Our View: Concert association should be saved

"There’s nothing to do in Havre.”

That’s a common refrain around town. We think the statement is unfair. For a city our size, a lot of community activities are held every week.

Just the same, there can never be too much to do.

Having a vibrant cultural and entertainment life in the community is vital to expand the horizons and opportunities of Havre residents.

It makes life for students at Montana State University-Northern more interesting.

And it helps economic development by adding another reason to reject that concept that Havre is just a cultural desert on the far northern reaches.

For these and many other reasons, we were devastated to read that the Northern Showcase Community Concert Association had disbanded.

For three-quarters of a century, the association has brought fine entertainment the our community. We would like to see more, not fewer, entertainment opportunities. We think there is a market in the Hi-Line for more classical, jazz, folk and rock music in the area, and it’s sad to see that in this vital area, there is something of a retreat locally.

That’s not to say that there will be no more cultural opportunities in the area. Northern sponsors the Chancellor’s Lecture Series that brings interesting speakers to the area. The MSU-Northern Community Orchestra offers great concerts.

But we’d like to see Havre be the Mecca of arts and culture on the Hi-Line, and the demise of this tremendous civic institution is a step in the wrong direction.

We hope business, cultural and education leaders in town can come up with some way to resurrect the concert association. It is a valuable community asset that we would hate to lose.