Humanities Montana

10/01/2026

We’re looking forward to this conversation with Lailani Upham exploring Indigenous stories, relationships with land, and conservation. Thanks to Montana FWP Region 1 and Lone Pine State Park for hosting!

Mark your calendar for this upcoming Monday, Oct 5, at the Lone Pine State Park Visitor Center, for our second speaker in the Indigenous Speakers Series. Lailani Upham, an Amskapi Pikuni tribal member, uses her expertise in journalism, education, and film to explore how indigenous stories, history, and lived relationships with land shape conservation in real and practical ways. Her talk will begin at 6 p.m., so be sure to arrive early to grab a seat! All presentations are free and open to the public.

10/01/2026

Humanities Montana is seeking two new members to join our Board of Directors. We’re looking for engaged Montanans who believe in the value of the humanities and want to help guide our work across the state. We particularly encourage applications from rural communities and those who can bring new perspectives, experiences, and connections to our board.

Apply by October 31, 2026 + Submit a letter of interest, resume, and two letters of recommendation to [email protected].

Know someone who would be a great fit? Please share this opportunity.

09/29/2026

Catch Nick Triolo , author of The Way Around: Walking a Reimagined Path and a new Our Montana Voices presenter, at two upcoming events:

When Poetry Meets Memoir: A Conversation with Nicholas Triolo and Tami Haaland | October 1 | 6–7:30 p.m. at River Arts and Books, Roscoe
Tami Haaland is the author of four poetry collections and was Montana's Poet Laureate from 2013-2015.

Writers in Conversation: Nicholas Triolo and Mark Sundeen | October 8 | 6:30–8 p.m. at the Missoula Public Library
Mark Sundeen is an author, former river guide and Outward Bound instructor. He lives in Missoula and teaches at the University of Montana.

Join Nicholas for conversations around writing, place, and storytelling. Books will be available for purchase at both events.
W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana

09/25/2026

New presentations are coming to Our Montana Voices. A new Montana Literature theme will bring authors and literary voices to communities across the state, joining talks exploring Montana History and Culture, Indigenous Culture, and Civics.

The new offerings will feature our 2026 Great Reads from Great Places authors and Montana Poet Laureate, creating more opportunities for Montanans to connect through literature, storytelling, and conversation.

Stay tuned for more and consider making a gift to help keep programs like Our Montana Voices accessible to communities across Montana.

09/22/2026

Mark your calendars: Join us at Missoula Public Library to celebrate Montana’s 2026 Great Reads from Great Places award winning authors and our One Book Montana kickoff events:

Robin Kolb, author of Galloping Away
September 26 | 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Nicholas Triolo, author of The Way Around: Walking a Reimagined Path
October 8 | 6:30–8 p.m.

Both events will include an opportunity to meet the authors and have books signed. We hope to see you there.
Chicken Scratch Books Milkweed Editions

09/16/2026

The Democracy Project is kicking off its sixth year! This year, teens at sites across Montana will explore civic engagement through community-based projects, learn about Montana’s 1972 Constitution, follow the 2027 legislative session, and work toward a trip to Helena in March.

Seven sites are joining the full program, with three more participating in a soft launch, and there’s still time to join the January 2027 soft launch!

Learn more about past year’s projects and how to apply on our website. humanitiesmontana.org/democracy-project/

08/27/2026

Living traditions came to life at the Montana Folk Festival in Butte this summer.

Through a By the People grant, Humanities Montana and the Montana Arts Council supported documentation of the festival’s Folklife Area, where Montana folklorist Taylor Burby brought together artists, musicians, and tradition bearers from across the state.

From Métis fiddle music that got festivalgoers dancing in the street to ledger art, beadwork, and the sharing of cultural knowledge, the Folklife Area offered a chance to experience traditions being practiced, shared, and carried forward.

Swipe through for a few moments from the festival, featuring Métis fiddlers Jamie Fox and Sapphire Ferguson-Jetty, Northern Cheyenne ledger artist Alaina Buffalo Spirit, Salish educator and cultural practitioner Tim Ryan, and Crow bead artist Birdie Real Bird.
Federation of State Humanities Councils

08/26/2026

A capacity crowd filled the Columbia Falls Branch Library for an afternoon of cowboy music, Montana history, and storytelling with Our Montana Voices speaker Philip Page.

Drawing from his own years working horses and cattle, Page shared Montana history from the perspective of a working cowboy, accompanied by historic photographs and the art of Charles M. Russell. The audience joined in for cowboy classics and stayed afterward to visit, with requests keeping the music going beyond the scheduled program.

As Our Montana Voices winds to a close, we’re grateful to the speakers, libraries, museums, schools, community partners, and audiences who made more than 40 presentations across Montana possible, and to the Montana 250 Commission for supporting the program.

Keep conversations and stories alive across Montana. Make a donation: https://www.humanitiesmontana.org/donate-to-humanities-montana/make-a-gift/

Flathead County Library Philip Page

08/21/2026

Save the dates! This fall, we’re kicking off One Book Montana with two celebrations at Missoula Public Library featuring authors Robin Kolb and Nicholas Triolo, whose books were selected as Montana’s 2026 Great Reads from Great Places titles.

Robin Kolb’s Galloping Away event will invite children and families into the story with a reading, Montana maps to color, and even a real saddle to try. Nicholas Triolo will celebrate the paperback release of The Way Around: Walking a Reimagined Path with a conversation about his story and his enthusiastic love of libraries.

Both events will include book sales and time for author signing.
Milkweed Editions Chicken Scratch Books

08/19/2026

Libraries can be powerful places for teens to connect with their communities. The Democracy Project offers a flexible way to begin building those relationships.

The 2027 Soft Launch is designed for libraries looking to expand youth engagement without taking on a full project. Participating librarians will join a statewide cohort, meeting monthly to exchange ideas, share resources, and learn from one another while developing an approach that reflects the needs of their own community.

Applications are now open! Deadline to apply is September 30. Learn more and apply on our website: humanitiesmontana.org/democracy-project/