<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">June 5, 2024</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Local Media</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><i>Learn more at: <a href="https://www.missouladowntown.com/2024/06/03/missoula-downtown-foundation-launches-downtown-mural-project-in-partnership-with-sandy-mitchell-and-local-artist-lillian-nelson/">https://www.missouladowntown.com/2024/06/03/missoula-downtown-foundation-launches-downtown-mural-project-in-partnership-with-sandy-mitchell-and-local-artist-lillian-nelson/</a></i></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin:0in;text-align:center;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:115%"><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin:0in;text-align:center;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:115%"><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin:0in;text-align:center;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:115%">MISSOULA
DOWNTOWN FOUNDATION LAUNCHES DOWNTOWN MURAL PROJECT <br>
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SANDY MITCHELL AND LOCAL ARTIST LILLIAN NELSON</span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">For the second year in a row, with a
focus on arts and culture and a desire to activate alleys, the Missoula
Downtown Foundation has partnered with Missoula Artist Lillian Nelson and downtown
property owner Sandy Mitchell to create a large art mural on the Dorothy
Building at 131 W Alder Street. </p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Funded by the Foundation’s Arts &
Culture Impact Grants program, the <i>Dorothy
Dragon </i>mural will span over 115 feet in length, 28 feet in high, meander
through 19 windows and breathe fire up a chimney that has historically kept
residents warm inside the Dorothy apartment building for the past century.
Artist Lillian Nelson noted in her application that the building is “unique,
yet a little rough right now, so a big, sparkling dragon would give it a much
needed facelift.”</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Nelson is a Montana native and 2007
fine arts graduate of the University of Montana. She is an experienced local
artist with prior works displayed across town on multiple traffic signal boxes,
on dumpster wraps behind the Confluence Center, and upon the 113 foot mural at
the Van Buren Street underpass.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">“It feels amazing to use the momentum
from last year’s projects and offer yet another art landmark to the Missoula community,”
said Travis Neil, President of the Missoula Downtown Foundation. “Coming
together with property owners to create lasting pieces of art in the heart of
our community has been highly rewarding for our board and staff. Missoulians
and tourists both will be able to watch the <i>Dorothy
Dragon </i>come to life throughout the summer and witness what local
partnerships can accomplish.”</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Artist Lillian Nelson will begin work
on the project this week and will look to complete the piece by August 31. The
adjacent sidewalks at 131 W Alder Street will be closed intermittently throughout
the summer to allow the artist to work.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">“I am excited to add much needed color
to the building and bring new life into the residential block,” said artist Lillian
Nelson. “This project could potentially be one of Missoula’s biggest and most
colorful murals! Contributing to the arts scene in Missoula has been a focus of
mine for a long time and the opportunity to produce this mural feels like one
of the most substantial projects of my career.”</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Arts & Culture Impact
Grants Program was created in 2023 with the intent to partner artists with
building owners and funding to create destination artwork and implement goals
of the Downtown Master Plan and its subsets, including more art, placemaking
projects, alley activation projects, and gateway improvements. The Foundation
will be funding two projects this year, with a second piece to begin at 218 E
Main </p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">“It feels great to support this
project with the Foundation,” said Sandy Mitchell, owner of the Dorothy
Building. “I see the dragon as becoming a lasting legacy that I can give back
to the Missoula community. What was simply a thought or pipe dream of mine last
winter has now become a reality thanks to the expertise and imagination of Lillian.
I can’t wait to watch the project evolve this summer!”</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">These projects are made possible in
part due to generous gifts from Missoula Downtown Foundation donors. Folks
interested in supporting the Arts & Culture Impact Grants Program are encouraged
to donate online at <a href="https://donations.missouladowntown.com/" style="color:blue">donations.missouladowntown.com</a>.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">For more information about the
Missoula Downtown Foundation, visit <a href="https://www.missouladowntown.com/missoula-downtown-foundation/" style="color:blue">missouladowntown.com/missoula-downtown-foundation/</a> or reach
out to the staff via phone (406-543-4238) or email (<a href="mailto:info@missouladowntown.com" style="color:blue">info@missouladowntown.com</a>). </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </p></div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><p style="margin:0px"><font size="4" face="arial, sans-serif"><b><br></b></font></p><p style="margin:0px"><font size="4" face="arial, sans-serif"><b><br></b></font></p><p style="margin:0px"><font size="4" face="arial, sans-serif"><b>Bram Moore</b></font></p><p style="margin:0px"><b><font face="arial, sans-serif">Operations Coordinator<span></span><span></span></font></b></p><p style="margin:0px"><font face="arial, sans-serif">Downtown Missoula Partnership </font></p><p style="margin:0px"><font face="arial, sans-serif">218 E Main | Missoula, MT </font></p><p style="margin:0px"><font face="arial, sans-serif"><a value="+14065434238" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)">406.543.4238 | </a><a href="http://www.missouladowntown.com/" title="http://www.missouladowntown.com/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">missouladowntown.com</a></font></p><p style="margin:0px"><br></p><p style="margin:0px"><font face="arial, sans-serif"><a href="http://www.missouladowntown.com/" title="http://www.missouladowntown.com/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank"><img width="200" height="93" src="https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4xWaciST5Z8LieVS93Vl31VXo3zi06NmltOO3E6DBWkOEvtD8L1PDoqPl_tnlpx2woxXEPYcvdsK64Q"></a></font></p><div><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>