SEELEY LAKE - Alpine Artisans is gratified to announce recent grant support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation and Humanities Montana.
“A common reaction of many people new to the area when they first take a close look at our website or get acquainted with our programs is “I can’t believe the variety of programming Alpine Artisans brings to our valleys!” Apparently, several major funding sources agree, and are eager to support our work, enhancing the cultural offerings of our area.
In April, the National Endowment for the Arts’ Grants for Art Works program awarded AAI’s In the Footsteps of Norman Maclean Festival a grant for $11,700 for the 2022 Festival. This funding will help primarily with speaker’s fees, including stipends for authors Timothy Egan, Terry Tempest Williams, Doug Peacock, Debra Magpie Earling, Sterling Holy White Mountain, Shane Doyle and others. The 2022 festival will take place June 24-27 in Missoula and the theme is Public Land & Sacred Ground: Western Writers Bear Witness. The Festival is located at the Missoula Children’s Theatre Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday and Sunday. Monday the 27th, festival goers will take advantage of guided hikes into areas of the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship lands near Seeley Lake, co-sponsored by Wild Montana.
AAI is proud of producing 20 years of music, dance and dramatic presentations through our performing arts division 2 Valleys Stage, founded in 2002. In addition to Shakespeare in the Park each summer and five community concerts, 2 Valleys Stage’s emphasis is on providing meaningful, educational and enriching experiences to our schools. This excellence was recognized by the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, which awarded 2 Valleys Stage a three-year grant totaling $30,000.
“The Washington Foundation’s generosity not only stabilizes our current programming, but may allow us to expand our in-school offering to include additional dance and movement opportunities, which we are beginning to explore with the schools”, said Carol Evans, AAI President.
Humanities Montana is extraordinarily appreciative of AAI’s literary programming by awarding AAI with the Montana Center for the Book Prize in 2020. Humanities Montana also granted the Norman Maclean Festival a $5,000 Regular Grant in 2020 and just awarded us staff funding for the 2022 festival through their American Rescue Plan SHARP grant totaling $10,000.
“We are always humbled by the support we receive from our community”, stated AAI Program Director Jenny Rohrer. “But we are extremely grateful that our excellent programming is recognized by funders outside our community. This level of support ensures that our programs will thrive.”
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