Board Members Scout Camp Locations in Bozeman, Montana June 11-14, 2008

Representatives from Myrtlewood Arts Association met with representatives from several arts organizations in Bozeman, Montana to discuss the interest in a summer arts camp in the area.  In addition to creating a summer arts camp, Myrtlewood had discussed the potential for a facility that would serve the camp during the summer months and would be a valuable resource for educational and community arts groups during other season of the year.  The Myrtlewood Board felt that this would be in keeping with their mission, based on the understanding that arts education does not only happen in the school, but also in the variety of community resources that are available to students.

Representatives from the Intermountain Opera Company, Bozeman Symphony, Bozeman Public Schools, Shakespeare in the Parks, and Yellowstone Ballet met at the Bozeman Public Library and had an informative, productive conversation about what summer programs were in place, what could be done to enhance those programs and how Myrtlewood might fit into the existing summer arts offerings for high school aged students.  Also in attendance were two members of the Arts Council of Big Sky.

During the morning’s conversation, it became clear that the one thing that all organizations agreed upon was that there was a great need for a performance venue of 1600 or more seats.  The Symphony reported that each concert had to be given twice to satisfy the more than 2000 concert goers who bought tickets for each concert during the season.  Present Auditoria are too small or old and awkward.  While the turn-of-the century Bozeman architect Fred Willson’s Gothic Revival Emerson Theater, Neo-Classical Ellen Theater and “Streamline Moderne” Willson theater are architectural landmarks worthy of note, they do not completely serve the needs of the community. (article continues below)

During the meeting, Mr. Roger Schwer from the Arts Council of Big Sky asked if Myrtlewood had considered the possibility of having an arts camp at a ski resort.  He suggested that the infrastructure was already there to house and feed campers during the summer, when the slopes were idle.  In addition, conference spaces could be used for practice areas and there is an outdoor amphitheater and a 300 person, state-of-the-art theater was being built.  Mr. and Mrs. Higginbottom and Jessie Hastings were invited to come to Big Sky Resort and have a tour of what was available.

The tour lasted most of the day and covered rooms, cafeterias, conference rooms, portable dance floors, outdoor venues, yurts, Kitchens and swimming pools.  There was discussion of the ways that a camp partnership between Big Sky Resort (owned by Boyne of Michigan) and Myrtlewood  might be mutually advantageous.  Many possibilities were taken back to the Myrtlewood Board for further research and consideration.  The Board will maintain contact with Doug Gale and Roger Schwer to pursue the possibility of using Big Sky Resort as a venue, as well as continuing dialogue with the arts community on Bozeman.

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