Touchet Valley Arts Council

THE TOUCHET VALLEY ARTS COUNCIL PROMOTES FINE ARTS IN THE TOUCHET VALLEY & SURROUNDING AREA, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO MOTION PICTURES, LIVE THEATER, MUSIC, ART, AND ORAL INTERPRETATION. WE OFFER CURRENT AND CLASSIC MOVIES, LIVE COMMUNITY COMEDY & MUSICAL THEATER, YOUTH THEATER, AND CIVIC EVENTS.

FILM/CINEMA: TO MAKE CINEMA AVAILABLE IN THIS RURAL AREA, AND AT AFFORDABLE PRICES, THE ORGANIZATION PRESENTS CURRENT MOVIES, USUALLY A NEW FILM EACH WEEK, 4 DAYS A WEEK, EXCEPT WHEN LIVE PERFORMANCES TAKE OVER THE THEATER. THE FILMS ARE SELECTED MAINLY FOR FAMILY VIEWING. MATINEE AND SOME SPECIAL SHOWINGS ARE AT FURTHER REDUCED PRICES. SOME FILMS HAVE SPECIAL SENSORY-FRIENDLY SHOWINGS. A SUBSIDIZED VERY-LOW-PRICE SERIES OF CHILDREN'S FILMS IS PART OF OUR SUMMER CULTURAL ENRICHMENT PROGRAM FOR YOUTH. SPECIAL FILMS MAY BE CHOSEN TO ACCOMPANY FUND-RAISING EVENTS, COMMUNITY EVENTS, HOLIDAYS, AND OTHER SEASONAL ACTIVITIES. CONCESSIONS ARE PROVIDED AT REASONABLE PRICES, SERVED MOSTLY BY VOLUNTEER STAFF. FOR SEVERAL YEARS WE HAVE HOSTED THE ANNUAL MANHATTAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL, ONE OF ONLY 2 SITES IN EASTERN WASHINGTON TO PRESENT THIS WORLDWIDE CINEMA CULTURAL EVENT. WE WERE COMPLETELY CLOSED FOR A YEAR DURING COVID-19. MOVIE AUDIENCE SIZE AND PROGRAM REVENUE CONTINUED TO BE LIMITED IN FY2024.

LIVE THEATER PRODUCTIONS: THE PRODUCTIONS GROUP PRESENTS SEVERAL LIVE THEATER EVENTS WHICH ARE PRODUCED, DIRECTED AND PERFORMED BY VOLUNTEERS FROM THE TOUCHET VALLEY AND SURROUNDING AREA. CAST MEMBERS RANGE FROM ABOUT 5 TO 90 YEARS OF AGE, AND SOME COMMUTE OVER 30 MILES. CAST SIZE OCCASIONALLY EXCEEDS 60 PERSONS, WHICH FILLS OUR SMALL STAGE. THIS PROVIDES ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND RECREATION, EDUCATION, AND CAMARADERIE FOR PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS EXPERIENCE IN TEAMWORK, LEADERSHIP, AND THE PERFORMING ARTS. EVENTS TYPICALLY INCLUDE A MAJOR MUSICAL IN THE FALL, MELODRAMA, AND READER'S THEATER; AND A VARIETY SHOW WITH SONG, DANCE, AND OTHER TALENTS. YOUTH THEATER EXPERIENCES INCLUDE THE MISSOULA CHILDREN'S THEATRE NOTED BELOW. AFTER THE COVID-19 CLOSURE IN 2020 WE WERE ABLE TO RESUME MAJOR LIVE PLAYS IN NOVEMBER 2022. LIVE SHOW AUDIENCE SIZE AND REVENUE HAVE INCREASED ALMOST BACK TO PRE-COVID LEVELS.

EDUCATIONAL AND COMMUNITY EVENTS: THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES USE OF THE THEATER FOR COMMUNITY FORUMS AND EDUCATIONAL EVENTS, AND OCCASIONAL PRIVATE EVENTS, AT A NOMINAL USAGE FEE. THE FEE IS SOMETIMES WAIVED FOR OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. THIS YEAR AGAIN INCLUDED A DRUG-AWARENESS FORUM FOR PARENTS. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO ARRANGES FOR LOCAL ARTISTS TO DISPLAY THEIR PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURES IN THE THEATER LOBBY ON A CONTINUING ROTATION. THIS PROGRAM INCLUDES LIVE PERFORMANCES NOT PRODUCED BY OUR PRODUCTIONS GROUP, INCLUDING A COMEDY PLAY, WORKSHOPS, AND VARIETY OF CONCERTS PRESENTED THROUGH THE YEAR, WITH A RANGE OF VISITING PERFORMING ARTISTS FROM WESTERN MUSIC TO JAZZ TO CLASSIC STRING QUARTET. FOOD-AND-A-MOVIE EVENTS OFFER CULINARY ARTS, SERVING FOOD ITEMS KEYED TO THE INTERNATIONAL OR SPECIAL THEME OF THE MOVIE. THIS FISCAL YEAR WE CONTINUE THE SUMMER CULTURAL ENRICHMENT PROGRAM FOR YOUTH, ALMOST ALL WITH FREE ADMISSION, SUPPORTED BY GRANTS, TO INCLUDE A SERIES OF 6 CHILDREN'S MOVIES, THE MISSOULA CHILDREN'S THEATRE, AND JEFF EVANS, A DYNAMIC ENTERTAINER TO ENCOURAGE READING. MISSOULA CHILDREN'S THEATRE IS A WEEK-LONG YOUTH THEATER WORKSHOP AND PERFORMANCES INVOLVING UP TO 60 CHILDREN AGES 5 TO 18, AT NO COST TO PARTICIPANTS.