Arts Council receives Murdock Grant, hires event coordinator

ARTS COUNCIL OF BIG SKY

BIG SKY – The Arts Council of Big Sky was recently awarded a grant from the Murdock Trust to hire a new, full-time employee. The $115,000 grant will be spread out over three years and was part of more than $12 million awarded at the trust’s August meeting to nonprofits serving Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

After a two-month search, the Arts Council has hired China Reevers as Event Coordinator, adding critical support for the organization’s ever-growing schedule. Reevers has previous event experience locally at Lone Mountain Ranch, Big Sky Resort and the Yellowstone Club, and earned a B.A. in journalism from Michigan State University. She has also held past positions at Linus Bike and Paste Magazine.

“I am thrilled to join the Arts Council as the newest team member, and am excited to bring my own passion and experience to the position,” said Reevers. “I have long been a fan of the work they do within the Big Sky community and the enthusiasm they have for bringing arts to the area. I’m looking forward to growing with the organization and seeing what we can create together.”

Each year, the Arts Council produces about 30 larger scale events, and many smaller events geared to more specific audiences. With the addition of Reevers, the organization now has four full-time employees, and employs several part-time workers throughout the year.

“The Arts Council is a growing organization and adding another employee increases our capacity to offer more to the Big Sky community,” said Brian Hurlbut, the Arts Council’s executive director. “We’re very thankful to the Murdock Trust for believing in our mission and supporting our efforts.”

Founded in 1975, the Murdock Trust’s mission is to serve individuals, families and communities across the Pacific Northwest that strengthen the region’s educational, social, spiritual and cultural base in ways that are innovative and sustainable. Beginning with assets of $91 million, the Trust’s endowment has grown to approximately $1.3 billion—with over $1 billion given out in grant awards and programs to date. This places the Murdock Trust within the top five largest private foundations in the Pacific Northwest and among the top 100 in the country. It is one of the only foundations headquartered in the Pacific Northwest that regularly awards grants across a five-state region, including Montana.

For more information about the Arts Council, visit bigskyarts.org.