Diversity Day
Sunday, April 13 // Door at 2 PM // Free and Open to the Public! Come join us on April 13th from 2-4pm at The ZACC for EmpowerMT’s 16th annual Diversity Day celebration! EmpowerMT’s youth leaders were instrumental in helping to extend protection against discrimination to LGBTQ+ community members under Missoula’s Non-Discrimation Ordinance. Since then, the second Saturday in April has been declared Diversity Day to commemorate that victory, honor the impact of youth engagement, and celebrate Missoula’s enriching diversity. To honor this anniversary, Youth leaders from EmpowerMT are putting on an event to elevate belonging, meaning, wellbeing and purpose through art and expression. Diversity Day festivities will include celebrating personal stories on the theme of creative resistance through speakers and communal art activities. Cecelia Spencer will be our keynote speaker. We will also honor youth leaders across Montana who inspire change in their communities with the 2025 Youth Lead Now Awards. This event will also double as a book drive! We will be uplifting a young person at this event who has created a Diverse Book Library for our office. Book donations that represent a variety of diverse life experiences are welcomed! This is a FREE event! Register here!
Inner and Outer Horizons: A Workshop On Landscapes and Philosophy
Monday, April 28 // Door at 7 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // $5-$20 Sliding Scale Moments in nature can bring about profound personal changes. Understanding how those changes take place can help us to deepen our relationships with ourselves and the natural environment. During this workshop, participants will explore how basic principles in philosophy align with our transformative experiences of nature. As a group, participants will draw upon the concept of the ‘horizon’ and discuss the ways in which philosophy can mirror our encounters with natural landscapes. Topics will include mind-body dualism, transcendentalism, and ‘reflective practice’. We will try to make sense of nature’s potential to influence personal change with the aim of developing our capacities for insight and landscape appreciation. Matthew-Jack, the workshop’s facilitator, is an environmental philosopher from the UK, currently working and studying at the University of Montana.
Nature Songwriting Workshop: an evening of sharing and learning
Monday, April 14 // Door at 7 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // $5-$20 Sliding Scale Nature is an endless source of inspiration and reflection. For musicians and creative writers, experiences in nature can improve their art, while the act of creating can bring us closer to ourselves and our environment. Musicians and creative writers are encouraged to join Matthew-Jack for a one-off ‘meeting of minds’ on the topic of nature songwriting. All levels of skill and experience are welcome. We will workshop ideas together and perform at the end, so bring your songs and instruments! Our facilitator, Matthew-Jack, is an environmental philosopher and folk musician from the UK. Join us for a fun night of sharing and learning, alongside semi-structured discussion on the philosophies of nature and songwriting. Feel free to come along for the ride, even if you don’t feel like sharing your work.
Art Ball
Tuesday, April 22 // Door at 7 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // $20 // $15 Student The University of Montana’s Artist Collective is thrilled to announce the return of Art Ball! This year, the event is even more special as it falls on Earth Day, making it a celebration of both art and the planet. Join us for an unforgettable evening filled with live music, a silent art auction, and our local community of artists and art supporters. It will be a great opportunity to appreciate creativity and the impact that art has on our world. Let’s get together and enjoy a night of creativity, connection, and celebration of all things art!
Americans With No Address Film Screening
Wednesday, March 25 // Door at 6 PM // Show at 6:30 PM // Free and Open to the Public! The Housing Advocate Network (HAN) invites you to an evening of conversation, storytelling, and learning about what everyday people can do to impact houselessness in Missoula. The event will feature locally produced short films that highlight the experiences of HAN participants and volunteers navigating housing challenges. It will also include an update from local leaders on Missoula’s recently completed housing strategy and practical ways for everyday citizens to get involved. The evening will conclude with a special screening of “Americans With No Address”, a powerful documentary exploring the systemic causes, lived experiences, and solutions to houselessness across the U.S.
Creatives Cocktail Hour & Open Mic
Wednesday, December 18 // Cocktail Hour 7-8PM // Open Mic from 8-9:30PM // $10 Happy Holidays to all Community Creatives! Come celebrate the season with other Missoula artists at a cocktail hour* and open mic hosted by Revival Comedy! The open mic is open to comedians as well as other mediums, so bring your acoustic guitar or latest poem and sign up for a slot. *the ZACC is restricted from selling spirits, but beer, wine, cider, seltzer and nonalcoholics will be available for purchase
Food Fighter!
Saturday, November 2 // $20 Entry Fee // Register in Advance Online, or at the Door // Doors Open at 11 AM // Tournament Begins at 12 PM (Noon) Gather around to throw down for a good cause! That’s right, Iris Von Moxxii and friends will be filling the ZACC with Playstations and PCs to engage in virtual combat in the world of Street Fighter 6 on November 2nd, competing for a beautiful and prestigious championship belt handcrafted by Montana Drag Wrestling belt maker Wilder Creations (@wildercreationsmt) in a traditional double elimination tournament bracket. There will be camaraderie, chaos, and a raffle curated with goods from many of Missoula’s finest local establishments with proceeds being split between the ZACC and the Missoula Food Bank. Tournament participation is not required for the raffle, so come on down and watch Missoula’s finest duke it out for pride, leather, and the benefit of two of Missoula’s finest nonprofits. Getting your ticket now will insure your spot in the tournament and some tickets for the raffle, so grab your controller of choice and get ready for the next battle! For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
Cowboy Andy & The Salamanders at the 10th Annual Missoula Monster Project!
Friday, October 4 // 5-7 PM (Gallery Opening from 5-8 PM) // Free & Open to All Head over to the ZACC at 216 W Main St on Friday, October 4, anytime between 5-8 PM for the 2024 Missoula Monster Project Gallery Opening! The ZACC bar will be open and folks will be able to purchase beverages for their enjoyment during the event. Monsters will be available for purchase on a first-come, first-served basis – so arrive early to snag your favorite! The 10th Annual Missoula Monster Project Opening will also feature Cowboy Andy & The Salamanders from 5 to 7 PM in the ZACC Show Room – totally free and open to all ages! Bring your kids, check out all the monsters, and rock out with Cowboy Andy & the Salamanders! There will also be MONSTER CAKE. Did we mention this is all FREE?! To learn more about the Missoula Monster Project, visit: https://www.zootownarts.org/shows-events/annual-events/missoula-monster-project.html For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
Singing for the Snowbird Fund
Wednesday, October 2 // Door at 7 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // Free & Open to All // Donations to the Snowbird Fund Appreciated Join the Missoula Community and Hellgate High School students on October 2nd for a fundraising event: Singing for the Snowbird Fund! This student-led event is an open-mic style show, with performances from Hellgate High school students, U of M students, and Missoula community members. Admission for the event is completely free, however we are requesting donations for The Snowbird Fund – a Montana foundation that directly supports community searches for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People. Come enjoy a night of upbeat music for a good cause! For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
Disability Roots, Featuring Tom Olin
Wednesday, September 18 // Doors open at 5 PM // Event begins at 5:30 PM // Free Admission, All Are Welcome Join us for an evening with Tom Olin and his disability rights movement photographs. Tom is a world renown Photographer whose disability photographs have been displayed in the Smithsonian and the National Civil Rights Museum, and who has a PBS documentary to release next year. He’ll speak about the photographs, what was happening in them, and offer highlights of the disability rights movement along with Marsha Katz, ADAPT member and local disability rights historian. Explore the power of Disability with us. Free admission and light snacks. Cash bar available. For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
