This Week’s Arts & Culture Scene | July 4

By GRACE STOPHER, Missoula Cultural Council

Two Exhibitions Opening at ZACC

Join the ZACC to welcome the traveling show “Bitter Pill:  Montana Lives Affected by Rx Abuse“, an art exhibition that aims to express the human side of prescription drug abuse and recovery. Through their art and accompanying statements, the artists present the pain and struggles that prescription drug abuse can create. This powerful show is the product of The United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the District of Montana U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Montana Attorney General’s Office Resolve Montana initiative.

ZACC also welcomes “Emotion in Motion” an art exhibition by Kelly Loder to our hallway gallery.  Loder is a bipolar abstract artist who does not limit herself to one medium.  Her new and old artworks take risks with medium, featuring pastel, charcoal, and acrylic.

The grand opening reception for both exhibitions is Friday, July 8, from 5:30 – 8:30 PM. These artworks will be on display for the month of July. Visit Zoowtown Art Community Center’s website for more details and more events & classes!

Dolce Canto Make it MissoulaListen to Dolce Canto’s Concert in South Korea from This Spring!

Videos are online at Dolce Canto’s YouTube channel of the concert they performed in Ansan City, South Korea in April 2016. Dolce Canto is a local a cappella ensemble of about 35 members that performs locally, nationally, and internationally. You can learn more about them at their website.

Readings and Signings at Fact & Fiction Downtown This Week

This is an event that is not to be missed! Come hear LA Times and NPR’s Morning Edition movie critic, Kenneth Turan, discuss movies and his book “Not to be Missed,” at 7 PM on Tuesday, July 5. On Saturday, July 9, Kelly Porter will sign copies of “The Garden of Smiles,” starting at 10:30 AM.

The Pirate Party in Lolo

The Pirate Party offers it’s biggest and best swashbuckling-good-time yet, featuring a music lineup of 130 performances including national headliners Liquid Stranger, TroyBoi, Phutureprimitive, Bluetech, Random Rab, Thriftworks, and many more. This music festival takes place July 8 – 10 at Lolo Hot Springs. Visit the website for more information.

2016-06-20_2013See The Pied Piper at MCT This Weekend

What do you do when your town is overrun by ravenous rats? Sara, an orphan girl, and the other Townspeople of Hamelin Town turn to their Mayor and his Council when their town is threatened. They then call on the Pied Piper to save them from the troublesome creatures. The Mayor’s son and daughter and the Cooks also join in the endeavor. Find out what happens when the town is unable to pay the Piper and the children are led away from the town along with the rats!  This week’s Missoula Children’s Theatre day camp will present THE PIED PIPER this Saturday and Sunday at 3 PM and 5 PM!  For tickets, www.MCTinc.org or call the box office at 728-7529.

VonCommon Vondays

VonCommon Art Studios in partnership with the Roxy Theater presents a monthly series called ‘VonCommon Vondays,’ launching July 11th. This series curated by VonCommon will showcase the work of local, regional, and national media artists as well as films and documentaries about art, artists, and art movements. Come join us for our inaugural event at the Roxy on Monday July 11th at 8pm for an evening of shorts by local media artists, including Bat Honey, TheaTerror, Caitlin Hofmeister, Ann Szalda-Petree, Jenny Larson, and more.

Northside/Westside Block Party

The ZACC is hosting its 5th Annual Block Party to celebrate the Northside and Westside of Missoula to bring awareness to the rich culture and promising future of these neighborhoods! The block party works to educate Missoula about the organizations, resources, and businesses unique to the North and West sides.

The Block Party closes down N. 1st St. between the ZACC and the Northside Kettlehouse on Saturday, July 16, from 3-9 PM. Enjoy local musical talents, as well as Garden City Ladies Arm Wrestling, MASC studio demonstrations, T-shirt printing with Jack Metcalf, hop skotching with the Super Skippers, a community mural, and more!

Contact Linds with questions by calling the ZACC at 549-7555 or visit the website here.

ICF_2016_ButtonInternational Choral Festival Buttons For Sale
Festival buttons are currently being sold online as well as in these wonderful locations: Missoula Fresh Market, Orange Street Food Farm, The Good Food Store, Rockin’ Rudy’s, Southgate Mall, Fact & Fiction, The University of Montana Bookstore, Worden’s Market and Chapter One in Hamilton. The Choral Festival is next week, July 13 – 16! Follow ICF on  Facebook for more info!

Saturday Learning Adventure: Bake Solar Power Food

Did you know the sun is one of the most powerful forms of renewable energy we have access to? So why not use it to make something cool! Join us for this FREE kids’ activity Saturday Learning Adventure Series at Ravalli County Museum in Hamilton as we learn all about solar power energy and how to use the sun to cook s’mores! This workshop takes place on July 9 from 10 AM – 12 PM. Visit Ravalli County Museum’swebsite for more details, or call 363-3338.

Misbehavin’ With the Symphony

It will be two nights of “Misbehavin’ with the Symphony” when jazz trumpeter, Byron Stripling, comes to town to perform What a Wonderful World, his electrifying and heartfelt tribute to Louis Armstrong at the annual Summer Symphony Pops concerts, Friday July 8 and Saturday July 9, 2016.

The outdoor picnic-concert will be held rain or shine at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell that will be transformed into a music venue with full stage lighting and sound on an acoustically dynamic sound shell stage.

Gates open at 5:30, and show begins at 7:30. Purchase tickets online here or call the box office at 407-7000.

38th Annual Summerfair

Hosted by the Yellowstone Art Museum in Billings, Summerfair is the region’s largest arts and crafts festival. More than 100 artists, community groups, and food vendors will participate in the YAM’s 38th Annual Summerfair at Veterans Park, 13th Street West & Poly Drive, next to Rocky Mountain College. This exciting event is a wonderful way to share the joy of art with friends and family while supporting the museum’s education programs and yearly operating costs. Visit YAM’s website for more information.

Summer Camps Available for Young Writers!

Picture14The Missoula Writing Collaborative is offering a summer writing camp for young writers ages 8-14.Words with Wings Summer Camp is a camp where children can write, create, and explore Missoula. From camp games to field trips to writing classes with professional writers, Words with Wings fosters creativity and community in our young writers. Two sessions: July 11-15 and July 18-22, with half or full day options.

For the first time, The Missoula Writing Collaborative is offering High School Summer Writing Workshops. Work closely with professional writers, learning about craft and tricks of the trade and have the chance to improve your writing. We’re offering Fiction July 11-15, Songwriting July 11-15, and Poetry and Fiction July 18-22. If you have something to say, come turn it into song, poetry, or prose with our writers!

Register online today!

Upcoming Choral Festival in Missoula Needs Volunteers and Host Families! 

The International Choral Festival takes place in Missoula next week, July 13-16!

The festival is in need of host families. This will give all visiting choir guests a comfortable place to stay. Hosting is an extremely rewarding experience and is absolutely the best way to appreciate the cultural differences from our foreign guests! To sign up, please fill out host application form online. If you have any questions about housing please contact Janet Palmer at 274-0500.

The International Choral Festival runs smoothly with the help of many volunteers. Our jobs range from sit-down work to equipment hefting. If you’d like to join us, fill out aVolunteer application. Read job descriptions here.

Volunteers Needed for Sunday Streets Missoula!

Sunday Streets Missoula is looking for volunteers on July 17. Sunday Streets Missoula is an Open Streets initiative where Higgins Avenue (from the XXXs to 5th street) is temporarily closed to cars, and open for people to enjoy the public space. Volunteer registration is available online here. Volunteers are provided lunch, an exclusive t-shirt, and a free ice cream coupon. Visit MIM’s website for additional information on Sunday Streets Missoula.