By Mira Brody EBS ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
BIG SKY
— In 1871, American painter Thomas Moran joined the Hayden Geological Survey
during their pivotal exploration of the Yellowstone region. For 40 days, Moran
documented the unique landscape with his pen and paint brush, capturing the
wildness, vastness and grandeur of what is now Yellowstone National Park—many today
believe his visions are what inspired Congress to execute on the park’s
establishment in 1872.
It is only fitting a community
of Yellowstone Park supporters gathered at Creighton Block Gallery in Big Sky
Town Center on Feb. 16 to discuss the future and new leadership of Yellowstone
Forever, tucked amongst similarly inspiring works of Western art.
Yellowstone Forever is
Yellowstone National Park’s official nonprofit partner, dedicated to preserving
and protecting America’s first park. Recovering from a financial crisis that led
to six layoffs in May 2019 and a budget deficit of $3.8 million, despite as
much as $35,000 pay increases to top-tier employees, Yellowstone Forever is
refocusing their efforts and moving forward in confidence.
The fundraiser agenda included talks
from Park Superintendent Cam Sholly, YF’s Interim President and CEO John Walda
as well as support from Yellowstone Club’s Sam Byrne. It yielded $5,000 in
sponsorships and although they are still confirming gifts and pledges,
organizers are confident that number will surpass $10,000.
“It’s
important Yellowstone Forever continues to focus on philanthropy fundamentals,
priority activities to support Yellowstone National Park, and being thankful stewards
of our current donors,” said J.D. Davis, interim Chief Development Officer. “Through
staff attrition and a critical look at expenses, Yellowstone Forever has spent
the past several months recalibrating our budget and we’ll continue to do that.”
Davis
says this includes raising $1 million for the North Entrance project that was
matched by a National Park Foundation $1 million grant, funding Yellowstone cutthroat
trout recovery programs and raising some $3.5 million to support trails and
overlooks in the traffic-heavy Canyon Village area. Recalibrating the budget
also included a comprehensive review of the park’s vendor contracts and transitioning
work in-house, when possible.
“The
fundraiser went well and we were grateful for the opportunity to visit the Big
Sky community,” said Davis, emphasizing the important and unique partnership
our gateway communities have with the park.
Gateways
such as Big Sky, West Yellowstone and Gardiner offer the only points of entry
into the unique world of Yellowstone from Montana, and this geographic
distinction provides educational as well as monetary benefits—a 2018 NPS report
shows that 4.1 million Yellowstone visitors in 2017 spent nearly $500 million
in communities in close proximity to the park’s borders, like Big Sky. That
spending supports thousands of jobs and provides a tremendous cumulative
benefit to the local economy.
“Having
a strong partnership with these communities provides natural education
opportunities,” Davis said. “It’s important for Yellowstone Forever to listen
to our Gateway partners so we can learn how to best make those connections to
Yellowstone National Park.”
Continuing
the tradition of spreading passion for a place through its artistic renditions,
one that began in Yellowstone with Moran, Creighton Block owner Colin Mathews
was happy to foster an environment for the Park’s nonprofit support arm as it turns
a new leaf.
“The
world of funding for parks is something that is in my background and that I’m
passionate about,” says Mathews.
When
asked of their ties to local art, Davis referred to YF’s annual Plein Air
Invitational event and artist-in-residency programs.
The Plein
Air Invitational brings artists from around the country to create and auction work
inspired by the park for its benefit, a program that holds strong in its third
year. In regards to the latter, through the generous support of a Yellowstone
Forever donor, a fund was established to host a full-time artist in residence
in addition to the existing summer residency program. It is a rotating
position that supports artists of all ages and will continue the tradition of
telling the Yellowstone story through art.
With
those funds, along with those gathered from other sources, YF works to identify
projects that go beyond what is achievable with only the park’s base budget,
such as long-term wildlife research and recovery efforts, trail restoration and
historic preservation. And through their Yellowstone Forever Institute, YF creates
more than 600 educational programs per year, reaching around 9,000 visitors.
“We
believe that when individuals learn about the park and feel more connected to
it, they will become more involved stewards of Yellowstone and all public
lands,” said Davis, noting the importance of strengthening that connection. “It’s
an incredible natural system that can still provide an amazing personal
experience no matter how often you visit.”
Yellowstone
National Park includes a collection of more than 10,000 hydrothermal features
and is home to an abundance of plants, trees and wildlife species that have
called the Yellowstone region home for millennia, so it’s no mystery as to why
artists across generations have made its landscapes a focal point of their
work.
If
Moran’s work possessed the power of establishment, it’s easy to imagine the
role art might play in keeping that legacy of natural wonder alive and well for
years to come.
