The Paradise Center
EIN
47-197583
501(c)3 nonprofit
2 School House Road
Paradise
59856
Main Contact
Karen
Thorson
Member and Secretary
406-826-0500
Organization objectives (check all that apply)
We currently have a series and would like to reach a new audience.
Communities Impacted
Name the cities or towns where your programming has an impact
Plains, Thompson Falls, Hot Springs, Noxon, Trout Creek, Paradise, Dixon
Name the counties where your program has an impact
Sanders Co
Name all schools, community centers, and other facilities where you program outreach events. Please format as "name of school/facility, city/town" (e.g. CM Russell High School, Great Falls)
Plains (high, middle, elementary), Thompson Falls (high, middle, elementary), Noxon (high, middle, elementary), Hot Springs (high, middle, elementary), Trout Creek, Dixon
Describe any other specific program, practicies, or strategies your organization employs to make a great impact in your area
We are in a large, economically challenged, artistically underserved area. In addition, we
are an all-volunteer organization. We have a volunteer board, docents, instructors, and
more. In addition to our performing arts season and school outreach sessions, annually
we: (1) OBer 12 adult art classes ranging from drawing to pottery to glass fusing; (2)
Conduct a week-long summer arts camp for youth with six arts topics including drawing,
painting, printmaking, pottery, acting, and creative writing; (3) Sponsor a three day art show
and sale that includes a wide range of artistic media; (4) Maintain an ongoing art exhibit,
“Art on the Walls,” at the local hospital, which changes quarterly; and (5) Feature up to 24
students in the arts each year in area newspapers.
Application Narrative
How is the proposed season different from past programming
Since the Covid 19 pandemic, our attendance has diminished. Initially, that was to be
expected, but we now feel we need to change our approach. We are in a very large rural
aera in which communities are about 25 miles from one other. There are four major
diBerences for the coming season: 1) Over time, we have noticed the more “out of the
ordinary” a performance is, the larger the audience. For the upcoming season, we have
consciously selected performances with diverse performers and diverse musical genres; 2)
Because our performance season is during the winter, nighttime travel is an issue
considering the distances participants need to travel and the concern about wildlife on the
roads. For the upcoming season, we have scheduled, to the best of our ability, Friday
evenings and Sunday matinees; 3) In addition to our technological presence, we are
incorporating more traditional advertising approaches. We have purchased sandwich
boards to be placed outside grocery stores and other frequented locations to promote our
events and get word-of-mouth started; (4) We have recently hosted several events with
local talent. These events drew some new people. For the upcoming performance season,
we are working with contracted professional performers and local groups to incorporate
local talent into each performance to make each an “event.” Local talent includes students
who are versed in relevant musical instruments, a square-dancing group, and a rodeo
caller to coordinate a cowboy hat contest.
If you are taking an artistic risk in programming, what is it and why is it a risk?
We operate in an economically challenged area, so we must keep ticket prices low for
people, especially those with families, to aBord to attend. In addition, as noted, our
audiences have diminished since the pandemic. Considering the cost of some performers,
up to $3000 plus lodging, we lose money for every performance. For the upcoming season:
(1) We have contracted with a more diverse series of performers; (2) We have engaged a
couple of performers from within Montana who have lower artistic fees and who will appeal
to our local audiences; and 3) We are trying to combine local talent with professional
talent to increase interest. If these changes are unsuccessful, we still risk loss, but it would
be less than prior years.
How is your performing arts series significant to your community?
Sanders County is in northwest Montana, is very rural, is geographically as large as the
State of Delaware, but with only 12,000 residents. The closest cities with artistic resources
are Kalispell (80 miles away) and Missoula (75 miles away). The county has three
incorporated towns, and several unincorporated communities. Most communities are
about 25 miles apart. Residents of the county are distinctly underserved regarding the arts.
We contract with every performer for one or more outreach sessions. Our youth are
sometimes in schools without a music teacher.
What is the audience you wish to reach? (E.g., Describe your current audience or new audience segments you wish to target.)
We would like to reach new audience members, individuals who are not “regulars” for
musical events. As noted elsewhere we are employing several new programming strategies
to accomplish that. Attendance at performances in our last season was very disappointing
and we considered not having professional performances in the future. But our final
performance drew more than 100 people, a very good number for our small venue. We now
have hope, with some new strategies, we can continue to oBer high quality musical
performances in this very rural area.
How do you propose to reach this audience? (E.g., Describe program, operational, or marketing strategies that you will use to meet your goal.)
The new programming strategies we are using for the upcoming season will increase our
ability to reach new people: involving students as part of performances will reach youth as
well as parents; involving the larger community (square dancers and cowboy hat
competition) will engage a wider general audience; diverse performances will hopefully
interest new people. We use posters, Facebook, Instagram, website, email blasts, and
most recently sandwich boards at busy businesses in the area. In addition, both of our
local newspapers are now publishing local event calendars we plan to utilize. We plan to
also utilize both the Lively Times and the Montana Arts Council Quarterly “State of the Arts”
calendars to widen our reach. Finally, we have developed a season brochure and will oBer
“season tickets,” which we have not done since the pandemic.
Promotion
Websites and social media
Season Brochure
Other online marketing
Do you use email marketing?
no
Subscription URL
incorporated former sanders county arts council list, online inquiries,
Event calendars used
LivelyTimes, State of the Arts (MT Arts Council)
We plan to use the Lively Times and State of the Arts publications as well as 2 new community calendars in Sanders Co.
Marketing questions or goals:
n/a
FY25 Season Info
Artist 1
Name
Bamako Foli
Date(s)
9/26/24
Performance Fee
0
Outreach Fee
0
Artist 2
Name
Jazz Legacy Project
Date(s)
11/1/24
Performance Fee
2700
Outreach Fee
0
Artist 3
Name
Pollo Loco
Date(s)
1/11/25
Performance Fee
2500
Outreach Fee
0
Artist 4
Name
MT State old time fiddlers
Date(s)
3/16/25
Performance Fee
1500
Outreach Fee
0
Artist 5
Name
El Javi
Date(s)
5/4/25
Performance Fee
1500
Outreach Fee
0
Artist 6
Name
Date(s)
Performance Fee
Outreach Fee
Artist 7
Name
Date(s)
Performance Fee
Outreach Fee
Artist 8
Name
Date(s)
Performance Fee
Outreach Fee
Total Artist Fees
10200
$
Explanation for unusually low or high numbers
Artists based in, or originating from Montana
Application Files
Some applicants have multiple PDF's for contracts. Please use the link below to open a folder on the cloud with all artist contracts/letters of intent.