Building Arts Participation in Rural America: The Montana Story

Year One: Learning to Increase Participation and the Return on Investment

Louis K. Stevens

2004, 55 pages. ArtsMarket, 1125 W. Kagy Blvd., Suite 100, Bozeman, MT 59715, (406) 582-4766, www.artsmarket.com

This report chronicles the first six months of the Building Arts Participation program in rural Montana. After a nine-month planning period, BAP funded seven rural arts organizations all of which have seen increases in audience numbers, contributions, annual giving, membership, and support. The report is broken into four sections: the planning process, funding criteria, and evaluation procedure; case studies of the participating arts organizations; the impact of the initial planning; and the outcomes, successes and unanticipated events that the organizations encountered.