The Montana Arts Council (MAC), Montana’s state arts agency, has announced the 89 recipients of its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grants. Awarded to MAC by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), grants will support an array of artistic disciplines, including tours and performances, murals, recording projects, films, arts education materials, paintings, books, and sculptures. “This is an extraordinary group of awardees,” said MAC Chair Greg Murphy. “The ARPA funding flowing through MAC is an investment in the creative legacy of Montana.”
“MAC worked to share the opportunity beyond our regular network,” MAC grant officer Brian Moody noted. “I wanted every artist in Montana to feel capable and confident of proposing a project; we scheduled webinars and phone calls to assist with the application process.” The call for proposals generated a pool of 238 qualified applicants totaling nearly $2 million in worthy projects, with about a third of those applicants seeking state support for the first time.
With the expertise of twenty-three public members, review panels considered each application for the quality of the programming, its artistic merit, and its feasibility. MAC director Tatiana Gant commented, “We knew there was an immense need for cultural recovery, yet it was sobering to realize that we would only be able to assist a small number of qualified entities.’ To determine the final group of awardees, MAC prioritized smaller organizations, Native cultures, rural communities, and projects that will engage new audiences. “MAC is strategic with its allocations of these valuable resources, recognizing that artists, the foundation of the creative sector, were being missed by other relief efforts.” Gant added.
A requirement of the ARPA Artist individual grants is that they be used to create new work, which in turn will enrich communities, provide economic stimulus, and further extend support for working artists recovering from lost opportunities due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Final reporting from grant recipients will provide Montanans with a full survey of funded work and how it may be experienced. For a list of funded individuals and organizations, visit https://art.mt.gov/arpa.
“These ARPA awards are having an immediate and local impact,” noted MAC deputy director Kristin Han Burgoyne. “Materials are being purchased, venues rented, and partnerships launched. We’re about to see a huge burst of creativity and productivity energizing our economy.” Over the next few months, MAC will develop a web page to provide information about the awardees. Watch MAC’s social media and State of the Arts newspaper for updates.
List of ARPA Artist Grant Recipients
City |
Last |
First |
Project Name |
Request Amount |
Anaconda |
Geil* |
Marian |
Smelter Mouse Chronicles |
$6,646.00 |
Arlee |
Decker* |
Cameron |
Astkw: Salish Cedar Bark Basket Integration in Education |
$10,000.00 |
Arlee |
Millar |
Leslie |
Heavenly Visions - Burnt Offerings Series |
$10,000.00 |
Arlee |
Morigeau |
Buck |
Old Montana Ways |
$10,000.00 |
Billings |
Deschner |
Jane Waggoner |
“Remember me.” immersive installation at the Yellowstone Art Museum, Billings, MT |
$10,000.00 |
Billings |
Habeck |
Louis |
Life-size Triceratops Head Herd Completion. |
$9,650.00 |
Billings |
Jones* |
Danell |
The Girl Prince: Virginia Woolf, Black British Lives, and the Dreadnought Hoax |
$8,350.00 |
Billings |
Little* |
Gary |
Montana Uplift |
$10,000.00 |
Billings |
Ross |
Anne |
Dimensional textures: Durable Art Board Books of Curiosity and Wonder |
$10,000.00 |
Billings |
Rowland |
Russell |
Breakfast in Montana |
$5,000.00 |
Billings |
Tolton |
Peter |
Return - Vietnam Veteran Documentary Film |
$10,000.00 |
Bozeman |
Chapman* |
Russ |
Russ Chapman - Recording High Country Blues - an 8-10 song recording project. |
$10,000.00 |
Bozeman |
Davis* |
Nic |
The Montana Sessions |
$9,783.40 |
Bozeman |
Fleming |
Jeni |
JENI FLEMING Holiday Symphony Project |
$10,000.00 |
Bozeman |
Lewis* |
Liz |
Loyalty Life-Size German Shepherd Bronze Production |
$10,000.00 |
Bozeman |
Massadas |
Bruna |
Midnight Rainbow Paintings |
$9,998.00 |
Bozeman |
McGree |
Allison |
The Interconnections, Impact, and Beauty of Montana’s Rivers |
$10,000.00 |
Bozeman |
Padilla* |
Natalie |
Natalie Padilla, original folk music album #3 |
$9,950.00 |
Bozeman |
Radosevich* |
Tara |
Tara’s Solo Show- The Wildlife of Montana |
$2,846.00 |
Bozeman |
Volkersz |
Willem |
Looking Back, Looking Forward |
$5,005.00 |
Bozeman |
House |
DG |
Yellowstone National Park: An Indigenous Perspective (more than a 150th anniversary) |
$9,906.00 |
Bozeman |
Watson |
Ella |
Ancestor Inspired Disability/ Chronic Care Apperatuses and Medical Paintings |
$9,958.00 |
Bridger |
Zier |
Dana |
MONTANA LEGACY: “Honoring Earth and Heritage from the Boonies” |
$9,747.00 |
Butte |
Livermore |
BT |
“Well, Ain’t That Something?” (An Interactive Art Installation and Show) |
$6,450.00 |
Cut Bank |
Bird* |
Samantha |
Painting for Positive Futures |
$10,000.00 |
Dillon |
Freeman |
Emily |
Shadow Town |
$10,000.00 |
East Glacier Park |
Lapier* |
Valentina |
Traditional Parfleche Native American Art |
$10,000.00 |
Florence |
Eriksson* |
Ulf |
“Montana Sounds”: Montana Inspired Original Jazz - A Full Album Audio Recording and Performances |
$8,965.00 |
Great Falls |
Karls |
Megan |
Re-Envisioned: Montana Composers in Mission Churches |
$9,193.00 |
Great Falls |
Menzales |
Norman |
Filipino Flute Recording Project |
$10,000.00 |
Great Falls |
Nelson* |
Sheree |
Mural Installation - Downtown Great Falls |
$10,000.00 |
Great Falls |
Rauch* |
Micah |
Helping Youth Appreciate Montana’s Weird Wilds! |
$10,000.00 |
Great Falls |
Rickley |
James |
Flowing Waters | Music New to Great Falls |
$10,000.00 |
Helena |
Clawson |
Chip |
Create Two Large Suspended Sculptures for Exhibition |
$10,000.00 |
Helena |
Laskin* |
Ari |
Memorial’s Undoing: Horror without Monsters |
$10,000.00 |
Helena |
Lee |
Steven |
Tableware on the Jigger/Jolley |
$9,985.00 |
Helena |
Newby |
Rick |
The Helena Notebooks |
$3,500.00 |
Helena |
Peeterse |
Natalie |
Thunderous Book Tour Project |
$10,000.00 |
Lakeside |
Hanson* |
Jessy |
The Home We Carry: A Visual Anthology of the Unhoused and Their Belongings |
$8,850.00 |
Livingston |
Atchison |
Elise |
No Woman’s Land |
$5,000.00 |
Livingston |
Hall* |
Audrey |
Harlow Willis; Bitter Taste - a fine art multimedia and multi-platform project |
$10,000.00 |
Livingston |
Maw* |
Wyatt |
Ashland |
$10,000.00 |
Livingston |
Purcell* |
Meghan |
Creating Accessible and Comprehensive Wool Felting Workshops |
$10,000.00 |
Livingston |
Revennaugh* |
Stephanie |
Cast Glass Collaboration Revennaugh/Henry |
$10,000.00 |
Livingston |
Schiffer* |
Pamela |
Paradise Valley Paintings |
$10,000.00 |
Manhattan |
Tappan* |
Ann |
ThreeForm album “The Return (Turning Point) |
$2,774.00 |
McLeod |
DiNino |
Melissa |
Reaching a New Audience: Creating Work for MiXX Atelier in Telluride, Colorado |
$10,000.00 |
Missoula |
Augusto |
Kate |
Creation of “Thoughts & Allies,” an ensemble dance work by choreographer Kate Jordan Augusto. |
$10,000.00 |
Missoula |
Blazon |
Courtney |
Even the Sun goes West: A collection of drawings of the west by Courtney Blazon and Ladypajama |
$9,328.00 |
Missoula |
Cahoon |
Heather |
Draft of 25-45 poems/pages for a new collection of poems |
$10,000.00 |
Missoula |
Collins* |
Adam |
Le Violoncelle Francophone: Cello-Piano Concert Tour |
$10,000.00 |
Missoula |
Fawcett* |
Jennifer |
Tour of Junior’s Debut Album |
$6,416.00 |
Missoula |
Fifield* |
Richard |
Magnitude: In the aftermath of Mount St. Helens, an isolated community descends into chaos. |
$9,990.00 |
Missoula |
Floridis |
John |
John Floridis Recording Project / “Songs Of A Certain Age” (Tentative project title) |
$10,000.00 |
Missoula |
Gibbons |
Mark |
Revise and complete a hybrid memoir/poetry manuscript: podunk no horse. |
$10,000.00 |
Missoula |
James* |
Marcy |
The Library |
$8,153.00 |
Missoula |
Jennings* |
Aaron |
Vinyl Record Manufacturing and Workshop |
$10,000.00 |
Missoula |
Knight |
John |
John Knight ARPA Request: Creating a Site Specific Installation at the Montana Artist Refuge Gallery |
$8,546.00 |
Missoula |
Kostors* |
Bryan |
The River Is Everywhere |
$10,000.00 |
Missoula |
Madsen* |
Melissa |
Is It Art or Is It Vandalism, Stencils, Street Art and Photoshop |
$5,451.00 |
Missoula |
Meyers |
Andrew |
Theatre for Young Audiences: Script Development and Touring Production |
$2,500.00 |
Missoula |
Ragsdale |
Amy |
Montana Suite film completion |
$5,700.00 |
Missoula |
Reifsneider |
Jennifer |
Jennifer Reifsneider: Spool Exhibition |
$10,000.00 |
Missoula |
Reintjes |
Alison |
Clay in Context |
$10,000.00 |
Missoula |
Reintjes |
Brandon |
New Materials for New Paintings |
$5,000.00 |
Missoula |
Reloba-Meyora* |
Ashley |
Working With What You Have |
$8,562.00 |
Missoula |
Siegel |
Naomi |
The Nature Of Change: Composition & Conduction with the Hellgate High School Jazz Ensemble |
$7,472.00 |
Missoula |
Smetanka |
Andy |
I Am the Wilma |
$5,000.00 |
Missoula |
Stillman* |
Loren |
Divide: The Montana Jazz Project - tour and live broadcast |
$9,910.00 |
Missoula |
Taylor* |
Geoffrey |
12 Fantasias for 5-string Fiddle: New Music for 5-string Fiddle Recordings and Performances |
$6,200.00 |
Missoula |
Valenzuela |
Shalene |
Let’s Play Telephone: Communication & (Mis)Information |
$4,452.00 |
Missoula |
Werle* |
April |
Mga Hunghong sa Diwata (Whispers of Spirits) - Solo Exhibition by April Werle |
$9,910.00 |
Missoula |
Woodman* |
Christopher |
Slow Dusty Road album for Good Old Fashioned |
$6,855.00 |
Missoula |
Gilles-BringsYellow Horses |
Monica |
Creation of Public Art and Public School Art |
$2,600.00 |
Power |
Buckley |
Betty |
Flyover Country |
$10,000.00 |
Power |
Cowgill |
Jacob |
Small Town, Long Streets: Coming Together in Rural Montana |
$10,000.00 |
Red Lodge |
Langeliers |
Brian |
Aerial Landscape Paintings : “A Tale of Two Cities” |
$8,856.00 |
Roberts |
Korth* |
Beth |
Beth Korth Red Lodge Art Walk Workshops |
$5,850.00 |
Saint Ignatius |
Hunt* |
Stephen |
Light on The Land |
$10,000.00 |
Seeley Lake |
Rohrer* |
Jennifer |
Kevin Red Star Film |
$9,350.00 |
Stevensville |
Spence* |
Kimberly |
Avian Taxidermy |
$10,000.00 |
Twin Bridges |
Foy |
Linda |
Four Seasons of Montana: From the River Bottom to the Clouds Above |
$10,000.00 |
Vaughn |
Polich* |
Whitney |
Egg Tempera Landscapes |
$9,945.00 |
Whitefish |
Bevill |
Jenny |
Meet Contemporary Montana Artists: Creation of Digital Modules for Adult Learners |
$10,000.00 |
Whitefish |
Moore |
Shawna |
Exhibition Support |
$10,000.00 |
List of ARPA Organization Grant Recipients |
|
|
||
City |
Organization Name |
|
Request Amount |
|
Bigfork |
Bigfork Art and Cultural Center |
|
$5,000 |
|
Denton |
Montana State Old Time Fiddlers' Association, Inc. |
|
$5,000 |
|
Big Timber |
Sweet Grass Arts Alliance* |
|
$5,000 |
|
Paradise |
The Paradise Center* |
|
$5,000 |
* Indicates first-time recipient
About the Montana Arts Council
In 1965 Montana Annotated Code 22-2-102 established the MAC as an agency of state government. The MAC mission is to develop the creative potential of all Montanans, advance education, spur economic vibrancy, and revitalize communities through involvement in the arts. Fifteen individuals appointed by the Governor oversee the Montana Arts Council. More information can be found at art.mt.gov
About the National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), established in Congress in 1965, is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. By advancing equitable opportunities for arts participation and practice, the NEA fosters and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States.
About the American Rescue Plan Act
Passed by Congress and signed into law in 2021, the American Rescue Plan is is designed to offer direct relief to the American people in part by providing $350 billion to help states, counties, cities and tribal governments cover increased expenditures, replenish lost revenue and mitigate economic harm from the COVID-19 pandemic.