October ArtWalk

ArtWalk Downtown Billings hosts its fifth of six events for the 2024 season. ArtWalk locations across downtown will be open from 5 to 9 p.m. to host exhibits and feature artists from Billings and throughout the region. A mobile-friendly map and more information about the October 4th event, including images and gallery notes, can be found at www.artwalkdowntownbillings.com and on Facebook and Instagram @billingsartwalk.

The October ArtWalk features 29 open locations. With two one-time participants joining us Dan Palagyi Gallery, 115 N. Broadway Suite# 208 and Billings Public Library at 510 North Broadway hosting the Billings Art Association.

All ArtWalk events are free. Many locations host music and offer light refreshments. Often, artists attend and present gallery talks. There are a variety of parking options in the downtown area, including free on street metered parking after 5 p.m.

Gallery Notes and Location

A&E Design, 124 N. 29th St. will be closed for the October ArtWalk.

Anderson Art Studio, 2706 Minnesota Ave will be closed for the October ArtWalk

Aspinwall, 103 North Broadway, hosts local wildlife and landscape photographer Seth Royal Kroft as well as artist Jessica Brophy.

Professional wildlife and landscape photographer Seth Royal Kroft is a Billings native who spent his upbringing participating in all the outdoor activities Montana had to offer. Seth’s work focuses on the mountain regions of Montana and Yellowstone National Park, and has been featured in hotels, luxury apartments, magazines, travel guides, billboards, international online articles and more. In collaboration with Aspinwall Mountain Wear, Seth recently opened up his own art gallery in the heart of downtown Billings.

Jessica Brophy was raised in the wilderness of Montana and grew up training horses, raising chickens, and painting. Jessica does art differently. She makes custom art, which means she works one-on-one with each of her clients to create a painting or drawing around their style and what they love. Her pet portraits are wildly popular!

Enjoy FREE beer and local art. We’ll see you there!

Asylum Distillery, 2223 Montana Avenue #101 will be hosting macrame artist Michelle Bernard and Chelsey Pirtz owner of Resin8us for the October ArtWalk. Stop by the distillery for a cocktail, art, and great conversation.

Michelle was introduced to the art of macrame in the 80’s. Back then, jute was really the only macramé material available, and patterns were hard to come by. Throughout her life, she has maintained a crafty disposition, exploring various forms of artistic expression. After retiring several years ago and snow birding her way to Florida golfing became her new passion, she quickly realized that she was bored and needed something to keep her hands and mind busy. “While out shopping I started noticing a lot of macrame pieces in all of the home stores…reigniting my love with the art!” Michelle

Chelsey’s mission is to create pieces that make individuals feel special and shine through her unique designs. With a variety of different colors and shapes for both earrings and necklaces she also creates beautiful suncatchers for your home.

Barjons Books, 223 North 29th Street, Barjon’s Books will be hosting artists Carolyn Tolton and Rúhíyyih Tolton for the October ArtWalk.

Carolyn is a fourth generation Montanan, daughter and granddaughter of farmers, teachers, and artists. A fourth-grade teacher, Carolyn’s pottery serves as a personal sanctuary where she can decompress and explore, resulting in pieces that blend functionality and artistry. She loves to spend her evenings in the studio making a mess, creating new shapes, and listening to her newest audiobook.

Artist Rúhíyyih puts to paper the gifts (both real and imaginary) of time and labor spent in the garden. These days working largely in pen and ink, sometimes mixing watercolor and pastels, she enjoys observing small things, honoring the brevity of the flowering and harvest seasons. Rúhíyyih lives in Billings with her husband Peter and son Robin, who inspire her daily along with their dog, cat, chickens, garden (of course), and all the bugs and tiny things her son marvels over.

Billings First Congregational Church (BFC), 310 North 27th Street, Billings First Congregational Church will be hosting artist Jean Posusta. Broad brushes and unusually shaped or divided and frameless canvases intimate her acrylic stylings. Most often, aspen groves and bayous draw you “back home”, as you stare at her canvas. Jean dabbled as an art agent for a couple of friends and found she was reinspired while visiting galleries and got back to painting 12 years ago. Capturing Montana’s serenity is her favorite ‘subject’.

Billings Public Library, 510 North Broadway, Billings Public Library will host 20+ artists from the Billings Arts Association for the October 2024 ArtWalk! Stop by Art’s Paper & Paint and Crooked Line Studio booths and enjoy some light refreshments provided by Raven’s Cafe d’Art!

Billings Symphony Society, 2820 2nd Avenue North, Billings Symphony will be hosting artist Alaina Buffalo Spirit and The No Treble Trio consisting of Billings Symphony cellists Mary McCullogh, Teal Zankie, and Marley Ball. The No Treble Trio loves playing a variety of music around the Billings community, ranging from film classics like Moon River, to Irish Jigs, to toe-tapping tangos. Alaina, Owner of Buffalo Spirit Designs, is a nationally renowned artist. Alaina is a senior member of the So’taa’ee band of the Northern Cheyenne Nation.

Bishops Cuts/Color, 108 North Broadway, Bishops Cut/Color, For the October ArtWalk Bishops will be hosting Veronica O’Hara owner of Veronica Candle Co., Willows Mystical’s by Rose Ginsbach, and mixed media artist and photographer Virginia Collins.

Veronica owner + one woman show of Veronica Candle Co. always knew she wanted to own her own business but also create something that everyone can enjoy. Veronica will have candles, hair oil, car diffusers and wax melts available.Rose’s unique abilities extend beyond mere predictions; she offers profound guidance to clients not only regarding their present life trajectories but also delves into the threads that have woven their pasts. Virginia Collins is a mixed media artist and photographer who grew up in Billings and specializes in portraiture, exploring emotional representation and composition through color and form. She enjoys watercolor, ink, and acrylic using them together often, while also offering pyrography and hand engraving services for item personalization.

Bravera Bank, 123 North Broadway, Bravera Bank will be hosting artists Trevan Hiersche and Deanna Bergum for the October ArtWalk. Trevan grew up in the heart of Idaho, but now calls Montana home. He loves to explore landscapes far and wide and share the experiences with others. Along with showing prints, he enjoys teaching photography to others. Be on the lookout for meetups or inquire about improving your photography.

Deanna uses various techniques and mediums, incorporating vibrant colors with an abstract twist. Her work reflects her experiences and interests, drawing inspiration from family, friends, art and music. I strive to capture beauty in a unique way.

Ceilon Aspensen Fine Art, 113 North Broadway #406, will be closed for the October ArtWalk

Confetti Heart Studio, 2821 2nd Avenue North, Step into ‘Haus Odd’ 2nd Annual Oddities Show at Confetti Heart Studio, 2821 2nd Ave N; showcasing local art, bizarre creations, and vintage odds & ends perfect for creating unique home decor and costumes. Explore the whimsical, eerie, and extraordinary in this unforgettable gallery experience! Featuring artists Anne Ross, Beth Ann Zitur, Chris Diamond & Ray Krivanek. Fun concoctions will be available at the gallery café!

Cushing Terrell, 13 N 23rd Street, will be closed for the October ArtWalk.

Dan Palagyi Gallery,115 N. Broadway Suite# 208, Dan Palagyi will be joining us for the October ArtWalk. Dan was raised in Roundup MT and studied painting at MSU Bozeman. His artistic process involves the manipulation of color and texture in an improvised manner. Palagyi is inspired by the land and the sky of central Montana.

Downtown Billings Alliance (DBA),102 N. 29th St, The DBA will be hosting Billings artists Ruby Hahn and Rilie Tané Zumbrennen for the October ArtWalk.

Ruby, an Acrylic and Mixed Media Artist, who is inspired by the natural world’s inconspicuous relationships and interpretations.Throughout her abstract paintings, she explores the connections between the microscopic and macroscopic realms. The perception of the pieces is left up to the viewer.

Ruby’s more recent wildlife paintings are thought to evoke a different emotion. Ruby found herself getting lost in the process of translating her painting style into the subject matter of loose and expressive wildlife. She enjoys the challenge of working with these painting techniques that simultaneously explore the duality and similarity of her evolving styles.

Rilie, a pyrography and mural artist, is influenced by the beauty of the outdoors. She enjoys painting and wood burning animals and landscapes most. She uses a soldering tool and torch to burn onto wood. Additionally, she enjoys using carving tools to etch into glass, metal, and wood. She has participated in many Art Shows across the state and her murals can also be found across the state of Montana and in Nevada. Her murals commonly use sepia tones and gray scale to resemble her wood burnings. She has painted over 75 murals both residential and commercial. As an artist, she is interested in creating works that allow viewers to relate to the same extent as her involvement in each piece.

Electric Storm Gallery, 405 N 24th St. Electric Storm will be open for the October ArtWalk. Be sure to make this one of your stops for the evening.

Essence Medical Spa, 2202 1st Avenue N. Suite 1, Essence Medical Spa is pleased to be hosting local artist Terri Porta for the October ArtWalk. Terri Porta is a painter, muralist, and contemporary sculptor working in metal, wood, ceramics, and any other material readily available. She graduated from Montana State University Billings with her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and a women’s study minor. She has an established art business, and her fine art is collected internationally and has been exhibited at group shows and in museums all over the region. Currently, she has been selected as the first-ever Artist in Residence for the City of Billings, Montana, the largest city in the state. Enjoy live music from Mandela Effect along with light refreshments.

Global Village, 2815 2nd Avenue North is featuring artist Jennie Peterson for the October ArtWalk. Jennie started making wine cork art back in 2017. After hurting her back at work, she was a Juvenile Detention Officer and had to take time off. She needed something to do with her time, so she started making ornaments, magnets, and trivets with corks.

Harry Koyama Fine Art, 2509 Montana Ave. On tap for the October Artwalk at Harry Koyama Fine Art will be recent paintings and new work on the miniature wall. The mini wall will feature work from 8×10 down to 5×7 with subjects of native, wildlife and landscape.

Hedden-Empire Gallery, 206 North 29th Street, will be hosting photographer Alethea Kelso for the October ArtWalk. Her love for photography began when she got the opportunity to work with some amazing women at a well-known boudoir studio called Bad Kitty Photography. During her time at BKP her creativity flourished, and she went on to shoot pin- up girls, old Hollywood glamour, fashion, and hot-rods.

Her need for the mountains and love for animals, horses especially, wildlife, and stunning landscapes brought her to Montana where she is beginning her wildlife and nature adventure. Alethea loves to inspire people, and she hopes to be able to continue creating beautiful prints for everyone to enjoy.

Kirks’ Grocery, 2920 Minnesota Avenue, Supraliminal: Ellen Ornitz and Candace Forrette

October 4 – November 16, 2024

Opening reception: Friday, October 4, 5–9 pm (during ArtWalk) with delicious bites by Chef Ashley Woodward. Supraliminal: Ellen Ornitz and Candace Forrette takes you beyond the thresholds of the intentional and intuitive. Burnt Fossils of Ornitz are primitively fired ceramics exploring disintegration and renewal. Forrette’sFollowing Winter series features transparent encaustic layers inspired by a snowstorm.

McCormick Cafe, 2419 Montana Ave, will be hosting artist Deva Gallagher during the October ArtWalk. Deva is a silversmith/watercolor artist in Billings. She has a BFA in Metals/Jewelry from MSU-Bozeman. She uses her prized hammer collection to form small-batch sterling silver jewelry that is comfortable and built to last. Montana wildflowers and the golden age of rodeo cowgirls inspire her watercolor art, available as prints, tea towels, greeting cards, and t-shirts.

Proof Donuts, 2715 1st Avenue North Suite A, is featuring artist, Liz Cozad, for the October ArtWalk

Liz May is a contemporary artist working in painting, ceramics, and installation. Her work stems

from self-discovery and finding connections, ties, and comparisons based on logic and sequence.

The artist has spent her early years observing sociological behaviors in various community groups.

She represents complex interactions of opposing personalities in everyday routines and

exchanges. The artist creates fragmented experiences of the home and the world around her by

carefully altering the functionality of common objects in these ritualistic scenarios. Her work is a

minimized autobiography that discusses self-preservation while immersed in the collective. She

draws attention to our relationships with fluctuation, chaos, and order in shared spaces.

Robert Tompkins Fine Art, 115 N. 28th St. Ste 304, Robert Tompkins is an Impressionist oil painter. Work bridges realism & abstract. Gallery features original oils, landscapes, florals. animals & abstract.

Sandstone Gallery, 2913 2nd Avenue North, for the October ArtWalk, Sandstone Gallery will be featuring Jennifer Baretta‘s lovely pottery and exciting new watercolors with Lynn Shield‘s vibrant Brusho watercolor paintings of horses and wildlife, as well as her new “Once in a Blue Moon” exhibit depicting each of the 12 moons. Our guest artist is Linda Pease with her stunning multi-media pieces. Billings Arts Association’s artists for October and November are Cynthia Kesser (watercolor) and Phil Bell (photographer). We are also very excited to welcome our newest partner member artist Rachael Deyle.

Artists reception with light refreshments from 5-9 PM. Many or all of our 14 artists will also be on hand to show their work and talk to you about their art. Please join us for a fun evening downtown!

Stephen Haraden Studio and Gallery,2817 2nd Avenue North, suite #205, The process of creating randomly assembled scrap paper

collages continue at the Stephen Haraden Studio. Stop by to visit with Stephen about his new approach to this work.

Stone Feather Road, 2525 Minnesota Ave, Stone Feather Road will be hosting three artists for the October ArtWalk hat band & leather designer Whiskey Lee, photographer Kristen Collett and traditional bead jewelry designer Shauna Zeck.

Whiskey Lee has always been against the grain and true to her own style. If she’s not creating art or homeschooling with her son, she’s in nature sharing her love for Mother Earth as a practicing Druid. “My name, my style, my interests, my love for the planet, my love for my practice, all influence my creativity. Mother Earth is my inspiration.” Whiskey Lee.

Kristen Collett’s induction to the magic of the Pryor Mountains and the incredible wild horses who live there happened in 2011. Little did she know, this was a new beginning. She would soon move from working as a high-end chef in Florida, to becoming an outdoor photographer and wild horse advocate for the Pryor wild horses. She moved to Montana and took a break from her culinary career, spending countless hours exploring and photographing the vast, untamed 39,900 acres of land the Pryor Wild Horses call home.

Shauna Zeck owner of Bead Spirit Designs is self-taught in traditional (Native American) beadwork beginning about 25 years ago: moccasins, ceremonial items and dance fans, leather pouches and my own northern style buckskin regalia. As her love for gemstones and jewelry design grew, it has since evolved into the more contemporary line that you see today. A portion of all sales goes into my Little Spirits Fund. This fund she has set up to help Native American children & babies living on the Pine Ridge Reservation of South Dakota. During the summer months they ship out the most requested and much needed items: diapers/wipes, shoes/socks, winter coats/boots, food and drinking water. Across the winter months they work on providing heat to elders, Veterans and single caretakers as many go without.

The Grand Building (Jake’s Downtown), 2701 1st Avenue North, The Grand Building will be hosting artist Marie Taylor for the October ArtWalk.

Marie Taylor is an artist from Montana. She started her career in healthcare and has always expressed her creative side through many projects – ranging from clay, to murals, to jewelry. Quickly, her passion and success led her to commit to her art in a full-time capacity. Marie’s curiosity has led her on a journey to meet many encouraging friends and mentors. Marie works in a variety of subjects and mediums – her favorite being encaustic & oil. She has a strong sense of space & design. She is able to transform her clients’ spoken ideas into artistic reality.

Thirsty Street, 2123 1st Ave N. You won’t want to miss out on all the fun at Thirsty Street during the October ArtWalk.

Friday night, October 4th, Montana Renaissance Festival and BIRD- in conjunction with the October Artwalk and sponsored by Thirsty Street Brewing – kick off the All Hallows Medieval Fantasy Fair weekend with a concert featuring music by Nordic Daughter, Black Murray, & Salt & Shadow with a special fire whip demonstration by world record holder Adam “Crack” Winrich.

This House of Books, 116 North 29th Street Suite B, will be hosting Lindsey Munson. Linsey is a mixed pencil artist who focuses a bunch of her artistic talents on animals. During the October ArtWalk, she will be showing the images she has created of animals and plants around Billings.

Tyler Murphy Studio, 111 N. 30th Suite 217. For the October ArtWalk Tyler will have a handful of new paintings on display at the studio above the Art House Cinema.

Visible Vault (YAM) located at 505 North 26th Street, behind the Museum:

Artist-in-residence, Krista Leigh Pasini | 5:30 – 8 PM

Join Krista for “FREE REFILLS” an evening dedicated to poetic balms, antidotes, & remedies.

Yellowstone Art Museum (YAM), 410 North 27th Street.

Monster Drawing Rally When: Friday, October 4, 2024 from 5 – 8 PM Tickets: $10

YAM’s Monster Drawing Rally is part live art-making performance, part art bazaar, and part live auction in a fast-paced, lively event! During a Monster Drawing Rally, artists create artwork from start to finish while under a 1-hour time limit in front of a live audience. Attendees can bid on the works after they are made. The Monster Drawing Rally offers a rare and exciting opportunity to watch artists in action and a chance to take home their completed pieces, all while supporting the YAM. Ticket holders will also enjoy a live DJ, light snacks and a cash bar.

Black Violin

Black Violin is composed of classically trained violist and violinist Wil Baptiste and Kev Marcus who combine their classical training and and hip-hop influences to create a distinctive multi-genre sound that is often described as “classical boom”. The band released their major label debut Stereotypes (featuring Black Thought of The Roots and MC Pharoahe Monch) on Universal Music which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Classical Crossover Chart and #4 on the Billboard R&B Chart. NPR took note and declared “their music will keep classical music alive for the next generation”. The band is currently touring the US and will release their new album Take The Stairs in November.

Wil and Kev place heavy emphasis on educational outreach, and have perform for more than 100,000 students each year. Recently, they were announced as Turnaround Artists for Mary B. Bethune Elementary School in their hometown of Broward County, FL. Turnaround Arts, a national education program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, infuses arts into struggling schools to support overall reform efforts. Through their student engagement and public performances, Black Violin challenge the stereotypes and preconceived notion of what a “classical musician” looks and sounds like. “The stereotypes are always there, embedded so deep in our culture,” says Wil. “Just by nature of our existence we challenge those ideas. It’s a unique thing that brings people together who aren’t usually in the same room, and in the current climate, it’s good to bring people together.”

Frankenstein

Beware! True terror is coming to the historic Babcock Theatre this October with our upcoming UNIVERSAL MONSTER MASH series! Once a week, all month long, we will be treating you to a special screening of a classic Universal monster movie, celebrating the golden age of horror and the undeniable impression it has left on all types of media and the people who make them over the past nine decades, successfully embedding themselves within the zeitgeist of entertainment! That being said, we are excited to be kicking it all off with a screening of James Whale’s 1931 adaptation of FRANKENSTEIN! One of the very first horror films from Universal to be released with sound, FRANKENSTEIN is still an incredible film 93 years later, and is full of terrific acting and unforgettable imagery! Shot with stark black and white cinematography on sets designed in a way that seems to emulate German expressionism, Boris Karloff stars as the tragic Frankenstein’s Monster in one of the most most memorable and inspirational roles of all time!
The story focuses on Henry Frankenstein, a prestigious scientist attempting to crack the secret of life and death. With his hunchbacked assistant, Fritz, the duo rob fresh graves in search of the right pieces to assemble his own human to artificially bring to life- but Henry’s dreams are shattered when Fritz delivers a defective brain for the monster, ultimately awakening a being that turns violent when it does not understand why it is feared and hated in the world of the living!

Silent Movie Day Double Feature

September 29th is Silent Movie Day at the historic Babcock Theatre, and we are excited to announce that we will be having a special double feature screening of Buster Keaton’s SHERLOCK JR. and F.W Murnau’s THE LAST LAUGH in celebration of each film’s 100th anniversary! One of the best silent comedies of all time paired up with one of the most heart-wrenching dramas of all time paired together on a double bill at a historic theatre? This is a night to remember!

Starting on the comedic side of things, Buster Keaton play the titular SHERLOCK JR.- a projectionist who longs to be a detective, and finally gets the opportunity to put his amateur skills to the test when he is framed by his rival for stealing his girlfriend’s father’s pocket watch! Legendary bouts of physical and situational comedy ensue!

But things quickly take a turn for the serious in THE LAST LAUGH. The man who directed such expressionistic experiences as Nosferatu and Faust tells a tragic story of an elderly doorman at a prestigious hotel. This deeply committed man has loved and dedicated himself to his job for years, but when his employers deem him too physically worn out to keep up, they demote him to the hotel’s bathroom. Feeling betrayed and unworthy, the man falls into a deep depression, questioning what he has to live for, forcing him to face scorn from his friends, neighbors, and society.

This is an incredible retrospective double feature that truly encapsulates the incredible feats that filmmakers have been achieving for well over a century, and only a fool would miss out on an opportunity to see something like this! Won’t you join us??

McCabe and Mrs. Miller

Announcing a very special treat coming to the historic Babcock Theatre very soon! During our annual VIP Oscar party this year, our ballot winner was Rhiannon Bronstein, and she was rewarded with a special film screening of her choice! We are excited to say that Rhiannon has chosen the excellent 1971 western drama from Robert Altman, MCCABE AND MRS. MILLER! This absolute classic of the genre stars Warren Beatty and Julie Christie as a gambler and a prostitute who become business partners in an old mining town. Their enterprise begins to thrive at a stunning pace, but circumstances become more complicated when a large corporation posts up in town.

Come and see this splendid classic and let Rhiannon know you enjoy her and her taste!!

Vigil to Honor Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP)

Vigil to Honor Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) in Billings

WHAT: Candlelight vigil for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP)

WHEN: September 27, 2024 | 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

WHERE: Yellowstone County Court Lawn, 217 N 27th St, Billings, MT 59101

DETAILS: Join us for a candlelight vigil to honor and remember victims of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) crisis. The event will feature smudging, prayers, drumming by Night Hawk Jrz, and a candle lighting ceremony. Lunch will be prepared and provided by and Food for the Soul with sponsorship from Billings First Congregational Church.

ATTIRE: Attendees are encouraged to wear red to symbolize community strength and unity.

PARTNERS: The event is organized by Lita Pepion, Nicci Wagy, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, and First Congregational Church, with support from MMIP Billings, Native American Development Corporation, Billings Urban Indian Health and Wellness Center, Western Native Voice, Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council, and MSUB Native American Achievement Center.

BACKGROUND: The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) crisis is a critical issue affecting American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Despite alarming statistics—such as 5,712 reported cases of missing Indigenous women and girls in 2016, with only 116 in the federal database—this crisis remains significantly underfunded and inadequately addressed. Murder is the third leading cause of death for Native women, with rates up to ten times higher than the national average for women on reservations. The Not Invisible Act and Savanna’s Act aim to improve data sharing and coordination to tackle this crisis. The September 27 vigil seeks to honor victims, support their families, and advocate for necessary systemic change.

CONTACT: Lita Pepion | litapepion@hotmail.com | 406-208-5779

Varsity Blues

Thursday, September 26th, we are stepping back in time once again with another entry in our ongoing Nostalgia Night series! Join us at the historic Babcock Theatre for a special screening of Brian Robbins’s 1999 comedic sports drama, VARSITY BLUES, in celebration of the film’s 25th anniversary! Just in time for football season, this throwback to a simpler time still holds up as an exciting underdog story a quarter of a century later! Taking place in a small Texas town where football is almost a religion, the hopes and spirits of the town depend on the 17-year-olds winning their football games. But when their star quarterback, Lance Harbor suffers an injury and is unable to continue playing, the Coyotes are forced to regroup with questionable second-string quarterback John Moxon, leaving the players to deal with his rather irreverent approach to the game.

Cat Video Fest

We are very excited to be announcing the return of our annual screening of CAT VIDEO FEST at the historic Babcock Theatre, benefitting our friends at Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter! Finally, you can once again bear witness to the incredible spectacle of all sorts of feline shenanigans compiled into one fantastic show, projected onto the screen of a historic theatre! We love getting to put this show on every year, and we are always so glad to see so many of you turn up in order to raise money for the less fortunate critters while having a blast with your friends and family! What is there to look forward to in this strange and uncertain world, if not wholesome comradery and silly cat videos??

3rd Annual Boots & Beads Art Auction + Indigenous Showcase

Please join us for Triia’s 3rd Annual Boots & Beads Art Auction + Indigenous Showcase at the Pub Station.

This event features live music, comedy, dinner, and auctions.

Triia – Teaching. Reaching. Innovative. Indigenous. Artists., as part of the Native American Development Corporation (NADC), would like to share with you the announcement of our ‘3rd annual Boots & Beads Art Auction & Indigenous Showcase’ to be held in conjunction with Native American Development Corporation’s 15th annual Big Sky Native ECon conference. Boots and Beads brings together Native American entrepreneurs, artists, and business leaders from multiple communities across the country, providing an original networking opportunity.

Enjoy a farm-to-table 3-course dinner, live music from Native American performing artists, and the opportunity to bid on original works of art from a few of our favorite accomplished Native American artists.

Featured: MSU Billings Native American Achievement Center showcases tribal art and culture Week Ahead With 2 FREE Lectures & 2 Walking Tours

msu billings

July 26, 2022

The Native American Achievement Center at Montana State University Billings has been awarded a Supporting Indigenous Arts Mastery program grant for the 2022-2023 academic year.

The SIAM program is designed to help community colleges and four-year public and private universities in supporting cultural arts of tribal communities under the institution’s outreach and own departments. The program is modeled after the work of The Evergreen State College’s Longhouse Education and Cultural Center and is designed to help support work done by institutions with tribal communities to support visual arts.

The NAAC will be utilizing the program and funding to initiate a series of workshops highlighting the unique artwork and culture of the Crow and Northern Cheyenne tribes. Workshops will include crafting high-top moccasins, feather fans, and belt making; lectures related to the culture and historical significance of these objects; and a final exhibit and reception of the artwork completed over the three-month program.

“This project is an acknowledgement and tribute to the importance of indigenous arts and culture,” says Sunny Day Real Bird, director of the Native American Achievement Center. “It’s a way to show respect for the work of artists and cultural keepers by sharing their talent and knowledge. By focusing on a Native American student presence, the work and lineage of these artists and their predecessors will live on in the future artwork of the attending participants.”

The workshops will be free to students from the Native American Achievement Center and tribal members. Remaining spots in the program will be reserved for certified educators in Montana who will be able to enroll and earn continuing education credits for a fee, based on the cost of materials.

“I am excited for the opportunity for MSU Billings to partner with the Crow and Northern Cheyenne reservations to support Native American art and culture on our campus, Our students and community will be able to learn more about cultural insights and historical knowledge through this program.” says MSUB Chancellor Stefani Hicswa.

Learn more about the Native American Achievement Center and Supporting Indigenous Arts Mastery program.

This program is made possible by a grant from the “House of Welcome Cultural Arts Center.”

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