Front Row Center

Karla Theilen the director of the Montana Book Festival preview's the upcoming festival in Missoula. Theilen says the festival has, "kept true to some of the traditions ... in celebrating Montana's celebrated literary figures, and ... moved to another level and introduced a little bit more diverse programming, not just in the types of authors, but also in the types of events we're putting on."

Listen in to learn more about the festival's 2017 offerings from Karla Theilen and "The Write Question" host Sarah Aronson.

Tom Bensen of Arts Missoula joins MTPR's Michael Marsolek with a report on the economic impact of non-profit arts organizations in Missoula County — a whopping $54 million according to a new report from Americans for the Arts.

"These are numbers that validate what people already know," Bensen says, "that the arts and culture organizations and people contribute a lot to our economy."

There's a lot going on in Butte this summer, from the Big Bang fireworks extravaganza to the Montana Folk Festival, and even a Folk Feast, which is part fundraiser and part art event.  George Everett, executive director of Main Street Uptown Butte joins MTPR's Michael Marsolek to give you a preview of the summer fun coming up in Butte.

"I just think that Americans, now more than ever, need to be reminded of and celebrate, and just feel good about what great culture we have produced and continue to produce through these community based traditions," says Nick Spitzer, host of American Routes.

Spitzer will be back in the state for the Montana Folk Festival in Butte, July 7-9 where he'll join MTPR's Michael Marsolek and the MTPR crew broadcasting live from the festival. In this interview, Spitzer talks about how the Montana Folk Festival fits in to the larger mosaic of folk music in America.

Guy Raz says the new "Wow in the World" podcast is, "a chance for us to celebrate scientists and discoverers and technologists and the people who are making our world better and more interesting."

"Wow in the World" is a show for curious kids and grown-ups. Hosts Guy Raz and Mindy Thomas join MTPR's Michael Marsolek to talk about using the show to inspire kids to appreciate the amazing things that are happening around the world.