural Achievement: John Driscoll, Missoula Symphony Association; Individual Artist: Kendahl Jan Jubb, watercolor painter; Arts Educator: Dorothy Morrison, K-5 music teacher at Lewis and Clark Elementary School;Business Support for the Arts: Flanagan Motors; andCultural Vision: The Clay Studio of Missoula.  For more information, or to purchase luncheon tickets, visit here.

Dolce Canto presents A Taste of Korea, a multi-course journey featuring Korean cuisine, paired beverages, and live choral highlights by Dolce Canto, Saturday, March 12, beginning at 6:00 p.m. at St. Anthony Parish Hall, 217 Tremont Street. All proceeds from this fundraiser will benefit Dolce Canto’s upcoming performance tour to South Korea in April. The choir will represent Missoula in a valuable city-to-city cultural exchange and perform alongside several Korean choirs in various parts of the country. Deadline to RSVP and pay is March 4. Visithere to RSVP and purchase a ticket.

9a71c0aa-6e83-4d82-bc50-640afc820792The Missoula Art Museum presentsJohn Buck: Free for All through March 12Good Wood: Carved And Cut From MAM’s Permanent Collection throughMarch 12. Gennie DeWeese: The Process of Painting through May 21; Modernist Ceramics From MAM’s Permanent Collection, featuring work of Frances Senksa, Val Knight, and Maxine Blackmer through May 21; Gesine Janzen: Floodplains through June 25 (pictured here).

Living Art of Montana presents the “Cancer, Courage & Creativity” workshop for anyone who has or has had cancer. It runs on Wednesdays, through April 13 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.at the Living Art studio. Call 549-5329.

The Radius Gallery presentsLast Best Dream: Surrealism Here & Now. The show features 14 Artists showing 2D and 3D works of art that are, well, surreal! See how this eclectic group handles their approach to this art form which is nearly a century old. You are bound to have something to talk about when you come with your favorite art fans. First Friday kicks off February 5 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. at Radius Gallery. (Image: Artist on a Tightrope by James Todd).
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The Montana Museum of Art & Culture presents George Gogas: Odyssey, March 3 – April 23 in the Meloy Gallery; and Presence: Rudy Autio and Henry Meloy, March 3 – April 23 in the Paxson Gallery, with an Opening Reception onThursday, March 3 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., in the PAR-TV lobby. Pictured here is “Adrift” by Rudy Autio.
 
The Gallery of Visual Arts at the University of Montanapresents What Lay Before – What Lay After, sculpture and paintings of Francis Paul Pearson, now through March 3.

The Mansfield Center at the University of Montana has announced its Spring 2016 Brown Bag Lecture Series for the community. The lectures reflect the center’s mission to promote an understanding of Asia, public affairs and ethics. Topics of this semester’s lectures include wildlife conservation in Southeast Asia, renewable energy and human health, and the connections between language and culture.  All sessions will be held from 12:10 to 1:00 p.m. The lectures are free and open to the public. On Tuesday, March 8, in UC Room 332:“The Confluence of Renewable Energy and Human Health: Putting Ourselves to Work for a Human-Powered Future,” Bradley Layton, director, Missoula College Energy Technology Program.

Shakespeare and Co. presents The No Apologies Writers(Cyndy Aten Gladys Considine, Audrey Peterson, Leslie McClintock, Karen Ward, Claudia Brown, Marylor Wilson, and Sally McNall) reading from their original works of poetry and creative non-fiction, Thursday, March 3, 7:00 p.m.

Fact and Fiction presents Richard Fifield reading and signing The Flood Girls, 5:30 p.m. on March 4 at F&F Downtown.

The UM Creative Writing Program presents award-winning author Monica Drake at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, March 3, in Payne Family Native American Center Room 105 at the University of Montana. Drake is the author of the award-winning novel “Clown Girl,” as well as “The Stud Book.”She recently released “The Folly of Loving Life,” a collection of intertwined short stories. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Paris Review, Oregon Humanities Magazine, Cutthroat, The Rumpus and other publications. Call 243-5267 for more information.

Climate Smart Missoula has put out a Call for Submissions:  ‘Adaptation and Resilience’ Open Air Art Show.  Everyone can create art, especially when you get your friends and family together. Help spark a community conversation on climate resiliency.  Teams of 3 or more will work together to create art on 7′ freestanding panels made out of repurposed, hollow-core doors donated by Home ReSource. The project and show are intended to inspire a community conversation on what climate resilience and adaptation means to Missoula.  This is a project of Climate Smart Missoula and is free and open to the public. Supplies are provided, and we encourage anyone to apply. Let us know if you are interested by February 29th. Visit the website for more information or to sign up.  All art pieces will be displayed outside the University Center at UM’s Campus in late April as well as separate showings on campus and the community.

Registration now open for January-March 2016 Art Workshops with local artist Nancy Seiler. New this winter is Nature Journaling Series. Learn to draw and paint different natural history topics and be ready to go outside this spring with your nature journal to record what you see with more confidence.  All workshops are located at 330 Brooks St. in Missoula (one block east of Caffé Dolce).  Classes are limited to 10. To sign up, please email here or call 370-1254.

Zootown Arts Community Center will celebrate small things with its 4th Annual {mini} Show Benefit at Missoula’s newly renovated historic Wilma Theater on March 26. This gala event will bring together Missoula’s creative community to celebrate all things mini, from mini dessert auction, a mini silent and live art auction, and more! The Mini Show art opening will occur in the ZACC gallery on March 11. This is an annual fundraiser for the Zootown Arts Community Center. For more information, visit here.University of Montana School of Theatre & Dancepresents Hot ‘n’ Throbbing by Paula Vogel, continuing March 1-4 at 7:30 p.m., and March 5 at 2:00 p.m. at the Masquer Theatre, PARTV Center, U of M Campus.  Visit here for more.

First Lutheran Classical School, grades K-8, Child Care, and Pre-School is holding an Open House at First Lutheran Church, 2808 South Ave. West, Missoula.  March 3 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.  Call 273-2491 or email here.

The University of Montana College of Visual & Performing Arts presents the Odyssey of the Stars March 5 at the Dennison Theatre. This year’s honoree is George Gogas. Visit here for more.

Early Spring Aikido Intro for Beginning Adults begins with an orientation on Saturday afternoon March 5 followed by four guided basics classes. For more information visit here, call 549-8387 or come by the dojo. Preregistration required byMarch 3.

The Missoula Historic Preservation Commission is seeking nominations for the 2016 Missoula Historic Preservation Awards. Nominations are due by March 4.  The 24th Annual Missoula Historic Preservation Awards will be judged by the Missoula Historic Preservation Commission, with the individuals and groups honored at a public, catered awards event during May, National Historic Preservation Month. Projects must have been completed in 2013, 2014 or 2015. Nomination Forms can be downloaded from the City’s Historic Preservation webpage. Nomination forms can also be obtained by contacting the Historic Preservation Office, or e-mailing a
request here.

The Missoula Writing Collaborative announces The Writers’ Room on March 5, 2016, a one-day writing workshop and fundraiser featuring classes on poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Geared to the general public, classes will be taught by twelve professional writers of the Missoula Writing Collaborative. The workshops are held 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Missoula Public Library, Shakespeare & Company, Fact & Fiction, and Boyle Deveny & Meyer.  The cost is $60 per class, $110 for 2 classes or $120 for three. A $12 luncheon at the Top Hat features the film, “Kicking the Loose Gravel Home,” about Montana poet Richard Hugoand a cocktail hour at day’s end is at Radius Gallery. Renewal credits for teachers are available. To sign up, contact, here.

The 7th Annual Preserve Historic Missoula Night will occur March 5 from 6:00 to 9:00 pm at Fort Missoula, Heritage Hall. H. Rafael Chacon, Professor of Art History and Criticism at UM, will speak on The Perils of Modernism: The Case of Daphne Bugbee Jones. Two Cats & a Fiddle, featuring Ellie Nuno, will perform throughout the evening and the Lincoln School Award will be jointly awarded to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Missoula and the Missoula Federal Credit Union, for their efforts to preserve the historic Lincoln School. The night will feature a silent auction of vintage treasures and appetizers and beverages will be served. Admission is $5.

0b445709-335c-47d4-ae35-3890ee0c4927The  Montana Book Festival is now receiving submissions for this year’s festival in Missoula, September 21-25.  Visit here to apply.

Writing at Work, a conference hosted by the University of Montana Creative Writing Program, is slated for Friday, March 11. The conference, which connects UM students with successful, creative professionals who use their liberal arts education in their working lives, will be held from noon to 5 p.m., in the University Center Theater. It is free and open to the public.  For more information call 243-5267 or email here.

1864, a most bloody year in the American Civil War. Abraham Lincoln has issued an order forming 6 regiments of infantry to be filled by volunteers from the Prisoner of War camps filled with Confederate prisoners. On March 12, Come witness the return of these brave former Confederate soldiers who put on the blue and came west to escape the harsh conditions of the prisoner of war camps. Come see what life in the army was like, and visit with the men who defended the frontier. Learn about how you can become a part of this living history outfit at Cabelas, 3650 Brooks Street.

The Art Associates of Missoula monthly meeting will be held Wednesday, March 16, 10:00 a.m. at Radius Gallery, 114 E. Main St, Missoula. Courtney Blazon will be sharing her colorful illustrations inspired by fairy tales, poetry, natural history and the animal world. Art Associates meetings are free and open to the public. For more information please call Susie at 544-0891.

Tell Us Something presents Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me?,March 29 at 7:00 p.m. at the Wilma Theatre.  Call 546-3855 or email here for more.

For more information about arts events in the Missoula area, visit our website