The Montana Performing Arts Consortium (MPAC) announces the artist showcase lineup for its annual conference! Seventeen different artists from throughout North America will each perform at the Mansfield Center for Performing Arts on Saturday, October 14, 2023. Showcases are free and open to the public and start at 9:00AM, 12:30PM, and 3:30PM. Featured performers include the Jazz Legacy Project (Georgia), Mari Black Trio (Massachusetts), Pollo Loco (Montana), Tomas Kubinek (Massachusetts), Ollee Owens (Alberta), Sarah Hagen (Prince Edward Island), Steve Leslie (Tennessee), Leeroy Stagger (British Columbia), Duende Libre (Washington), Mud Bay Jugglers (Washington), Megan Karls (Montana), Ian Sherwood (Nova Scotia), The Wardens (Alberta), Sundae + Mr. Goessl (Wisconsin), Acoustic Eidolon (Colorado), Phyllis Sinclair (Alberta), and Sam Platts and the Plainsmen (Montana).
MPAC’s artist showcases make up the main event of its Annual Showcase & Conference, a business event that connects Montana venues and presenting organizations with performing artists from around the world. It is a unique opportunity for concert planners to see live performances and talk to artists and agents in preparation for planning and booking the next season’s performances. Communities ranging from Sidney, to Gardiner, to Eureka rely on this event to bring high caliber performing arts experiences to their stages and schools.
"We book our entire season from the wonderful showcase artists that perform at the annual MPAC block booking conference,” says Misty Annala, board member of Judith Arts Society in Hobson, Montana. “It gives us a chance to hear the artists perform live, meet them face-to-face, and work with other presenters to block-book tours. We would not have direct access to this level of artistry without the MPAC conference. At a time when the schools in our county are struggling to find music teachers, we are also able to bring artists into the schools to provide a rich experience for the students. Those educational outreach opportunities are highly valued by the students and staff. MPAC is a vital link between our rural communities and the performing arts.”
Click the button below to view the Showcase schedule and artist biographies.
