Art Walk in the works to fund scholarships through new Chouteau County Fine Arts Council
June 28, 2023
Juli Robertson of Fort Benton recently created the Chouteau County Fine Arts Council (CCFA) with the hope of inspiring local artists of all ages to grow, aspire, and show off their skills. The council’s main purpose will be to fund scholarships for Chouteau County students pursuing art education.
“I don’t agree with Oxford’s definition of the word art,” Robertson said. “It’s more than just drawing or painting. It’s every type of creative medium: quilting, dancing, gardening, etc. It all takes creative skills and artistic influences.”
Robertson was born and raised in Helena, which she describes as an “artsy town.” She grew up surrounded by art, as all of her family members had creative talents.
She wanted to pursue a career involving art, but decided earning a degree in accounting would be a safer bet.
She did art as a hobby, but it wasn’t until she was diagnosed with breast cancer in late 2019 that she truly began to pursue her passions again.
She was inspired by a quote from astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson that states, “It is the knowledge that I'm going to die that creates the focus that I bring to being alive; the urgency of accomplishment; the need to express love; now, not later. I fear living a life where I could have accomplished something, but didn’t.”
She now signs off all her emails with the quote under her name.
Robertson finished all her chemotherapy treatments and surgeries (a total of five) in late December 2020. She will have ongoing treatment for the rest of her life.
With Neil’s quote in mind and life unpredictable, she is determined to make a difference through the art council by helping others pursue their passions.
Robertson recalled all the times she and her family attended art walks or art shows in Helena, observing the community’s creativity. She wishes to bring that same artistic inspiration to Fort Benton.
Robertson has split her time between Helena and Fort Benton in recent years, but with her daughter’s recent graduation in Helena, she has now sold her home there and is settling in as a fulltime Fort Benton resident.
“The Chouteau County Fine Arts Council, in partnership with the community, seeks to enrich the quality of life for area residents of all ages by providing educational opportunities, presenting art forms, promoting artists and art groups, and guiding advancement of the arts. Building a better community by sharing local artwork with all the citizens of Chouteau County, MT,” reads the mission statement for the CCFA.
With the CCFA, one of Robertson’s three major goals is to have a yearly Fall Art Walk in Fort Benton.
The Art Walk is intended to bring local artists, businesses, and residents together in a fun community event, while raising funds for the council’s Celebrating Arts in Education Fund to offer scholarships for high school seniors in Chouteau County.
“To my knowledge and research, there are currently not any funding opportunities in Chouteau County to help with higher education within the fine arts. Some schools don’t even have a space for art,” Robertson said.
Robertson is well-acquainted with the high expenses of art supplies and equipment, along with the lofty price tag of college. Her daughter, a recent high school graduate, plans to pursue a career in digital/multimedia arts.
The first CCFA Art Walk will take place Saturday, Sept. 9 from noon to 5 p.m. Participating businesses will host local artists to showcase their work.
Robertson plans to host the Fall Art Walk sometime in September annually, and depending on the success, the CCFA may also add a Spring Art Walk.
“Some people get discouraged because they think art walks are for painting or sculpting only - it’s not! If you’re a quilter, gardener, if you sing or dance, or have any type of creative art form, bring it!” Robertson said.
As an artist herself, Robertson primarily focuses on oil/acrylic painting, but she also does watercolor, stained glass, and sculpting.
“Any art I can get my hands on, I’ll do it!” Robertson said.
Robertson did not attend art school, but wishes she had. She was too scared to chase her dreams and took the “safe route,” becoming an accountant for the state.
She wishes for future students to not make the same mistake she did, another driving force in why she created the Chouteau County Fine Arts Council.
“A lot of people treat art as a throw-away class and it’s not,” Robertson said. “It’s an important future career, and research shows the demand for creative people will increase to more than 60% by the year 2030.”
Chouteau County high school seniors may submit an application and essay by March 15, 2024 for consideration in the first round of CCFAC’s Celebrating Arts in Education Fund scholarship awards. The scholarships are open to students at any Chouteau County high school, as well as colony schools and homeschool students.
Students pursuing higher education in fine arts, graphic design, art therapy, digital/multimedia arts, photography, game and interactive media design, cinematography and film/video production, theater arts, fashion design, or a culinary arts degree may apply for financial support.
Scholarship amounts may vary depending on donations gathered.
“My goal is to have each student walk away with $1,000. If we can raise more, then even better,” Robertson said.
The third goal of the CCFA is to branch out to Highwood and Big Sandy to provide monthly or weekly art classes as well as more art opportunities and classes in Fort Benton.
Robertson said research shows art is beneficial to young and old and helps people explore their emotions. For elderly patients, art has been proven to help lessen anxiety and stress as well as improving cognitive functions.
“We cannot change the lack of teachers, but can help to provide more opportunities in the field,” Robertson said, noting that some Chouteau County schools don’t have art teachers.
For more information or to join the Chouteau County Fine Arts Council, contact Juli Robertson at: ChoCo.FineArt@gmail.com.
Checks can be made to: “CIA Art Fund”, PO Box 61, Fort Benton, MT 59442. They have partnered with the Fort Benton Community Improvement Association (CIA) to operate as a nonprofit.