About the Montana Performing Arts Consortium
Our Mission
The Montana Performing Arts Consortium (MPAC) is a nonprofit coalition of presenting organizations, artists, and arts partners working together to strengthen access to live performing arts across Montana.
Founded in 1981, our mission is to:
-
Promote and encourage the touring and presentation of the performing arts throughout Montana in a professional and cost-effective manner
-
Provide support and technical assistance to presenting organizations, communities, and artists
-
Foster a favorable climate for both artists and presenters, and promote, cultivate, and amplify a vibrant, innovative, and powerful performing arts culture in Montana communities
Who We Are
MPAC is a statewide network connecting the people and organizations who make live performance possible in Montana. Our members include community-based presenting organizations, performing artists, artist agencies and managers, service organizations, vendors who support the performing arts field, and affiliate organizations with nontraditional presenting models.
​
Montana’s vast geography and largely rural communities present both challenges and opportunities for the performing arts.
MPAC exists to help bridge distances, share resources, and build relationships that make touring feasible and arts access possible—especially in communities that face barriers to attracting artists and cultural programming.
​
By convening the field, supporting collaboration, and investing in professional development, MPAC helps ensure that artists can tour sustainably and that communities across the state can experience high-quality live performance.
What We Do
Our work is grounded in the belief that a healthy performing arts ecosystem benefits everyone—from artists and presenters to audiences, local economies, and community life. MPAC’s core programs support this ecosystem at multiple levels:
Member Services & Field-Building
MPAC offers year-round services that support collaboration, communication, and professional growth across our network. These include workshops, block-booking activities, member convenings, information sharing, advocacy efforts, and professional development designed to respond to the evolving needs of Montana’s performing arts field.
​
Artist Showcase & Conference
Our annual Artist Showcase & Conference brings together presenters, artists, agents, and arts partners from Montana and beyond to connect, learn, and plan future performances. Designed with rural and volunteer-led organizations in mind, the conference creates an accessible, collegial environment for relationship-building and block-booking that supports efficient, cost-effective touring.
​
Presenter Development
The Presenter Development program provides artist fee support to nonprofit organizations—primarily in rural communities—so they can bring professional performing artists to their towns. Through public performances and educational outreach, this program expands access to the arts and strengthens the capacity of local organizations.
​
Who We Serve
MPAC serves communities across Montana—from small rural towns to regional hubs—by supporting the people and organizations that bring live performance to local stages, schools, libraries, and gathering places. Our work prioritizes increasing access to the arts in underserved areas and strengthening the infrastructure that allows creative work to reach audiences statewide.
By supporting the work of arts organizations and performers, MPAC helps ensure that Montanans throughout the state can experience the cultural, educational, and economic benefits of live performance.
Why It Matters
Live performing arts are, at their core, about connection.
Gathering to experience music, dance, theater, and storytelling reminds us that creativity is not separate from everyday life—it is an essential part of how people make meaning, build relationships, and feel a sense of belonging.​
​​In a time when many communities are stretched thin and social isolation is increasingly common, shared cultural experiences help people feel seen, connected, and valued. Live performance creates spaces where people come together across differences, generations, and backgrounds, strengthening community life while nurturing curiosity, empathy, and resilience.
​MPAC’s work supports not only individual performances, but the long-term health of Montana’s performing arts ecosystem.
By helping artists tour sustainably and supporting the organizations that bring performances to local stages, schools, and gathering places, we contribute to communities where creative expression is visible, accessible, and woven into daily life.
​
Support from members, business partners, sponsors, and individual donors makes this work possible. Together, we are building a more connected, resilient, and vibrant performing arts network—one that benefits artists, communities, and audiences across Montana.