Two Sanders County nonprofit organizations have merged to become one entity in an effort to be more effective and to help administratively streamline operations. 

The Sanders County Arts Council recently dissolved and is now part of the Paradise Center, which continues under the umbrella of the Paradise Elementary School Preservation Committee. Instead of the two groups sometimes competing for fundraising money, they will now consolidate fundraising efforts for a common goal, according to Karen Thorson, the Paradise Center’s secretary. However, as part of the arts committee within the center, its mission will remain the same — to promote the arts, whether it be musical, visual, drama, dance, or literary to the residents of Sanders County — and the center will continue to raise funds and deliver arts activities and events to the community. 

“For the Arts Council, the merger frees those affiliated with it from the administrative responsibilities and duties of a free-standing nonprofit organization and enables them to focus fully on delivering the arts to the Sanders County community,” said Thorson, who had worked with both groups and was the primary coordinator of the annual Artists in Paradise event at the Paradise Center.

The merger means that the members of the former Sanders County Arts Council will be able to focus more on delivering the arts to the communities of Sanders County, according to Joy Nelson, the council’s last president, who is looking forward to what the merger can accomplish for the two groups.

Several people had been affiliated with both organizations and now the center will have additional volunteers helping with arts related activities, which it also provided to the community. Karen’s husband, John, along with Rudi Boukal and Judi Christensen, also served with both groups. The Thorsons, among others, were on the ground floor in the conversion of the old school to the center six years ago.

The Sanders County Arts Council board began discussing a merger in April while planning future arts related events and its administrative duties and felt a merger would help to make its goals more effective. It was an idea that developed gradually, starting with a place that could serve as a base of operations for the Arts Council. Members also wanted to spend more time on the arts instead of concerning themselves with the administration aspects. “Those factors led to a discussion about the possibility and desirability of combining efforts with the Paradise Center,” said Thorson, who added that a board member common to both groups brought up a possible merger and the Paradise Center board was open to the idea. The Arts Council board approved a draft proposal in May, the merger was finalized a month later, and the Montana Attorney General’s Office approved the move in July.

Most of the events at the Paradise Center had been sponsored by the Arts Council, such as the Artists in Paradise, a summer youth arts camp and several musical events. These will continue under the sponsorship of the Paradise Center. “The merger between the Arts Council and the Paradise Center offers an occasion to strengthen all three areas of the Center’s focus in several ways, including developing logos or brands for each area and reorganizing the website to reflect these ongoing efforts,” said Thorson, who added that while the arts are the focus of this merger, the Paradise Center “continues to expand services for community use of the site and to enhance exhibits that celebrate the history of the area and provide visitors with a memorable experience.” 

The Sanders County Arts Council was created in 2004, primarily to sponsor and promote the Baroque Musical Festival at Quinn’s Hot Springs Resort and performances by the Piatigorsky Foundation, but it eventually expanded to other forms of art. Jean Morrison, one of the primary forces behind the Arts Council, wanted to concentrate on the baroque festival and to do so broke with the Arts Council and started the Clark Fork Enrichment Corporation, which still exists, although Quinn’s sponsors the baroque festival on its own each year. 

The pandemic had caused the temporary suspension of most events at the Paradise Center, but they plan to resume activities, such as the art classes and musical performances in the fall and the Christmas tree lighting in December. The Paradise Players are planning a performance at the Paradise Center in October under the direction of Kathleen Hubka. Prior to COVID, the Paradise Center hosted over 15 community events a year and sponsored six to eight events annually, including the Art on the Walls program at Clark Fork Valley Hospital.

“The merger is beneficial for both organizations,” said Thorson. “As a result of it, the Paradise Center will have a group dedicated to all forms of the arts. The former Arts Council will have a home for almost all of the events it has sponsored in the past, a locus of operation for equipment, a performance space that will grow to accommodate more variety and more time to develop and deliver a full range of arts activities,” she added.

The Paradise Center is working on two major construction projects, replacing the aged heating and air conditioning system and installing a limited access elevator with the help of grant funding. Plans are to start work on the heating system this fall.   

“The Paradise Center provides a combination of services that are not otherwise available in a single location in Sanders County,” said Thorson. It’s a place for community events, dedicated space for visual, performing, and literary arts, such as events and classes, as well as exhibits that offer local history with an outdoor walking trail with 15 interpretive panels and and playground equipment.

“The Paradise Center is the result of the time, expertise, and financial contributions of many dedicated people and organizations, plus fiscal support from many foundations, agencies, and other funders,” said Thorson. “The result is a place that visibly honors the history of the former school and this area while creating a facility that continues to serve the public,” she said.