Attracting the art connoisseur, especially in the area of music and performance, the Performing Arts Series sets standards.
“I’ve often been told that this is a very unlikely place to have these kinds of performances,” said Monica Grable, Executive Director of the Bitterroot Performing Arts Council. “People move here expecting to trade in access to everything arts - in exchange for the view. Long term residents, to get anything other than local theater, drove to Missoula. Now people in Missoula are driving here.”
According to Grable, they haven’t done across the seasons tracking, but on any given show have seen half the audience from outside the Bitterroot Valley.
“Solas this weekend is a very high percent of Missoulians, two out of four patrons,” she said. “It does depend on the artists and where else they are playing in the region but the Performing Arts Series attracts folks from a four hour driving radius, Missoula, Helena, Great Falls, Bozeman, and Spokane.”
Launching the Performing Arts Series in the Bitterroot Valley is the Celtic band Solas. Billed as “The most popular, influential and exciting Celtic band to ever emerge from the United States” this group is on stage in the Hamilton Performing Arts Center, Saturday, November 14, at 8:00 p.m. (To learn more go to www.solasmusic.com or to www.hamiltonpas.org/)
Grable attributes this season to the Bitterroot Valley Community. The Bitterroot Performing Arts Council had to raise the money this summer to launch the season.
The formation of the board began in April, they had to frame their message to the community, have a fund raising plan in place by July and raise $90k by September.
“Given the economy we didn’t know what would happen. Did the community want the Series? It turns out: YES! They felt very strongly about having it" Grable told us.
And they backed their sentiments with contributions. “This community is awesome,” said Grable. “The response and support for the series was outstanding from $5 - $10 donations to $5k and major support from local businesses. That we have the Performing Arts Series this year is a true arts success story in the most difficult times.”
The responses from the community said the Performing Arts Series had become an important part of life in the Bitterroot Valley. “I keep hearing repeatedly that people are pleasantly surprised at the programs we have,” Grable said.
Other performances in the series this season are:
- An Evening with Kathy Mattea – December 19, 8 p.m.
- Billy Jonas – January 29, 7:30 p.m.
- Wu Man with the String Orchestra of the Rockies – February 20, 8 p.m.
- Cirque Mechanics’ Birdhouse Factory – March 21, 7:30 p.m.
- Punch Brothers Featuring Chris Thile – April 10, 8 p.m.
The Bitterroot Performing Arts Council coordinates the Performing Arts Series. The Community made it possible: “Our Community Our Arts.”
- Michelle McConnaha reporting for kpax.com.
