Bigfork Museum Of Art & History

BIGFORK ART AND CULTURAL CENTER SERVES OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH EDUCATIONAL AND COLLBORTIVE EXHIBITS, ART AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS, CULTURAL DIVERSITY AWARENESS, AND STORY STEWARTSHIP AND HERITAGE PROGRAMS. 2022 GOALS CONTINUE TO INCREASE OUR COMMUNITY IMPACT THROUGH PROGRAM DIVERSIFICATION, LOWER FEES AND INCREASED ACCESSIBILITY FOR YOUTH AND SENIORS. WE MET THIS GOAL BY APPLYING FOR AND RECEIVING GRANTS. THIS ALLOWED US TO DEVELOP MORE ENRICHMENT AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH AND SENIORS. THE LOWER FEES FOR CLASSES AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM THESE GRANTS ALLOWED MORE INDIVIDUALS TO PARTICIPATE IN BACC ACTIVITIES. WE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF CLASSES, LECTURES, AND EXHIBITS FROM LESS THAN 20 IN 2021 TO 78 IN 2022. WE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF YOUTH SERVED FROM LESS THAN 80 UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS IN 2021 TO OVER 300 IN 2022. OUR TOTAL ATTENDEES FOR ALL PROGRAMS AND CLASSES INCREASED FROM LESS THAN 150 IN 2021 TO OVER 700 IN 2022. ANOTHER GOAL WAS TO STRENGHTEN OUR COMMUNITY NETWORK AND PARTNERSHIPS TO SUPPORT THE UNDERSERVED AND AT-RICK SOCIOECONOMIC POPULATIONS IN NW MONTANA. WE ACCOMPLISHED THIS GOAL BY CREATING A COLLABORATION WITH SERVAL OF THE SCHOOLS ON THE FLATHEAD RESERVATION. ONE OF THESE COLLABORATIONS PROVIDED A PUBLIC EXHIBIT AND UNIQUE PROGRAMS WITH SALISH KOOTENAI COLLEGE. THIS BACC EXHIBIT AND ITS NATIVE EDUCATIONAL STUDENT-LED PROGRAMS WERE CATALYSTS THAT DREW VISITORS FROM ALL OVER THE FLATHEAD VALLEY TO LEARN FROM INDIGENOUS ARTISTS ABOUT THE CULTURE, HERITAGE, AND CONTEMPORARY STRUGGLES OF NATIVE PEOPLE IN OUR AREA. THIS EXHIBIT ALONE SSAW OVER 2000 VISITORS DURING THE SUMMER OF 2022. THESE YOUNG, NEWLY GRADUATED NATIVE ARTISTS WERE ALSO MENTORED BY OUR ESTABLISHED ARTISTS IN BUSINESS PLANNING AND MARKETING THEIR ART AND SKILLS. WE ARE CONTINUING THIS COLLABORATION WITH THE COLLEGE THIS YEAR TO HELP SUPPORT A NEW GROUP OF EMERGING NAVTIVE ARTISTS.BIGKFORK HISTORY PROJECT IS PART OF OUR FOUNDING MISSION AND A CATALYST TO COMMUNITY CONNECTION. WE CONTINUED OUR COLABORATION WITH THE CONFEDERATED SALISH AND KOOTENAI TRIBES THAT RESULTED IN A HISTORY-BASED VIDEO THAT WAS PUBLISHED NATION-WIDE BY A GROUP OUT OF NYC, STOMPING GROUNDS. WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP NEW WAYS TO ENTERTAIN, INFORM AND CONNECT WITH OUR COMMUNITIES, VISITORS, AND COLABORATORS WITH OUR NEW BIGFORK HISTORY PROJECT; THE UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF THE FLATHEAD WATERWAYS. THIS PROJECT CONNECTS, INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, EUROPEAN SETTLERS, AND THEIR CONNECTION TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WATERS OF FLATHEAD VALLEY IN THEIR JOURNEYS AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THIS POPULAR COMPREHENSIVE MARITIME EXPLORATION PROJECT BECAME A GALLERY EXHIBIT FAVORITE AND HELP US REACH OVER 4600 VISITORS IN 2022. AS A RESULT WE HAVE EXPANDED ITS SCOPE AND INCLUDED IT IN OUR 2023 GOALS AND OUTREACH.