BHS Hawks Theatre Company presents the classic musical comedy The Music Man by Meredith Willson, with live orchestra. All five shows at the Bozeman High School auditorium November 2, 3, 4, 5th. 

The Music Man: the classic American musical comedy which gave us hits like Seventy-Six Trombones, Ya Got Trouble, Marion the Librarian and Sha Poopie!  This charming tale follows the exploits of Harold Hill, a clever con man who meets his match in a small-town librarian. First produced in 1957 the show became a hit on Broadway, winning five Tonys including Best Musical.  Written by Meredith Willson, the play has been produced all over the world for over 60 years.

“The Music Man... presents a moment of joy in a world that is, now more than ever, darkened by violence. By the time the curtain falls, the audience members are filled with positive energy, joy, and excitement.” - Amelie Julicher, The Harvard Crimson

“The Music Man” is about the healing nature of the arts. Harold teaches discordant neighbors to live in harmony — quite literally — by transforming the town’s bickering school board into a barbershop quartet. Even bad art, our River City residents learn, can be restorative.” – Katherine Rampell, The Washington Post

Under the direction of Valarie Andrews with orchestral direction by Michael Certalic, and vocal direction by Jacob Malczyk.

This play is for all ages. Box office opens an hour before show, doors open thirty minutes before curtain. All general seating.

Ticket prices $8 (Student) $15 (General Public)
November 2^nd 7pm, 3^rd 7pm, 4^th 1pm and 7pm
with closing matinee, the 5^th 1pm.

Tickets can be purchased onlinehttps://bsd7.revtrak.net/music/#/list and at the box office.

For more info, please call the Hawks Theatre Co. line at 406.522.4855

BOZEMAN – A Montana State University research team has published a study that may contribute to management and restoration strategies for whitebark pine, a species that is experiencing significant decline and was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act almost a year ago.

Danielle Ulrich, assistant professor in the Department of Ecology in MSU’s College of Letters and Science, is the lead author on a recently published paper in the journal Forest Ecology and Management. The paper describes work Ulrich’s team has done to compare juvenile whitebark and limber pine trees, identifying physiological traits that may influence the species’ respective abilities to resist environmental stress.

Whitebark pine is native to subalpine and timberline zones in western Canada and the U.S., including Montana and Wyoming. It lives on bright, sunny, windy mountaintops and grows in rocky, poor-quality soil. Like limber pine, whitebark is a keystone and foundation species, meaning that it forms the habitat for other species by providing protection and shelter, stabilizing soil, maintaining and shading snowpack, and influencing streamflow throughout the growing season. Both trees’ seeds are a significant source of food for grizzly bears and Clark’s nutcracker birds.

Whitebark pine has declined significantly since the 1990s, Ulrich said, due to white pine blister rust fungus, bark beetles, fire suppression efforts that have allowed the rise of competing conifers, and climate change, including drought. According to a study published in 2018, 51% of all whitebark pine trees in the U.S. have died. The potential ecological implications of whitebark decline are myriad, including slope erosion and early season snowpack loss leading to reduced summer streamflows.

In 2020, Ulrich’s group set out to describe the physiological traits of both pine species by studying rust-resistant juveniles under controlled conditions in the MSU greenhouse.

“This is one of the first studies to compare the physiology of these two species in this way,” Ulrich said. “More broad-scale studies have noted their ecological similarities but have not described and compared their physiologies, which tell us how they live in the places they do. This work is filling that gap to help us better understand how these species respond to their environments, especially under changing climates. This study sets a foundation for future and ongoing work.”

The MSU team analyzed a multitude of the trees’ traits, including the size of their stomata, which are responsible for taking in carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and moving water from the roots to the leaves; their allocation of biomass above or below ground, which determines whether they are better at finding water at the root level or acquiring sunlight for photosynthesis; the timing of their budburst, which sets the duration of each tree’s growing season; and other characteristics that determine a plant’s heat and cold tolerance, light absorption and ability to withstand drought.

In the plant world, “generalist” species possess traits that make them both grow well and resist stress so they can grow in a wider variety of habitats, while “specialists” tend to specialize in either growing well or resisting stress, living in in a smaller variety of habitats. Ulrich’s study found that limber pine is more of a generalist, while whitebark pine is more of a specialist, resisting stress by growing more slowly and conservatively to endure tough times.

Ulrich said that may explain why limber pine lives in a wider range of conditions. For example, it is found at elevations ranging from lower treeline all the way up to upper treeline — 2,800 to 12,500 feet. Whitebark pine grows exclusively in higher elevation areas — 5,200 to 11,800 feet. Such differences could be exploited during forest restoration and replanting efforts by identifying planting locations where these species will be successful, Ulrich said.

Currently, the same juveniles used in the physiological study are being subjected to different stresses in the greenhouse.

“My students and I have exposed both species to stressors, including drought and high temperature,” she said. “We want to know how these species will fare under warmer, drier conditions. Will those physiological responses differ between the two species? Will limber pine fare better under climate change than whitebark pine?”

Ulrich said graduate students in her lab are working on a number of related projects. They include a study to determine whether data from the just-published physiology paper also apply to wild trees in the field; an examination of whether measuring trees’ non-structural carbohydrate levels can help predict how likely they are to succumb to drought; and a comparison with another high-elevation species, the Great Basin bristlecone pine, which isn’t found in Montana but faces similar threats as the trees in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

“Plants, vegetation, forests are incredibly valuable for ecosystem services. They form the backbone of many ecosystems, especially at high elevations” Ulrich said. “High-elevation pine research will continue in my lab – we have lots of irons in the fire right now.”

On Friday, Oct. 20, ballots for the 2023 municipal election on Nov. 7 in Gallatin County will be mailed to active registered voters in municipalities that are holding elections.  

This election is a mail ballot election meaning there will be no polling places open on Election Day. 

Elections are taking place in Bozeman, Belgrade, Manhattan, West Yellowstone, and the Central Valley Fire District. 

In total, about 48,500 ballots will be mailed to active registered voters. Ballots should start arriving this weekend or early next week. Sample ballots can be found here. 

As with all mail ballot elections, there is always an option to vote in-person at the Gallatin County Elections office, located in the Gallatin County Courthouse at 311 W. Main St., room 210 in Bozeman. 

Ballots must be received at the Gallatin County Elections office or a designated place of deposit by 8 PM on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 7. Ballots may be returned by mail or in-person. If you’re mailing your ballot, mail it no later than Monday, Oct. 30 to ensure it arrives at our office in time. Ballots postmarked on or before Election Day but received after Election Day cannot be accepted.  

Places of deposit for this election are: 

• Gallatin County Elections Office – 311 W. Main St., room 210 in Bozeman 
• Belgrade City Hall – 91 E. Central Ave. 
• Manhattan Town Hall – 207 S. 6th St.  
• West Yellowstone Town Hall – 440 Yellowstone Ave.  

Voters in any municipality can drop their ballots off at those locations. All locations are open during regular business hours Monday through Friday until Nov. 6, and then from 7 AM to 8 PM on Election Day on Nov. 7.  

Voter Registration 

Gallatin County is currently in the late registration period for the Nov. 7 election. To register to vote or update your registration (like if you’ve moved or changed your name since the last election), you must appear in-person at the Gallatin County Elections office.  

You can do so now through Election Day. Please note there is one short registration closure from noon on Monday, Nov. 6 until 7 AM on Election Day. It is then available from 7 AM to 8 PM on Election Day.  

You can check your registration status at www.MyVoterPageMT.com.  

If you have questions, please contact our office at gallatin.elections@gallatin.mt.gov or 406-582-3060. For more information, you can also visit www.GallatinVotes.com.  

BOZEMAN — A new e-book describing Montana State University researchers’ long-term study of Weddell seals in Antarctica has been published and is available for free download via Apple Books, direct download and a PC-friendly digital edition on the Weddell Seal Science website.

Jay Rotella, professor in the Department of Ecology in MSU’s College of Letters and Science, has been conducting research on the Weddell seal populations for the past two decades. He and Professor Emeritus Robert Garrott have been conducting the project at MSU since 2002. He is the principal investigator for a phase of the research funded last year by a $1.4 million grant from the National Science Foundation to study environmental influences on the seal populations, as well as the role immigrant seals play in the local population. The Weddell seal study is one of the longest-running marine mammal studies.

Over the past 50 years of the study, Rotella estimates that about 28,000 seals have been tagged and tracked. This has allowed researchers to understand the life cycles of Weddell seals, and by monitoring the seals, the researchers can determine the conditions of the Antarctic ecosystem itself.

Rotella said a big part of every research grant is sharing new knowledge with the public. He, Garrott and others on their research team, who were accustomed to posting blogs and podcasts from the field, came up with the idea of creating a multimedia e-book that could combine the best elements of both.

“It’s a living document that we can use and update with fresh videos and add chapters as the project goes forward,” Rotella said. “Having a living book that is fun, interactive and scientifically informative is the idea.”

The e-book, “Weddell Seals; Science, Life History and Population Dynamics,” contains information about the history of science and exploration in Antarctica, Antarctic geology and the project itself. Included are videos from the Weddell Seal Science YouTube channel, photographs from the study, diagrams of Antarctica and audio recordings of Weddell seals.

“As you go along doing these long-term studies, you can really learn some amazing things. What readers will find most important, I suspect, is going to be up to the individual,” said Rotella.

He plans to add more chapters as the team’s research progresses.

“We now have the book available in 50 countries through Apple Books. Anyone anywhere that has internet can download it for free.”

“Weddell Seals; Science, Life History and Population Dynamics” can be viewed via Apple Books, direct download and a PC-friendly digital edition on the Weddell Seal Science website. To access more information about Weddell seal science, visit the research website at montana.edu/weddellseals.

HELENA – Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus was first detected in wild birds and domestic poultry in Montana in spring 2022. While HPAI cases in wild birds did decline over the summer, there are detections of new cases in parts of the U.S., including Montana again this fall. HPAI viruses are extremely infectious and fatal to poultry and some species of wild birds.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is continuing to monitor the situation by testing wild birds that display symptoms consistent with HPAI infection. Some waterfowl species carry and transmit the virus without developing symptoms. Other wild bird species are highly susceptible and are likely to die from infection.  In Montana, various duck species are most likely to carry the virus without symptoms, while geese and raptors have been the most common wild birds to die from the virus. The virus is also highly fatal to domestic poultry, including chickens, ducks and turkeys.

Human infections with bird flu viruses are rare but can occur, usually after close contact with infected birds. The current risk to the general public from bird flu viruses is low; however, it is important to remember that risk depends on exposure, and people with more exposure might have a greater risk of infection. Although the CDC considers risk of HPAI spread to humans to be very low, Montanans should take precautions when handling harvested game birds or any sick or dead bird they find. Whenever possible, avoid contact with sick or dead wildlife. Even if a bird is not suspected to have died from a contagious disease, gloves should always be worn if a dead animal must be handled for disposal.

Raptors are susceptible to HPAI and are typically exposed via eating infected birds. The general recommendation for falconers is to avoid hunting and/or feeding wild birds, particularly waterfowl, during the outbreak. Enhanced biosecurity practices with enhanced cleaning and limiting contact with wild birds or birds from other facilities is also warranted. Sick falcons should be promptly reported to a veterinarian and be quarantined from other birds in the facility.

Bird hunters should follow these simple precautions when processing or handling wild game:

• Do not harvest or handle wild birds that are obviously sick or found dead.
• Wear disposable latex or rubber gloves while cleaning game or cleaning bird feeders.
• Clean game birds outdoors in a well-ventilated area.
• Do not eat, drink or smoke while cleaning game.
• Avoid contact between people, equipment and materials that have been in contact with wild birds and backyard poultry flocks to avoid bringing the virus back to your flock.
• Wash hands with soap and water or alcohol wipes immediately after handling game or cleaning bird feeders.
• Wash tools and work surfaces used to clean game birds with soap and water, then disinfect with a 10 percent solution of chlorine bleach—one part chlorine bleach to 10 parts water.
• Separate raw meat, and anything it touches, from cooked or ready-to-eat foods to avoid contamination.
• Cook game meat thoroughly to an internal temperature of at least 165°F.

Poultry owners should maintain separation between wild birds and domestic poultry. Bird feeders should not be kept near poultry and should be cleaned regularly with a 10 percent bleach solution.  Disposable gloves should be worn when cleaning bird feeders.

For more information on AI in wild birds, visit fwp.mt.gov/conservation/diseases/avian-influenza, or visit the USGS website at www.usgs.gov/centers/nwhc/science/avian-influenza-surveillance.

The Gallatin County Motor Vehicle Department’s Belgrade office will temporarily close for the day on Friday, Oct. 20.  

The Belgrade office is getting new furniture and doing some reconfiguring of the space to improve the experience for both customers and staff in that space. It will reopen for its regular temporary hours (7:30 AM to 2:30 PM) on Monday, Oct. 23. 

To accommodate during the closure, our Bozeman Motor Vehicle Office, located at the Gallatin County Courthouse in downtown Bozeman, will be open Oct. 20 from 8 AM to 5 PM 

There is also online titling and registration services available for dealership purchases to save customers a trip to either office. Those services can be found on our website. 

We appreciate the public’s patience during this temporary closure.  

BOZEMAN — After months of engagement and many comments from residents asking for more time to give feedback, Bozeman’s Mayor and Commission have decided to put the Unified Development Code Update timeline on hold until after the first of the year to provide additional opportunities for community engagement.

“This is not a decision that we make lightly.  We know the staff has spent a lot of time and effort meeting with community groups, setting up event engagement stations, and hosting meetings on the project,” Mayor Cyndy Andrus explained. “We’ve also heard from many residents recently who are expressing concern that they are just now learning about the project. We want to acknowledge that and allow more time for them to learn about the proposed updates and hear their comments and suggestions. Everyone deserves a chance to speak and feel heard. It is our experience that public input and suggestions often result in a better plan.”

The Unified Development Code (UDC) is the part of the city code that outlines the rules and regulations for development within the city. The city launched the update effort in the summer of 2022 to align with the city’s guiding policies and goals around growth, sustainability, and affordable housing.

Since the project kicked off in July 2022, City of Bozeman staff, consultants, and partners have attended and hosted over 70 different meetings and events. A plan for future opportunities for the public to weigh in and the new timeline for when the Commission will hear the Code Update will be developed over the next few months.

“With Commissioner Pomeroy’s resignation and the upcoming election, delaying the process until early 2024 will allow any new members of the Commission time to get up to speed and make thoughtful decisions without being rushed”, says Andrus. “Our City Code addresses complex issues like housing and growth that require robust discussions. This effort is a crucial piece of addressing some of those issues. We hope this delay shows we are listening and agree that more time is needed before we act. The UDC update provides all Bozeman residents the chance to come together in the spirit of improving our code and our community.”

More information on the project can be found at engage.bozeman.net/udc

BOZEMAN — Last summer, Montana State University student Ryan Senitte found himself presenting to C-suite members of U.S. Bank in the company’s executive board room.

He had made the finals of the company’s intern case competition and traveled from the office in Charlotte, North Carolina, where his internship was located, to the company’s headquarters in Minneapolis.

“We were the first to go, at 9 in the morning,” he recalled. “We pitched and we were like, ‘OK, that was awesome.’” 

Senitte ended up in the expansive conference room after seizing opportunities provided to him by the Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship.

Now in his third year at MSU, Senitte has excelled in the classroom, participated in three internships (so far), benefited from multiple scholarships and taken advantage of on-campus resources and events. He has visited the Bracken Center for help securing internships and participated in the annual Meet the Recruiters event to connect with potential employers. He gives back on campus by working as a volunteer tour guide, highlighting available resources to potential MSU students.

Even before enrolling at MSU, Senitte pounced on opportunities provided to high school students. He received a tuition waiver from the Montana University System for earning a 4.0 GPA at Skyview High School in Billings. He was president of Skyview’s Business Professionals of America chapter, which led to a BPA scholarship – one of many available to incoming business students.

This fall, the business college distributed about $75,000 in scholarships to new first-year and transfer students, according to Brenda Truman, assistant dean at the business college. Last fall the college awarded about $50,000 in scholarships to those first-time MSU students, who were able to apply for everything in the scholarship pool by writing a single essay, she said. Next year there will be about $100,000 in the scholarship pool, according to Truman.

The scholarships and MUS tuition waiver reinforced Senitte’s desire to attend MSU. As a young high school student, he visited the Bozeman campus with his older brother. Jabs Hall and the stock ticker that winds around the building’s atrium was pretty much the only thing he remembered from that visit, he said.

“Jabs is awesome. I love this building. It's probably one of the main reasons I came to MSU,” Senitte said, adding that after a follow-up visit during his senior year of high school, he thought, “This feels like it could be home.”

Growing up in Billings, Senitte was attracted to business at a young age.

“When I played football as a kid, I sold the most magazines out of anyone” to raise funds for the team, he said. “I liked to play football, but I liked the reward of winning prizes. I won tickets to the Cat-Griz football game from that.”

Because he enrolled in AP classes in high school, Senitte could graduate after the upcoming spring semester. However, he plans to do one more internship in the summer of 2024 and then study abroad that fall before finishing his undergraduate degree.

Business college administrators encourage students to participate in at least one internship while enrolled, though multiple are ideal, according to Truman. Internships offer a wide range of benefits, including possible job offers, but they also allow students to figure out what they don’t want to do, “which is cool. Let’s start there,” Truman said.

To that, Senitte can attest. He first interned at a U.S. Bank branch in Billings after his first year at MSU, performing credit analyses. He enjoyed learning that foundational skill and helping small businesses but strived to find work with a larger focus. Then, during the spring 2023 semester, he interned at an accounting firm, and that helped him conclude that he prefers finance over accounting.

Heading into this past summer, Senitte worked with U.S. Bank to find a program that best suited him. He landed an internship in Charlotte, working in capital markets. He enjoyed the work and learned about his associates’ career paths as he bonded with them over coffee.

He also teamed up with three other interns to compete in the company’s intern case competition. Senitte’s team, Project INTERNational, advanced through multiple rounds and was one of five teams invited to Minneapolis to present to company executives.

“We won — which was really awesome — had a little photo opp and then we went back to the airport and flew back to Charlotte,” Senitte said.

As Senitte looks ahead to next summer, he is looking into other internship opportunities with U.S. Bank in Charlotte and in New York. He thinks he has a good shot at landing a full-time job with the company after he spends his final semester as an undergraduate in Europe.

He said he has learned a tremendous amount from his internships, including technical skills, like learning the Bloomberg Terminal, and soft skills, including interviewing, communicating with clients and working with a team.

When asked about his experiences at MSU and at the internships, the genial Senitte sums them up in one word: “Awesome.”

In recent years, Montana has been growing as a destination for people looking to get away from larger cities and find something new. The state is home to a wide variety of breathtaking landscapes and open spaces, as well as a more affordable cost of living than elsewhere in the country. Whether you're a long-time resident or looking to make a move to Montana, it pays (literally) to know how much you can expect to spend on car insurance premiums. We'll take a look at the auto insurance landscape in Montana -- specifically Bozeman -- and provide some insights and strategies for getting the most out of your money and finding the best cheap car insurance in Montana.

Auto Insurance in Montana

Although auto insurance premiums can vary significantly between states and even zip codes, you'll be happy to know that Montana, for the most part, is in line with the national average. Per numbers from Renata Belasco at insurance comparison site The Zebra, residents pay only $5 a year more than the national average for car insurance in Montana -- $547 for minimum coverage and $1,440 annually for full coverage.

When we say premiums can vary significantly, we mean it -- buying your Montana auto insurance from USAA, for example, will cost you about $1,025 annually, while buying from Allstate could cost you nearly $2,700 a year.

Auto Insurance in Bozeman

Now, let's talk about Bozeman in particular. Nestled in the heart of Montana, Bozeman is known (like many cities in the state) for its outdoor beauty and vibrant community. It's a great place to start off a full tour of Yellowstone National Park, or check out attractions such as the Museum of the Rockies, the American Computer & Robotics Museum, or the Montana Grizzly Encounter. However, living in Bozeman does cost more than you might expect, and auto insurance premiums are in line with this trend.

One reason Bozeman's cost of living is notably more than the national average is because the city has a strong job market and a corresponding high demand for housing, which in turn drives up property value and rent. The housing market in Bozeman is extremely competitive, which can make it rough for prospective residents to find affordable housing. Transportation, groceries, entertainment, and, yes, auto insurance are all higher than average as well.

The Cost of Fuel in Bozeman

Driving your car can also cost quite a bit more in Bozeman. Why? For one thing, Bozeman's thriving tourist industry tends to drive up fuel costs at the pump, just as it would anywhere else. Additionally, Montana is a big state, and cities tend to be somewhat remote and far between -- which means your fuel costs are going to be higher simply because you'll be doing a lot more driving.

Bozeman's Public Transportation

But what about public transportation? Anyone coming from a larger city with an extensive train or bus network may be in for some disappointment. There's nowhere in Montana that has as extensive a public transportation network as in many metropolitan areas, and Bozeman is no exception. While the city is working toward better public transportation as part of its commitment to sustainability, you shouldn't expect more than shuttles and buses in Bozeman. While using public transportation can help save money in the form of lower fuel costs, parking fees, and less wear-and-tear on your vehicle, you may not be able to get by without a car.

Saving Money on Auto Insurance

So how can you save a few dollars on your auto insurance if you're living in Bozeman? Fortunately, there are a few time-honored strategies.

First of all, if you don't plan on driving very much, you might consider moving to a pay-per-mile insurance policy. These policies (as the name implies) charge according to how many miles you drive -- so if you work from home and your car spends a lot of time in the garage, it might be an easy way to spend less money on insurance.

You also shouldn't be afraid to shop around and compare quotes to find cheap Montana car insurance. Every company has its own underwriting criteria, and not all companies (and policies) are created equal.

Once you do find a company that meets your needs, consider bundling your home and auto insurance policies for a significant discount. If your bank account can bear the risk, you might also try increasing your deductible -- you'll pay more out of pocket if you do happen to get in an accident, but in the meantime, your premiums will be lower (and that accident, if you're fortunate, may never come).

Finally, don't be afraid to ask your insurer, whether new or old, about discounts. You can get discounts for everything from being a good student to taking a defensive driving course to installing safety and anti-theft devices on your vehicle.

BILLINGS — Admission to the Yellowstone Art Museum (YAM) will be free to all visitors beginning on Friday, October 13, 2023. The YAM received $240,000 in grant funding from the Art Bridges Foundation’s “Access for All Initiative” and is using the funds to eliminate the cost of museum admission.

The Art Bridges Foundation funding runs from 2024-2026. Along with providing the revenue previously collected from admission fees, the YAM’s grant will also fund part of the salary for a new Membership Coordinator and the cost of marketing materials to help attract new audiences to the museum. This grant is intended to develop new museum audiences and help make museums more inclusive spaces. Prior to this initiative, the YAM welcomes an average of 12,000 visitors annually.

The grant funding begins January 1, 2024, however, free admission will begin immediately at the YAM thanks to the generous support of Jon Lodge and Jane Deschner. Lodge and Deschner are generously extending the timeline for free admission in support of the Access for All mission.

The YAM will continue to offer a range of annual museum memberships. The benefits of membership include discounts in the YAM store and café, discounts on tickets to special events such as SummerFair and Masquerade, and registration discounts for the YAM’s Summer Art Academy and YAM Camp. Higher level memberships come with additional benefits including private member-only events, behind-the-scenes opportunities, and artist talks.

Art Bridges Foundation, the national arts nonprofit founded by philanthropist Alice Walton, announced today the launch of “Access for All,” providing $40 million in funding to 64 museums nationwide. The initiative aims to increase access to museums across the country and foster engagement with local communities by covering the costs of free admission days and expanded free hours as well as programming, outreach, and community partnerships that will eliminate many common barriers to access.

Museums participating in the Access for All initiative span 36 states and Puerto Rico. Among the 64 partners representing a broad range of locations are the Howard University Gallery of Arts (Washington, D.C.); Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico (San Juan, PR); Plains Art Museum (Fargo, ND); Portland Museum of Art (Portland, ME); San Diego Museum of Art (San Diego, CA); Whitney Museum of American Art (New York, NY); Wichita Art Museum (Wichita, KS); and Yellowstone Art Museum (Billings, MT). The full list of participating museums can be found on the Art Bridges website.

“Everyone, no matter where they live, deserves access to art. That’s why we started Art Bridges: to support museums in deepening their connections with local communities, and to pave the way for new audiences to experience the creativity and joy that comes with seeing art,” said Alice Walton, founder and board chair of Art Bridges. “Access for All is our biggest and most ambitious effort to date, dedicating $40 million toward bridging gaps between museums of all sizes and their communities in order to foster meaningful connections and expand arts access in every region, from Peoria to Puerto Rico.”

Access for All represents a sweeping effort to get people back to museums after COVID-19 brought declines in revenue, staffing and attendance. With many museums seeing just 71 percent of their pre-pandemic attendance, the new initiative will aim to restore pre-pandemic levels – and open opportunities for all people to enjoy American art by reducing barriers to access and strengthening community relationships.  

Of the participating 64 museums, all current partners of Art Bridges, 80 percent have annual operating expenses under $10 million. The majority charge admission fees and will be able to provide new free admission opportunities through Access for All. Others will use the Access for All funds to sustain or extend current free admission policies.

“We are thrilled to launch Access for All, a historic partnership with cultural institutions across the country to make it easier for people in every U.S. region to see and experience art. At Art Bridges, we can’t wait to see our trusted partners get creative and deliver impact to their communities,” Alice Walton said. “In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are confident Access for All will not only help to rebuild museum attendance but also bring more people than ever into museum galleries and reshape the arts world as one that is open to all.”

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About Art Bridges Foundation

Art Bridges Foundation is the vision of philanthropist and arts patron Alice Walton. The mission of Art Bridges is to expand access to American art in all regions across the United States. Since 2017, Art Bridges has been creating and supporting programs that bring outstanding works of American art out of storage and into communities. Art Bridges partners with a growing network of over 220 museums of all sizes and locations on nearly 700 projects across the nation, impacting over 4.1 million people, to provide financial and strategic support for exhibition development, loans from the Art Bridges Collection, and programs designed to educate, inspire, and deepen engagement with local audiences. The Art Bridges Collection represents an expanding vision of American art from the 19th century to present day and encompasses multiple media and voices. For more information, visit artbridgesfoundation.org.